The Achievements of President Barack Obama.

"The sentence I hear most from well-meaning, conservative friends since President Trump’s election is this: “We suffered 8 years under Barack Obama.”

Fair enough. Let’s take a look:

· The day Obama took office, the Dow closed at 7,949 points. Eight years later, the Dow had almost tripled.

· General Motors and Chrysler were on the brink of bankruptcy, with Ford not far behind, and their failure, along with their supply chains, would have meant the loss of millions of jobs. Obama pushed through a controversial, $8o billion bailout to save the car industry. The U.S. car industry survived, started making money again, and the entire $80 billion was paid back, with interest.

· While we remain vulnerable to lone-wolf attacks, no foreign terrorist organization has successfully executed a mass attack here since 9/11.

· Obama ordered the raid that killed Osama Bin Laden.

· He drew down the number of troops from 180,000 in Iraq and Afghanistan to just 15,000, and increased funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

· He launched a program called Opening Doors which, since 2010, has led to a 47 percent decline in the number of homeless veterans.

· He set a record 73 straight months of private-sector job growth.

· Due to Obama’s regulatory policies, greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 12%, production of renewable energy more than doubled, and our dependence on foreign oil was cut in half.

· He signed The Lilly Ledbetter Act, making it easier for women to sue employers for unequal pay.

· His Omnibus Public Lands Management Act designated more than 2 million acres as wilderness, creating thousands of miles of trails and protecting over 1,000 miles of rivers.

· He reduced the federal deficit from 9.8 percent of GDP in 2009 to 3.2 percent in 2016.

· For all the inadequacies of the Affordable Care Act, we seem to have forgotten that, before the ACA, you could be denied coverage for a pre-existing condition and kids could not stay on their parents’ policies up to age 26.

· Obama approved a $14.5 billion system to rebuild the levees in New Orleans.

· All this, even as our own Mitch McConnell famously asserted that his singular mission would be to block anything President Obama tried to do.

· While Obama failed on his campaign pledge to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay, that prison’s population decreased from 242 to around 50.

· He expanded funding for embryonic stem cell research, supporting groundbreaking advancement in areas like spinal injury treatment and cancer.

· Credit card companies can no longer charge hidden fees or raise interest rates without advance notice.

· Most years, Obama threw a 4th of July party for military families. He held babies, played games with children, served barbecue, and led the singing of “Happy Birthday” to his daughter Malia, who was born on July 4.

· Welfare spending is down: for every 100 poor families, just 24 receive cash assistance, compared with 64 in 1996.

· Obama comforted families and communities following more than a dozen mass shootings. After Sandy Hook, he said, “The majority of those who died today were children, beautiful little kids between the ages of 5 and 10 years old.”

· Yet, he never took away anyone’s guns.

· He sang Amazing Grace, spontaneously, at the altar.

· He was the first president since Eisenhower to serve two terms without personal or political scandal.

· He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

President Obama was not perfect, as no man and no president is, and you can certainly disagree with his political ideologies. But to say we suffered? If that’s the argument, if this is how we suffered for 8 years under Barack Obama, I have one wish: may we be so fortunate as to suffer 8 more."

Courtesy: John Bornsworth.

The best Illustration of the Race Inequalities in America.

A Very Strong Message from Arnold Schwarzenegger.

"I have a message for the neo-Nazis, the white nationalists and the neo-confederates. Let me just be as blunt as possible: Your heroes are losers!You’re supporting a lost cause. Believe me, I know the original Nazis.

I was born in Austria in 1947, shortly after the end of the 2nd world war. Growing up, I was surrounded by broken men…men who came from the war with shrapnel and guilt…men who were misled into a losing ideology. And I can tell you; these ghosts that you idolize spent the rest of their lives in shame. And right now, they are in hell. I know you were not born with these hateful views. No one is. But the truth is, it’s never too late to make the choices to learn and to evolve and to understand that all humans have equal values…

And to those of you who have been silent, you must also evolve. I have learned a long time ago that the only way we can eliminate hatred is to confront it head-on. It’s not always comfortable, of course. But stereotypes, racism, religion or anything else are like cancer. If you had a tumor, you would not quietly hope that it slowly disappears. You would zap the hell out of it with chemotherapy, cut it off and try every experiment until it was gone. Hatred is not different!” – Arnold Schwarzenegger (38th Governor of California).

