It’s a sad day in America when our military must lower its standards to accommodate the ever-expanding waistlines of our nation’s young men.

A recent announcement by the Air Force that it’s decreasing its body weight standards for men and women underscores a troubling trend: too many Americans are too fat to serve, and our military is struggling to find suitable applicants.

This is a harsh reality and a sad indictment of America’s young men.

According to new standards posted by the Air Force, men can now have a body weight of 26% fat, up from 20%.

For women, the percentage has been increased to 36%, up from 28%.

The reason? The Air Force is desperately trying to widen its recruiting pool as fewer Americans choose a military career.

Leslie Brown, Air Force Recruiting Service spokeswoman, told Fox News that these changes bring the Air Force in line with Department of Defense policy.

She added that while recruits will be allowed to join with greater body fat percentages, they will still be expected to meet the same fitness standards as everyone else to stay in the service.

This comes as the Air Force is on pace to miss its active-duty recruiting goal by around 10%, according to Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall.

The recruiting crisis follows the forced dismissal of hundreds of airmen who refused to get the COVID vaccine.

What does this say about the state of our nation’s youth?

A CDC press release from last year stated that about a third of those aged 17-24 are “too heavy” to be in the military. And even if they do meet the weight requirements, only 3 in 4 report physical activity levels that prepare them for challenges in basic training.

Furthermore, the rates of obesity among active-duty service members increased from 16% in 2015 to 19% in 2020.

This presents a significant challenge, as obese soldiers are more likely to suffer from musculoskeletal injuries, according to one study.

Brown acknowledged that today’s generation is different from the one when she joined the military more than 30 years ago.

Tattoos, once considered taboo, are now a societal norm.

Young people lead more sedentary lifestyles, but Brown believes the Air Force can still promote physical fitness and overall healthier living decisions to these new recruits.

Sadly, the Air Force isn’t the only military branch changing its standards.

Last year, the Army decided to implement lower physical standards for women and older service members.

This troubling trend in America’s obesity crisis should serve as a wake-up call for our nation.

It is unthinkable that our military must lower its standards to accommodate the declining health of our young men.