"Chubby military personnel are getting liposuction to pass Pentagon's body fat test."

One plastic surgeon says "They come in panicked about being kicked out or getting a demerit that will hurt their chances at a promotion."

Another plastic surgeon says: "I've actually had commanders recommend it to their troops... They'll deny that if you ask them. But they know some people are in really good shape and unfortunately are just built wrong."

Sucking out some fat is a stopgap, desperate effort at approximating fitness. And yet the pressure is on to change the standards:

Fitness experts and doctors agree, and are calling for the military's fitness standards to be revamped, including the weight tables the Pentagon uses. They say the tables are outdated and do not reflect that Americans are bigger, though not necessarily less healthy.

Of course, Americans will lap up this expert opinion, along with every other item of comfort food on the plate.