Work Place Ethics in Two Different Cultures.

I watched the erstwhile anchor of Hardball on MSNBC, Chris Matthews, as he apologized profusely (during an interview) for his “inappropriate behavior” when he paid compliments to a woman about her cute appearance. Listening to him, I had a flash back to some of the no-holds-barred jokes we used to make in NAL Merchant Bank of those days in Nigeria. I remember the time a woman jocularly slapped her male colleague in the butt and the guy insisted on taking “revenge”. And one particular guy, who went on to become a pastor & the CEO of a bank, was reputed for constantly yelling in the banking hall while joking with women; “Hey, I’ll tear off your panties.” In retrospect, I do wonder what a sharp contrast there is between the two different work environments.

What an Irony - This Time Two Years ago!

What an irony! In Spring, 2018, the entire neighborhood was covered up and in isolation - no thanks to a strange snowstorm.
And today, precisely 2 years later, the same neighborhood is all desolate and in self isolation due to a different "Stranger on the Shore" - Corona virus.

The Global Challenges of Corona Virus.

The challenges posed by the raging corona virus across the global community is stretching far beyond the scope of healthcare. It's beginning to take its toll on the socioeconomic lives of people especially in the United States.

Just like the unfortunate aftermath of the 9-1-1 tragedy, several companies are now closing down and laying off their staff. Just yesterday, a company in Pennsylvania laid off a whopping 700 staff members. Yet, among the multiplying effects of this sad reality is the inability of those being laid off to pay their bills and even feed their families. Mortgage payments, rents, utilities and grocery-shopping are now becoming a herculean task for many families. The situation is really critical.

Today, Delmarva (electric company) announced that it has suspended all service disconnections and waiving late payment fees for those who can not afford to pay. This is a step in the right direction and we can only hope that other utility companies will take a cue from Delmarva while praying for them all to remain in service. God bless America.

Beware of the Quiet Man.

"Beware of the quiet man.

For while others speak,

he watches.

While others act,

he plans.

And when they finally rest...he strikes."

 - Anonymous. (Culled from the movie, "Vice").

Reducing Life to Buying & Selling.

 

“Perhaps the most extraordinary characteristic of current America 

is the attempt to reduce life to buying and selling. 

Life is not love unless love is sex and bought and sold. 

Life is not knowledge save knowledge of technique, 

of science for destruction. 

Life is not beauty except beauty for sale. 

Life is not art unless its price is high and it is sold for profit. 

All life is production for profit, 

and for what is profit but for buying and selling again?” 

—  W.E.B. Du Bois, The Autobiography of W.E.B. Du Bois: A Soliloquy on Viewing My Life from the Last Decade of Its First Century, Published June 1st 1968 by International Publishers.



On Memorial Day, we Remember all those who Gave Everything.

"On Memorial Day, we remember all those who gave everything for something greater than themselves. It's up to us to not simply reflect on their sacrifice but to honor it with service of our own—and by living out the values they fought for". - President Barrack Obama.

3 Costly Retirement Mistakes to Avoid.

Many workers look forward to retirement, and understandably so. After all, your golden years are a great time to kick back and enjoy the fruits of your lifelong labor. But retirement can also be a precarious financial period of life. Going from a steady paycheck to a fixed income can be a stressful prospect, and if you're not smart about the way you manage your money and expenses, you could really end up struggling financially. With that in mind, here are three retirement mistakes that could end up making your senior years miserable.

1. Filing for Social Security too soon

Your Social Security benefits are calculated based on your highest 35 years of earnings. The age at which you file for those benefits, however, could cause them to change, and not necessarily for the better. If you wait until you reach full retirement age, or FRA, to claim benefits, you'll get the full monthly payments your earnings record entitles you to. That age is either 66, 67, or somewhere in between, depending on the year you were born.

