NEWARK, N.J. – Keller Army Community Hospital provided nutrition training to the Newark (Army) Recruiting Company during their August 29, 2025, Quarterly Training meeting.
 
Lt. Col. Joetta Khan, PhD, MPH, a registered dietitian, provided training to more than 40 active-duty Army recruiters focusing on nutrition strategies for healthy recruiters and resources for recruiters to support healthy recruits.
 
Nutrition Strategies for Healthy Recruiters
 
Health and holistic fitness system principles were employed in the class with a focus on the unique requirements of the recruiter community. Key focus areas included identifying differences in being assigned to a recruiting job versus a traditional Army unit and how that may influence health and lifestyle factors. Specifically addressing the dynamic between the recruiting mission, stress, changes in lifestyle (e.g., geographic separation from family, less unit physical training, increased hours, increased time in the car, etc.) and changes to dietary intake and physical activity consistency. Through a dynamic and interactive class, each participant was provided with their individual nutritional needs. Following identification of weight and health goals, the group reviewed macronutrients, hydration, meal planning, eating on the go, and physical activity requirements before transitioning to nutrition topics to support healthy recruits.  
 
Resources for Recruiters to Support Healthy Recruits
 
Given the unique requirements of the recruiter to identify the next generation of Soldiers, this training was an opportunity to provide nutrition education and physical activity resources to the recruiters to support their target population. Key points of discussion included a focus on lifestyle factors and how socio-economic and family cultural norms may influence them. The recruiters were provided the health indicators for Newark, N.J., and surrounding counties related to obesity rates, poverty rates, physical activity rates, and adherence to the dietary guidelines among other factors. Recruiters were challenged to identify key dietary and physical activity options that might be useful to support their future recruits to build healthy nutrition and physical activity habits. Finally, the participants were provided a list of resources to support building both healthy recruiters and recruits to include information on available nutrition options for individual and group appointments through Keller Army Community Hospital.
 
Khan is a registered dietitian attached to Keller but stationed at Picatinny Arsenal, Wharton, N.J. Additionally, she is the Deputy Consultant to the Surgeon General, Nutrition and Dietetics, and an Asst. Professor, U.S. Army Baylor Master’s Program of Nutrition. Keller provides nutrition counseling for all ages, and it is available to active duty, military family members, and retirees. For more information on the nutrition care services provided at Keller, go to https://keller.tricare.mil/Health-Services/Preventive-Care/Nutrition-Services. 
 
The Newark Army Recruiting Company represents all Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Passaic Counties. Their mission is to find and recruit America's best and brightest into the U.S. Army – young men and women who will be trained to deploy, fight, and win, ensuring the strength and readiness of the nation's land fighting force while contributing to the Nation's defense. For more information on how YOU can ‘Be All You Can Be’ in the U.S. Army, go to https://www.goarmy.com/.