Source: San Antonio Express-News
“Some Texas National Guard soldiers deployed to Chicago have been sent home for failing to meet fitness standards after an ABC News photo of heavyset troops went viral. ‘A small group’ of the 200 National Guard soldiers sent to Illinois last week have been replaced for not being ‘in compliance’ with its validation process, the Texas Military Department confirmed to military news site Task & Purpose over the weekend. The switch comes after Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said he was tired of seeing ‘fat troops’ who give the military ‘a bad look’ in a speech to hundreds of military commanders on Sept. 30. After the speech, Hegseth mandated that active-duty troops take two physical fitness tests each year and work out every day. Hegseth praised the Texas National Guard replacements in a social media post.” (10/13/25)
https://www.expressnews.com/politics/article/guardsmen-chicago-fat-troops-21098324.php