That said, you're allowed to file for benefits starting at age 62. Doing so gives you early access to that money, but it also means you'll reduce your benefits by a certain percentage depending on how far ahead of FRA you file. What this means is that if you retire before reaching FRA, it might pay to wait on Social Security until you've reached FRA or beyond, as you can delay benefits up until age 70 and grow them by 8% a year in the process. This way, you won't slash what could ultimately end up being a major income source for you in retirement.

Imagine you retire at 65 and have some savings to live on, at least on a short-term basis. If your FRA is 67, at which point you're entitled to $1,500 a month from Social Security, and you can get by without benefits, waiting those two years could save you a nice chunk of money -- specifically, $2,400 a year. Therefore, don't rush to claim Social Security if you retire before your FRA, because you could end up cutting your benefits for life.

2. Not signing up for Medicare on time

Medicare eligibility begins at age 65, and signing up on time can help you not only secure the coverage you need but also help you avoid expensive penalties that make your health benefits more expensive. Your initial Medicare enrollment period begins three months before the month in which you turn 65 and ends three months after the month in which you turn 65. If you don't sign up for Medicare during that period, you can sign up during the general enrollment period of Jan. 1 through March 31 of each year. But you might end up paying more for Medicare if you hold off too long.
Most Medicare enrollees don't pay a premium for Part A, which covers hospital visits. They do, however, pay a premium for Part B, which covers preventative care and diagnostics. If you don't sign up for Medicare during your initial enrollment period, you'll face a 10% increase in your Part B premiums for every 12-month period you were eligible for coverage but didn't enroll. And when you're on a fixed income, that added cost could really hurt you.

3. Not going in with a savings withdrawal strategy

Ideally, you'll enter retirement with a substantial nest egg. But if you don't establish a withdrawal strategy, you'll risk depleting your savings prematurely and running out of money later in life.
For years, financial experts have been promoting the 4% rule, which states that if you begin by withdrawing 4% of your nest egg's value during your first year of retirement, and then adjust subsequent withdrawals for inflation, your savings should, in theory, last 30 years. Though it's not a perfect rule, it's certainly a decent starting point to work with. That said, if you're retiring earlier than the average American (say, in your 50s), it's best to adopt a more conservative withdrawal strategy -- say, 2% or 3% a year -- since your savings will need to last longer. And on the flipside, you might get away with taking higher withdrawals, percentage-wise, if you don't retire until your 70s.

Along these lines, plan to be flexible during years when the market takes a downturn and your portfolio value drops. If you cut back on expenses when your investments are worth less and therefore withdraw less, your nest egg will take less of a hit. But if you take withdrawals blindly without adopting a strategy or understanding the consequences involved, it could cause you to lose money unnecessarily and, as previously mentioned, deplete your nest egg at a time when you're still very much alive and kicking.

Retirement can be a financially stressful period of life, but it doesn't have to be. Avoid these mistakes, and you'll be more likely to enjoy your golden years without the financial worries so many seniors face.
By Maurie Backman, The Motley Fool.

92-Year-Old NY Doctor Rides Subway to Work to See 200 Patients.

On the left, 92-year-old Dr. Melissa Freeman hard at work, and on the right, Dr. Freeman during her daily subway commute to work. (YouTube Screenshot | Good Morning America)

You may be surprised if we told you this lady is 92 years young, but she is! She’s been practicing medicine for around 60 years, and has no plans of retiring. Meet Dr. Melissa Freeman. Each year, Dr. Freeman treats up to 200 patients at her private clinic, located in Harlem, New York. What’s incredible is that at her advanced age, she seems so full of vitality. She could well be retired, but she’s out there treating people who are addicted to opioids.

“Once addicted, it’s a very difficult problem to release,” she told Good Morning America host Robin Roberts in August 2018. “To see them straightening their lives up, it’s a very moving thing.”

Most likely it’s the positive changes she sees in the patients she treats that is what motivates her to keep doing what she does so well.

“As long as God gives you life and gives me strength, I’ll have to keep doing it, and he has been very, very merciful for me.”

Moreover, in order to get around town, Dr. Freeman takes the subway.

“I’m a New Yorker.”

“If I have to get somewhere and the subway is the best way to get there, I will board the subway and take it.”

“My father really emphasized the importance of an education,” said Freeman. “They all had this knowledge that their children needed to be educated. He didn’t talk much about it, but all of the children knew.”

