The STAT report on military eating disorders highlights recruitment and retention pressures but underplays how rigid body composition standards and performance metrics create systemic mental health strains that persist long after discharge. Peer-reviewed evidence reveals these policies function as chronic stressors rather than isolated fitness tools. An observational cohort study in Military Medicine (2022, n=12,450 active-duty personnel, no conflicts declared) found 18% met criteria for disordered eating, with higher rates among women and those in combat roles; the design was limited by self-report bias yet showed clear dose-response links to deployment cycles. A separate 2021 longitudinal analysis in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (n=2,873 veterans followed 5 years post-separation) demonstrated that service-era body image pressures predicted a 2.4-fold increase in binge-eating disorder and comorbid PTSD, underscoring under-covered veteran transitions where VA screening remains inconsistent. These findings expose what original coverage missed: institutional incentives reward weight cycling that damages metabolic health and psychological resilience, patterns echoing broader patterns of performance-based identity in high-stakes organizations. Policy must shift from punitive standards toward evidence-based mental health integration to mitigate lifelong impacts.