Boot-y Camp

AOL changed their headline from "Man loses weight for ODD reason" to "Man Dropped 140 Lbs. in 11 Months" in the same day. And rightfully so.

Army and Navy recruiters took one look at 330-pound Ulysses Milana and told him to forget about joining.

"'You've got to lose weight,'" Milana remembers them saying.

But Marine recruiters were willing to work with him as he began his weight-loss journey in December 2007.

Now, 11 months later, Milana is 140 pounds lighter as he leaves Monday for Parris Island, S.C., to begin boot camp.

It wasn't easy, Milana said, but he managed to slim down through exercise, healthier eating habits and forgoing an occasional beer after work. The 23-year-old said he even refused a beer at his going-away party Saturday night.

Milana said he always wanted to follow in his family's footsteps by serving his country. His wife, Latoya, also comes from a military family.

It's not odd. It's admirable.

We need more men like Ulysses.