Delving a little into her music past, she opens up about what led her to the medical industry.

“I went to Music and Art to Hunter College,” Freeman relayed to Amsterdam News. “There was a family friend and she used to speak to me and she had a daughter who was a physician and she used to ask me me [sic] ‘Why don’t you become a physician? Why don’t you think about becoming a doctor?’

“I knew I wasn’t going to be a musician. I took physiology in college and I liked science,” Freeman continued. “But how was I gonna afford an education in medicine? My father had just died, there were no funds; so I didn’t know what to do.”

And as the saying goes, where there’s a will, there’s a way. In order to study medicine, she balanced a couple of jobs with night classes. Eventually, she graduated from Howard University’s College of Medicine in 1955. From there, her career in medicine flourished, and we can see that she derives much satisfaction from treating people. When asked if she foresees herself retiring, she said, “Not that I can see in the near future, no.”

In light of Dr. Freeman’s career in medicine, Confucius’s saying fits in quite perfectly—“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”

How important education is! Let Dr. Freeman’s life journey be an encouragement for all who yearn to study and make something of their lives, including parents who wish to motivate their children. Use your education to benefit others.

For those who Don't Understand Privilege.

Blind Loyalty is not a Virtue.

(Michael Cohen, former lawyer of President Trump)

“…Recently, the president Tweeted a statement calling me weak, and he was correct, but for a much different reason than he was implying. It was because time and time again I felt it was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds rather than to listen to my own inner voice and my moral compass. My weakness can be characterized as a blind loyalty to Donald Trump, and I was weak for not having the strength to question and to refuse his demands. I have already spent years living a personal and mental incarceration, which no matter what is decided today, owning this mistake will free me to be once more the person I really am…” - Michael Cohen (Former Donald Trump’s lawyer speaking in court before being sentenced to three years in prison).

This is what happens to those that play the role of a “hatchet man” in their blind loyalty to mischievous bosses, especially those in public positions. And I do hope Abba Kyari (Chief of Staff to Nigerian president) and his ilk are aware of the sad story of Michael Cohen. 

(Abba Kyari, Chief of Staff to Nigerian president).

Children of a Republican Candidate Warn Voters to Beware of him.

Steve West, who once said 'Hitler was right,' won the Republican nomination for a state representative seat in Missouri: YouTube/Screenshot

A Republican candidate’s own children have warned voters in Missouri against electing their “fanatic” father to the state assembly, just days before the midterms.

 

“A lot of his views are just very out there,” Emily West said of her father, Steve West.

 

“He’s made multiple comments that are racist and homophobic and how he doesn’t like the Jews,” she told the Kansas City Star this week.

 

“I can’t imagine him being in any level of government."

 

Her brother, Andy West, told the newspaper his father is a “fanatic” that “must be stopped”.

 

“His ideology is pure hatred. It’s totally insane … If he gets elected, it would legitimize him. Then he would become a state official, and he’s saying that Jews shouldn’t even have civil rights,” he said.

 

Anti-Semitic and homophobic comments by Steve West, who goes by the name “Jack Justice” on his YouTube channel, have come to light since he comfortably won his Republican primary in August.

 

“Looking back in history, unfortunately, Hitler was right about what was taking place in Germany,” he said on a radio show in 2017.

 

In attacks on the LGBT+ community, the 64-year-old has said homosexuality and pedophilia are “absolutely linked” and described women’s athletics as a “breeding ground for lesbianism”.

 

Just this week, Steve West told NBC News, without providing evidence: “The homosexual world, they are by much greater per cent predators – especially when it comes to boys.”

 

The Missouri Republican Party, which does not endorse him, has previously branded his comments “shocking and vile” and said his rhetoric has “absolutely no place in the party”.

 

Despite the party’s condemnation, Steve West still has the opportunity to become the Republican state representative of the state’s 15th district on Tuesday.

 

“I’m deeply disturbed by his candidacy,” Jon Carpenter, the Democratic incumbent, said of his opponent. “It’s my hope that the voters of the 15th district overwhelmingly reject that kind of bigotry on election day.”

President Trump is Like the Fabled Tortoise.

