The military has regulations on how to wear your hair to where you can have tattoos so it's no surprise they have weight requirements for soldiers as well.  Kevin Ammerman had always dreamed of joining the military and serving his country but there was one problem - Kevin weighed over 350 pounds.  After being turned away from joining the Marines for being "too fat", Kevin decided to get serious about losing weight.  He ended up losing 160 pounds and joining up with the Army.

Weight wasn't Kevin's only obstacle to overcome in order to join the military.  At 34 years old, Kevin is almost "too old" to enlist as well.  Even though he is older, Kevin says his age won't be a problem.  “I’m actually able to outperform guys who are in their 20s...the battery of tests you have to take to determine what job you’re in, a lot of younger people are not scoring very high at all. And it’s kind of troubling."

What do you think of his story?

The London 2012 Olympic games are well under way and the world is tuning in.  While many of these athletes are looked to as national heroes, some members of the USA boxing team truly are: they're marines.  When he first started boxing, Jamel Herring was simply trying to work through grief.  It turns out, the US Marine had a gift and he is now gearing up for the olympics.

"I've already been through the worst times," Herring said when asked if he was nervous. "This right here, it's not an easy break, but it's a lot different from being in Iraq. I've been through the hardships. I know what it takes. I'm mentally strong. I know what I've got to do when I go out there."

He's not the only member of the military who is participating in boxing this year.  Head coach Basheer Abdullah is a veteran officer who coached in the Army's training program for 15 years after his own amateur career, and Jesse Ravelo is from the All-Marines boxing program. 

What do you think of this?

I'm thinking of going into the army and very strongly at that. I was wondering about the benefits and things like that about the Army and I'd love if someone could give me some insight I'm kinda clueless because i've never thought of going into the army but now, I want to join it Please help if you can, thanks!

Ashley Ackley's life has changed dramatically in the last few years.  Not only has she changed her hair and updated her wardrobe, she changed her gender.  Ashley was born John Ackley and, until recently, lived a much different life.  John served in Iraq and once he returned home, he began hormone therapy and took the process to legally become female.  She also said she thought the military would have a hard time accepting her decision to transition, but was proven wrong.  "I figured there would be boards and I would have to talk to people all the way up the chain of command. But no, they were fine with it," she said.

Now Ashley says she is much happier in every way but one.  Ashely wants to re-enlist in the military, but this time, as a woman.  She says she misses the structure, discipline, training and the people involved in military life.   On her quest to re-enlist, Ashley has become the "darling" of the GLBT community.  Even so, the challenge to become part of the military again isn't easy.  The Army's medical fitness regulations state that anyone who has undergone or attempted to change their gender is unfit for enlistment because of medical reasons.

Do you think Ashely should be able to re-enlist as a woman?

John Pre-Op

For anyone who's not in the military, much of their opinions on what it's like come from "Pearl Harbor" or "Jarhead".  In fact, Hollywood has taken some liberties with depicting the way the military operates and how it feels to be a soldier.  Like with any Hollywood adaptation, they're bound to get a few things wrong.  Here are some of those brought to you by Cracked.

1. Myth One - Boot camp is like "Full Metal Jacket."  In fact, the first two weeks of boot camp is learning how to wear and care for your uniform.  Also, because of rules and regulations, commanders cannot be quite as verbally abusive as they appear in the films.
2. Myth Two - War = Combat.  The truth is there is a lot that goes into war besides the actual fighting.  Machines need upkeep, intel needs to be uncovered, and people need to be healed.  On top of those positions, there are dozens of other positions besides actual combat.
3. Myth Three - Veterans are just waiting to die - In truth, veterans, like everyone else in the military, aren't necessarily old and their time in the military affects them all differently.  Not every vet will have PTSD and not all will be missing limbs. 
4. Myth Four - Everyone in the miliary has a strong un-breakable bond.  While it is true that many military men and women have a tight, unique bond, the truth is on a day-to-day basis, not everyone will get along.  These people are your coworkers and when you're with someone that much, there's a tendency to get on each other's nerves.
5. Myth Five - You go to war, and then you come home.  In the movies, re-deployment isn't usually a thing but in real life, it's a very real possibility. 

When else is military life not like the movies?

The military is only successful because of the dedication of the troops and the constant update of technology.  In fact, the newly tested and used technology of weapons and the constant evolution of gear to keep the military men and women safe is integral to the military's success.  It is this need to stay on the cutting edge of military technology that has led to the invention of a grenade throwing robot.

The Shipboard Autonomous Firefighting Robot (or SAFFiR for short), is actually designed to aid in fighting fires on naval ships and will reduce the danger for the troops and reduce equipment.  According to CNN, this device is "armed with cameras and a gas sensor, the battery-powered SAFFiR will be "capable of activating fire suppressors" and throwing "propelled extinguishing agent technology (PEAT) grenades."

What do you think?

The house has voted 404-0 to pass a bill which will give preferential treatment to troops at the airport.  The military would vet the troops before they arrive at the airport and due to that, once the troops arrive they will have an easier time getting through security.  One representative said that it takes longer for men and women in uniform to pass through security because of their gear, medals on their uniforms and boots that must be unlaced. Allowing them through security more quickly would speed up the waiting time for those not part of a preference program.  He also said that he hopes Homeland Security will establish the new preferential system that would allow troops to either go to the front of the line or have a separate line created.

The military personnel will just have to provide proof that they were vetted before arriving at the airport.  In addition, the TSA already makes some accommodations to service members.in uniform with a proper identification card.

Do you like this idea or should the military have to do the same procedure as everyone else?

When the military talks about uniform, they're not just talking about the manner of dress.  Men and women in military service cannot have tattoos that show outside their uniform, women have regulations as far as their makeup and nail length, and men have strict rules in regards to their hair (facial and on top of their head) length.  Now the military is rethinking these policies for a variety of reasons including being forced to turn away eligble recruits because of visible tattoos.

Some people are for the change.  One woman in the army said, “Having my nails done in a neatly fashion doesn’t affect my performance and skills or what I believe in. It absolutely looks professional."

Like with everything, this potential change in regulation is drawing criticism.  "I don’t know why the tattoo standards ever changed. Nothing should be on the neck and also on the hands,” said another person.

There will still be some rules in place like no brightly colored nail polish or obscene tattoos.

What do you think?  Should the service men and women be allowed to have some freedoms when it comes to their personal uniform?