Every first lady has a cause she champions.

Michelle Obama has made hers being healthy. She visited Little Rock (well, the air force base, specifically) to spread the message she began with her Let’s Move initiative.

She’s embracing this new campaign – officially called the Food Transformation Initiative –  at the military dining hall, of all places.

Because, as she told the group of airmen, we are looking up to the military.

So, if they do the right thing, we all follow suit.

After imploring airmen (twice) to eat their veggies, the first lady got serious.

“It’s about mobilizing folks from every sector of our society to address our obesity epidemic.  Because there is no one program, there’s no one policy that will solve such a huge challenge; no one business leader, no one general, not even a first lady.  None of us can wave a magic wand to help us all live healthier lives.”

The Department of Defense is leading the charge, overhauling the way it’s done food business for 20 years.

That means dining halls on bases nationwide (1,100 in all) will have a new look with new food, incorporating more vegetables, fruits and whole grains.

Little Rock Air Force Base in Jacksonville is part of the pilot program that brought the new menu and new look to mess halls. The Hercules Dining Facility at the LRAFB has been offering salads, quick pick-up dishes and soon, Cooking Light stations.

Ideally, the emphasis on healthy eating and nutrition will not just be for members of the armed services, but their families as well. That means, through Aramark as the food-service vendor, the breakfast, lunch and dinner options will grow at dining facilities, while DOD schools will offer a better menu. Additionally, vending machines and snack bars will have healthier foods as well.

You can watch video of Michelle Obama here: http://www.arkansasonline.com/videos/2012/feb/09/5662/

Also, read all the details in Friday’s newspaper.