Trump is like the fabled tortoise who once claimed to be the wisest man in the world. So, one day, he decided to go hide the "great" wisdom up in a tree so that no one else could have access to it. But while climbing the tree, he put the gourd containing the entire "wisdom" in his front instead of his back as any smart person would have done. Sadly, he didn't realize his foolishness until someone pointed his attention to the displayed stupidity.

This Is the Average American's Salary.

In an age of oversharing, many of us are remarkably tight-lipped when it comes to talking salary. But in reality, knowing where you stand can help you determine whether you're in a good place or whether you should be taking steps to boost your earnings.

The average U.S. worker today earns roughly $46,641 a year, according to data from the Social Security Administration. The median salary in the country, however, is only $30,533, which tells us that a greater number of people earn less than the average than more.

Of course, the best way to determine whether your salary is fair is to research your specific industry and see how others with your job title are doing. Better yet, see what local folks with your job title are being paid, as that'll give you an even more accurate point of comparison. But if you find that you're earning less than the average worker with your qualifications, you'll want to take steps to boost your income. Here are a few to start with.

1. Ask for a raise: Asking your boss for more money is a pretty daunting notion, but if you're serious about increasing your earnings, you'll need to get over it. Amazingly, 56% of workers have never asked for a raise, according to CareerBuilder, but of those who have, 66% were successful in getting some sort of boost. So do your research, figure out what you should be making, and present that data to your boss. Not only that, but go in with a list of ways you add specific value to your company to further drive home your argument. It may not be an easy conversation to have, but it's a necessary one nonetheless. 

2. Improve your skills: The more you know, the more critical an employee you'll be regarded as. If you're looking to earn more money, take steps to improve your skills. This doesn't necessarily mean obtaining an advanced degree. Rather, look into the various certifications you might manage to get, or seek out learning opportunities at conferences and seminars. A modest amount of effort on your part could translate into a nice bump in your income. 

3. Dust off your resume: We're often encouraged to be patient and work our way up at our respective companies. But if you're looking for a sizable salary boost, moving to another employer may be the fastest way to get there. And while too much job-hopping can make you look flighty, if you do it strategically, it can work to not only bump up your earnings, but help advance your career as well. 

4. When all else fails, get a second gig: In an ideal world, we'd all earn enough from our primary jobs to call it a day. But there's a reason a good 44 million Americans are holding down a side hustle: They're not making enough money from their main employers, and they need a means of compensating. The good news, however, is that 36% of workers with a side gig bring home more than $500 a month extra as a result, so if you're willing to put in some time, you can boost your income without having to be at the mercy of your boss. 

Whether you earn more or less money than the average American, it never hurts to try to grow your income. Follow these steps, and with any luck, you'll land a raise one way or another. 

By Maurie Backman,

Midterm Elections: Voter enthusiasm Soars Among Young People, Democrats and Minorities.

Voter enthusiasm is soaring ahead of the midterm elections – especially among young people, minorities and Democrats, a new poll suggests.

Turnout during midterms is typically considerably less than during a presidential election year. In 2014, just 37 per cent of people voted – the lowest percentage since World War II – while 61 per cent cast ballots in 2016.
But amid an increasingly tense political environment, and with issues such as the confirmation of Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanaugh stoking passions, 2018 is shaping up to see a large number of people come out to vote, even though Donald Trump’s name is not on the ballot.
A poll for Washington Post-ABC News found voter enthusiasm was up among all groups, but that the increase from 2014 was greatest among the young, people of colour and Democrats.
“Four years ago, midterm voter turnout fell to its lowest level in more than half a century. Republicans were able to capitalise by expanding their house majority and taking control of the senate,” the Post reported.
“Today, with that Republican house majority at risk and some close Senate races that will determine who has control of that chamber in January, a 77 per cent majority of registered voters say they are certain to vote next month or have already voted, up from a 65 per cent majority in polls in October 2014.”
Voter enthusiasm does not always translate to voter participation. As pointed out, 2014 saw barely a third of people vote, even though polls found two-thirds saying they intended to. But a number of issues, among them the low approval rating of Mr Trump, are persuading people they need to ensure they cast their ballot in 2018.

