Want Free Breast Implants? Join the Army

Not the United States military, of course. In 2006, the Australian Navy spent over 1 million dollars of taxpayer money for service personnel to have cosmetic procedures. A plastic surgeon from Los Angeles, California recently appeared on the SpikeTV show Manswers to discuss the peculiar policies of the Australian Navy.

Dr. Ken Siporin explained why their Navy might do such a thing. He suggests that breast implants have a tendency to increase confidence in women; something important for the Navy, no doubt.

Last year, The Sunday Telegraph revealed that the Australian Navy paid for breast implants costing as much as $10,000 in order to address low self-esteem and other psychological issues among their female personnel. One soldier reported that, "some of the girls don't feel good about themselves [and] there's a real culture of looking good and fit."

Also last year, defense spokesman Brigadier Andrew Nikolic defended the policy, saying, "any suggestion that breast operations were carried out to make the women 'look sexy' were not only wrong, but insulting.

The Australian Navy pays for cosmetic procedures only after a psychological evaluation determines that they might help.

Kristin Meyer for Real Beauty News

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