January 15-21, 2009


Paye 8 Ms. Perrv's Free Press


x 6, U-lx-x .


 FORT JACKSON, S.C. The
Army has been dismissing so many
overweight applicants that its top
recruiter, trying to keep troop num-
bers up in wartime, is considering
starting a fat farm to transform
chubby trainees into svelte soldiers.
Maj. Gen. Thomas Bostick, of the
Army Recruiting Command, said
he wants to see a formal diet and fit-
ness regimen running alongside a
new school at Fort Jackson that
helps aspiring troops earn GEDs
 Obesity looms as a bigger chal-
lenge for in the years ahead than
any other problem that keeps young
people from entering the military,
including lack of a GED or high
school diploma, misconduct or
criminal behavior and other health
issues such as eye or ear problems.
According to Defense Department
over the past four years 47,447
potential recruits flunked induction
physical at the nation's 35 Military
Entrance Processing Stations
because they were overweight.
That is a fraction of the 205,902
such exams given in 2005 and


I AwiLJ


250,764 in 2008, but still amounts
to a hefty number and comes at a
time when the military is more
interested than ever in recruits. The
Army and Marine Corps together
paid more than $600 million over
the past year in bonuses and other
financial incentives to volunteers.
 While the services have reported
exceeding their recruiting goals in
the past year, the Pentagon remains
under pressure to find a constant
flow of recruits. The Defense
Department plans to boost the
active duty Army by 65,000 to a
total of 547,000 soldiers by next
year, and grow the Marines from
175,000 to 202,000 by 2011.
 In an interview during a visit to
the Army's largest training installa-
tion, Bostick said a slim-down
camp could be part of the new
Army Prep School at Fort Jackson,
S.C. The school opened in August,
and gives recruits who didn't gradu-
ate from high school the chance to
earn a GED before starting their
nine weeks of basic training.
"We are looking at the Army Prep


Getting Your Hair

Readv for DC Cold


 L-. Dear Dyrinda,
 I'm heading to
 D.C. for the
inauguration of Barack Obama and
I'm getting worried about what to
do with my hair. I'm a true Florida
girl and I'm worried if the snow
and possibly rain hit my new hair
do, then what do I do? Do you
have any suggestion on how to
combat the winter hair undos,
while still trying to look fabulous?
 La Shawn, ( a true Michele
Obama wanna be), Arlington
Well La Shawn, I know everyone
and there mother is trying to head
up to Washington, D.C. for the
event of the century and you'd bet-
ter believe the sisters will have
their hair tight! And if we are
going to model our new first lady,
then I would suggest starting with
a easy style. I say this because you
know its going to be cold, and
there is no reason for you to be
cute and cold, so when you're out-
side put on your hat. One day of
looking fabulous is not worth your
health. Now is not the time to pull
your hair away from your face.
 Stay away from updos, because
the minute you head inside and
take off your hat that updo will be
no more- and we all know you can
never get our hair exactly the way
your styles had it. Like I stated
before, opt for a smooth wrap or a
sleek low pull back. This way it
will be easier for you to maintain
your look. Another option would
be a roller set. Because of the cold
weather there will be no low to any
humidity so your curls will hold
longer.
Also, looks with bangs are popu-
lar in the winter because they draw
attention to the eyes, frame the
face, and minimize the winter pal-


lor of the skin. Sideswept bangs
can be dramatic and fun, while full
cut bangs are a classic look that
wears well in any season. But if
you are going to be in the cold
weather for longer than just that
one day, keep in mind that Cold
winter air is dryer than during the
rest of the year, and using an
appropriate conditioner is neces-
sary to keep hair properly soft and
moisturized. Hot oil treatments can
also help if hair is particularly dry
and brittle.
 DS Spa and Salon is located at
9810 Baymeadows Rd Suite #2.
 Reach her at 645-9044.