The poll found that certainty to vote had increased by 32 points among women younger than 40, compared with 2014. Among men and women ages 18 to 29, it had risen 17 points.

Among non-white registered voters, 72 per cent were now certain to vote, up from 48 per cent in 2014 the newspaper said. White men without college degrees represented the one heavily Republican group whose certainty to vote was lower than average and had increased less than other groups.
Among voters who intended to opt for Democratic candidates for the house, 81 per cent said they were certain to vote, up from 60 per cent in 2014. Among Republican supporters, the figure was 76 per cent, compared to 73 per cent in 2014.
Most analysts believe the Democrats will flip the 23 seats they need to take control of the house, the lower chamber of congress where most legislation starts life and where any effort to impeach Mr Trump would begin. The party’s chances of taking control of the senate as well, are considerably slimmer.
Yet while Democrats will be pleased by this most recent poll, nothing is certain. Indeed, another poll, published earlier this month, found that Republicans had almost closed the enthusiasm gap with Democrats. The NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll suggested Democrats now led Republicans by just 82-80 among those intending to vote, the gap having closed ten points since the summer.
Analysts said while many Democrats were fired up to vote and see the election as a referendum on Mr Trump, whose approval rating stands at 43 according to the Post poll, the president and Republican leaders have been able to use other issues to stir up their base.
The deliberate decision to paint Mr Kavanaugh as a victim of Democratic senators, and Mr Trump’s mocking of Christine Blasey Ford – one of the women to have levelled accusations of sexual assault at Mr Kavanaugh, allegations he denied – appeared to have struck a chord.
Mr Trump knows that among sections of his supporters, especially Christian evangelicals and social conservatives, there was no greater policy priority that appointing a conservative justice, especially one who appeared open to rolling back landmark rulings such as Roe v Wade, which have guaranteed women access to legal abortion.

On the day the senate voted to move forward with a ballot to confirm Mr Kavanaugh, Mary Katharine Ham, a writer a The Federalist, a conservative news magazine, appeared on CNN. “I think we are under-under-estimating the extent to which Republicans are energised by this,” she said. “You are starting to see it in things like the increase in donations to the [National Republican Congressional Committee.]

Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion, said: “The result of hearings, at least in the short run, is the Republican base was awakened.”

Too fat to fight: Pentagon Grapples with Obesity Epidemic.

Washington (AFP) - Forget about the high-tech military challenges from China and Russia, the Pentagon is facing a fast-growing national security threat that could be even trickier to tackle: America's obesity crisis.

A study released this week has found that nearly one-third of young Americans are now too overweight to join up, a worrying statistic for military officials already facing recruitment challenges.

"Obesity has long threatened our nation's health. As the epidemic grows, obesity is posing a threat to our nation's security as well," the Council for a Strong America states in its new report.

The Army last month announced it would miss its goal of attracting 76,500 new recruits in 2018. The shortfall is of about 6,500 soldiers -- the first time since 2005 the service had missed its hiring targets.

A strong US economy and tight jobs market played a role, but the numbers highlight the dwindling pool of applicants the Pentagon has to draw from.

According to the Defense Department, obesity is one of the top reasons why a stunning 71 percent of Americans aged 17-24 do not meet the military's sign-up requirements.
"Given the high percentage of American youth who are too overweight to serve, recruiting challenges will continue unless measures are taken to encourage a healthy lifestyle beginning at a young age," states the study, entitled "Unhealthy and Unprepared."
Other factors such as prior drug use or a lack of academic qualifications are also taking a toll.
The report, compiled by a group of retired generals and admirals, notes that the obesity issue is a particular worry as it comes when fewer young people are interested in joining the military in the first place.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, a retired Marine general, last month said the shrinking pool of Americans eligible to serve was a "big concern."
"It's a sad state of affairs when 71 percent of the 18 to 24-year-old males in this country cannot qualify to enter the United States Army as a private," he said.
The problem should be addressed at the local level, he said, praising efforts of retired service members who are working in schools "to try to restore physical education where it's been taken out, to try to get school lunches to be things that fuel the body, instead of just giving them crummy food."
- 'Pudgy soldiers' -
The obesity problem persists even after boot camp.
According to retired Army major general Jeffrey Phillips, the military spends more than $1.5 billion each year treating obesity-related health conditions and filling positions vacated by unfit troops.

