Liposuction in the Military

In 2008 the U.S military passed stricter weight standards for their soldiers. The Marine Corps have the toughest requirements: men must have no more than 18% body fat and women no more than 26%. These numbers are hard to reach even with the rigorous training methods that the Corps employs. The solution? Liposuction. The use of liposuction in the military is so widespread, that the website Marine Corp Times is doing an article on the subject and asking for reader submissions.

Liposuction is a surgical procedure in which a small metal tube called a cannula is inserted beneath the skin where it breaks apart fat deposits; this fat is then removed using a suction device attached to the cannula. When the procedure is done by a board-certified physician, liposuction has proven to be extremely safe and effective. Liposuction can be targeted to very specific areas of the body, such as the abdomen, the arms, or the thighs – a feature which makes it very attractive for marines with already well-toned bodies who merely need to get to the required body fat index.

It turns out that there is an added benefit to being in the military – and that is that soldiers can get liposuction and other cosmetic surgeries done for free! Typically these procedures are done at the larger military hospitals, such as Tripler Army Hospital in Hawaii or Walter Reed Hospital in D.C. Often these procedures are done by doctors-in-training, under the direct supervision of board-certified surgeons.

So if you’re in the military and need to meet very specific body fat index targets, talk to your superiors about the option of liposuction. It’s free, it’s quick, it’s safe and effective. And thank you, as always, for your service to our country!