Martin Lloyd Sanders – How Can Military Personnel Remain Healthy

Many young adults aspire to join the army, navy, air force, or marines after completing their education. Enlisting in the military gives them the opportunity to serve and protect their nation with distinction. They get to perform their duties in all kinds of environments both within the country and aboard. The average age group of most of these men and women is generally between 16 to 29 years. However, they need to be exceptionally fit and healthy to successfully pass the basic training phase.

Martin Lloyd Sanders is a U.S. Army veteran and public health official from Frederick, Maryland, in America. He has a Ph.D. degree with 18 years of valuable experience in occupational safety and health. He has held many important posts throughout his illustrious career.  These include field epidemiologist, Chief of Biological Threat Assessment, Biological Safety Officer, and Deputy Director. He is currently the director of the Environmental Health Service Division for Federal Occupational Health (FOH).

He says people serving the military need to stay physically fit when on active duty. This enables them to carry out their specific responsibilities to the best of their abilities. The ideal way to enhance their endurance and strength is by maintaining healthy diet habits. They should keep in mind the following suggestions when choosing what food to eat:

  • Limit their sugar and salt intake,
  • Drink plenty of water instead of non-alcoholic sodas and so-called sports drinks,
  • Consume more lean protein in the form of chicken, eggs, beans, and seafood rather than red meat, and
  • Snack on healthy fruits such as apples or vegetables like carrots rather than potato chips.

People serving in the military need to be extremely fit to perform their respective duties. This is just as important as adopting healthy dietary habits. To do so, they need to:

  • Go outdoors frequently for a jog, swim, bike ride, or stroll,
  • Cut down on the amount of time they spend in front of the television or computer screens, and
  • Visit the gym to lift weights, perform yoga postures, circuit training exercises, or aerobic workouts.

Aspiring to become a medical doctor 

Many military aspirants seek to become doctors, medical assistants, or nurses after completing their basic training. To achieve their ambition, they need to meet the following eligibility requirements:

  • Be at least 18 years of age,
  • Secure an average grade-point (GPA) score of 30 in their Health Professional Scholarship Program exams (HPSP,)
  • Have a minimum score of 500 in their medical college admission tests (MCATs,)
  • Exhibit an ability to maintain high moral standards the military expects from in officers DOD Review Boards, and
  • Have a license to practice medicine in the country and certifications from the American Board of Medical Specialties.

Martin Lloyd Sanders sums up by saying aspirants serving the military as medical professionals enjoy numerous benefits.  They get to work in unique medical institutions treating a diverse range of patients during their active deployment. They even get to use the latest equipment, unlike their civilian counterparts. Above all, they receive competitive remuneration, insurance, and special entitlements on recognition for their services with time.