"I saw it myself: pudgy soldiers visibly pushing, or beyond, the 'height and weight' standards," Phillips wrote in a Military Times commentary.
The new report says the Pentagon has recognized the long-standing obesity problem, and is taking steps to improve the health of its troops.
One Army program, known as the Performance Triad, "aims to improve soldier readiness and encourage healthy behaviors, and to provide support to soldiers in these areas."
The Army has also introduced a new physical fitness test that measures the likelihood recruits will go on to meet the physical demands of their selected military job.
Many military facilities are equipped with top-notch gyms, and dining facilities on US bases around the world often provide nutritional guidelines.
The report concludes that the solution lies in ensuring children and parents learn about the vital importance of healthy eating and physical activity from a young age.
"Basic training lasts weeks, but building strong troops takes years. Encouraging healthy lifestyles early in life will help our nation prepare for future challenges," retired Air Force general Richard Myers said.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine last year found that 2.2 billion people worldwide are believed to be overweight, and more than one in 10 people are obese, fueling a global health crisis that claims millions of lives every year.

Of the world's most populous countries, the United States leads the way in terms of obesity among children and young adults, at 13 percent.

Melania Trump Embarks on Four-nation Trip to Africa.

For her first solo trip abroad, First Lady Melania Trump is en route to Ghana, the first of four countries she plans to visit this week. While many Washingtonians might want to take flight as the battle over Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh continues, FLOTUS’ trip was months in the making. Her wardrobe choices also required considerable planning. Without President Trump at her elbow — or any of the other Trump family members within sight — this will be an individual experience, and presumably a statement–making one from start to finish.

In an interview Friday, Trump’s stylist Hervé Pierre said, “It’s her trip. She really decided to do it. From the beginning, she wanted to do this.”

Expected to land in Ghana at 6 a.m., the First Lady’s travel itinerary includes stops in Malawi, Kenya and Egypt before returning to the Beltway Sunday. “She will spend time with schoolchildren, visit hospitals and do some of the things that tourists do while they are in Africa,” according to pool reporter Katie Rogers of The New York Times. “Why Africa? The White House says she has never been before and has long wanted this to be the destination for her first solo trip.” 

Arriving at Joint Base Andrews around 5:45 p.m., the First Lady dressed the part of the foreign diplomat, wearing a camel-colored suede trenchcoat. (Rogers noted that “leopard-print stilettos” polished off the look.) The Vince coat was selected especially for the departure, according to Pierre. While much has been written about Trump’s affinity for European designer labels, Monday night’s choice of Vince, a U.S.-based contemporary label, was a change of pace. The company had a $1,695 suede trenchcoat on its e-commerce site discounted to $678 Monday night.

As always, Trump is in tune with fashion trends. Madonna, Karlie Kloss, Lady Gaga and Rosie Whiteley-Huntington have each worn their own takes on the trenches, during Paris Fashion Week. And Rihanna wore a Monse trench dress for a Fenty Beauty event last weekend in Dubai.

But back to the trip — the Ghanaian capital of Accra will be the first destination, with a refueling stop scheduled along the way, Rogers’ reported in her dispatch. Earlier Monday, the president of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, declared 2019 as a Year of Return, inviting the global African family to a birth-right journey home to the country. His wife Rebecca was among the spouses of heads of states who attended a reception with the First Lady last week in New York. The gathering was held on the sidelines of the United Nations’ 73rd General Assembly.

During the stay in New York, Pierre had his work cut out for him just trying to meet with the First Lady. Practically hopscotching his way through the police barricades and security checkpoints along Fifth Avenue near Trump Tower, Pierre said, “You should have seen the face of the first policeman that I met three blocks from Trump Tower. I said, ‘I have a meeting with the First Lady.’ And he looked at me like, ‘Yeah, sure, and I’m the Pope,’” Pierre said. “Usually what I do is to open my bag or my folder. Sometimes I will say, ‘Please Google my name. You won’t see my face. You will only see her dress. But at least you will know that I am not joking.’”