You probably think of the cable television show “Nip/Tuck” and not the U.S. military when you think of plastic surgery, but when our troops aren't fighting on the frontlines, some are taking advantage of a little known benefit to get free cosmetic surgery courtesy of Uncle Sam.

For years, the military has been offering attractive perks to lure our young people into a career defending the nation. Money for college, specialized training and a top-notch pension plan are just a few of the benefits that help compensate men and women in uniform for the sacrifices they make to protect this country. Now you can add liposuction, face-lifts, nose jobs and breast implants to that list.

This perk is available to service members, their immediate family, and military retirees. Military doctors have performed more than 400 breast enlargements and more than 1,600 liposuctions in the last three years. While there is no limit to the amount of surgeries an active member of the military may have, they do need to get their commanding officer to approve time off for them to recuperate, while on paid medical leave.

Most young men and women join the military because they want to serve their country and go to college. It tenuous at best to think folks would subject themselves to boot camp in exchange for bigger breasts. But, the Pentagon argues that free surgery also benefits morale.

Cosmetic surgery has been in the Army for as long as there have been plastic surgeons in practice. The Pentagon argues that such operations are excellent opportunities for military doctors to stay current on the skills they need to perform reconstructive surgery on the wounds of war. They also argue that less than 20% of military plastic surgery cases are elective procedures – a mere drop in the bucket compared to the more than 385,000 liposuctions and 280,000 breast augmentations that the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery say were performed in 2003.

That misses the point. At a time when stories continue to come out of Iraq about Humvees that lack the necessary armor and families sending their sons and daughters care packages of body armor, it's outrageous to think that the military is spending taxpayer money on tummy tucks or for a lieutenant colonel's wife to improve her bust.

Taxpayers want to make sure that those who risk their lives for our country get the best possible benefits. We also don't want to judge anyone for the personal decisions they may make to change their appearance. But, taxpayers shouldn't be paying for surgery to vacuum a few pounds off of anyone's rear end.