Pvt. Idalia Halley,18, left, of Columbia, S.C. stands with her 'battle
buddy' Pvt. Katrina Thompkins, 19 of Greenville, S.C. during rifle
training at a shooting range at Fort Jackson, S.C. Both women had
issues with their weight but with five weeks of training behind them
and doing daily push-ups, sit-ups and running they are confident they


are ready to pass basic training.
School as a place where we might
send recruits that have weight
issues," the two-star general said.
The prep school is housed in sev-
eral one- and two-story buildings
on a small part of this sprawling
training installation. The class-
rooms and living quarters are
Spartan. GED candidates wear
Army uniforms, exercise before
breakfast and study under the guid-
ance of enlisted officers. They do
not mix or conduct weapons train-
ing with soldiers participating in the
nine weeks of basic training maneu-
vers elsewhere on the fort.
 Bostick argues that many of the
young people who want to join the
Army have a hard time understand-
ing the importance of daily exercise
and a healthy diet, but could get
within the limits with guidance.
 "It took them 18 years to get to
where they are at, so it's very diffi-
cult for them to lose the kind of
weight that they need to on their
own," said Bostick, who did not
provide any timing for when his
idea might reach fruition, nor any
projection of its potential cost.
 Besides basic weight and height
guidelines, Bogan said the Army


uses body fat percentages and an
aerobics test to determine whether
recruits can withstand the rigors of
basic training. Recruits must step
up and down on a riser at a certain
rate per minute, then perform some
push-ups and sit-ups and have their
heart rates measured.
 One of Bogan's recruits, 18-year-
old Idalia Halley, was shocked
when she found she was too heavy
to enter boot camp.
 "My mom was like, 'You better
come run with me,'" Halley
recalled, saying it took several
weeks of healthy eating and runs
with her Army-veteran mom to
finally get into the service.
On her second try, Halley said she
weighed in at 162 pounds and
logged a 30 percent rate of body fat
to meet the Army's standard.
 Toting her M-16 during weapons
exercises in basic training, Halley
said she'd slimmed down even more
in the first weeks of training.
 "I know I've lost some weight
because I have to pull my pants up
tighter," the Army private said.
"And besides, I don't think the
food's all that great except break-
fast."


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Army Recruiter Weighing Fat Camp for Applicants


 New Year's resolutions have got-
ten a bad rap. Most folks set them
out of wishful thinking on New
Year's Day, but don't have a clear
vision or realistic plan to reach
them. By the end of the month,
they're long forgotten and the fol-
lowing year it is proclaimed that
"resolutions don't work." But reso-
lutions or goals, do work, if you
don't break these three rules:
 1. Aiming at too much
 Sure, you may have a long list of
bad habits you'd like to break, but
if you resolve to break them all at
once, you're likely to overwhelm
yourself and give up. Instead, build
your confidence by setting small
goals that you can reach in the near
term. Make your goals small, spe-
cific and attainable.
For example, if your goal is to lose
40 pounds and you've identified 10
bad habits that have led to your
weight gain, start by changing just
one or two habits. Replace your
afternoon visits to the vending
machine with a healthy snack you
keep in your desk, or replace 30


minutes of television viewing with
a brisk walk with someone in your
household. Break your goals into
bite-sized pieces.
 2. Not aiming at all
 Worse than aiming too high is
having no vision for where you are
headed. Goals contribute to happi-
ness and well being. They don't
have to be daunting or terribly seri-
ous. Create "fun goals," centered
around activities that bring you joy
and lots of positive emotion.
Perhaps it's a hobby you commit to
engaging in at least once a week or
something you add to your sched-
ule that you can look forward to.
 3. Aiming at the past
 People often feel pressured to
"catch up" on all the things they
think they should have done last
year or the year before, so they pile
on resolutions out of anxiety over
missed opportunities and procrasti-
nation. Can you relate? Forgive
yourself for what you didn't do in
the past and focus on the present.
It's the only moment you can do
anything about.


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STDs Sore Among Black Women
U.S. syphilis rates rose for a seventh year in 2007, driven by gay and
bisexual men, while chlamydia reached record numbers and gonorrhea
remained at alarming levels -- especially among African-Americans.
Blacks make up 12 percent of the U.S. population, but account for
about 70 percent of gonorrhea cases and almost half of chlamydia
and syphilis cases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
 Black women ages 15 to 19 have the highest rates of chlamydia and
gonorrhea, and gonorrhea rates for blacks overall were 19 times higher
than for whites, the CDC said.
Chlamydia and gonorrhea are easily diagnosed and treated, but fre-
quently have no symptoms and remain undetected.
Untreated, chlamydia and gonorrhea -- both bacterial infections -- can
cause pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility in women. The two
infections also can cause ectopic pregnancy, chronic pelvic pain and
other health problems.

3 Mistakes That Will Sabotage

 Your New Years Resolutions


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