Every now and then EarlyStories come across a reminder of how important early learning is, even when there is an agenda attached. This reminder came from an article in the Washington Post about the sad condition of America's youngsters, age 17-to 24.

It seems some 75 percent of this age group is ineligible for military service "largely because they are poorly educated, overweight and have physical ailments that make them unfit for the armed forces,'' according to a report by Mission: Readiness, a Washington-based nonprofit organization.

The proposed solution? Greater investment in early education, to boost both academic achievement and social development.

EarlyStories would like to propose a modest amendment: why not add a mandatory fitness regime for all pre-schoolers? Couldn't a dose of push-ups, sit-ups and say, wind sprints be used as a counting exercise as well?

Mission Readiness, for the record, is pushing Congress to pass President Barack Obama's Early Learning Challenge Fund, which would grant states $1 billion annually for early childhood development programs.