Hegseth orders review of physical standards for military combat roles

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Sunday ordered a 60-day review of military combat arms standards to ensure that exceptions are not being made for female troops to assume the physically demanding roles.

The review follows past concerns from Hegseth that military readiness has diminished since 2016, when combat roles were first opened to women. Roughly 4,800 women serve in Army infantry, armor and artillery jobs, according to data provided by the Defense Department late last year.

Although military leaders have testified that standards have not been lowered for entry into those combat posts, conservative groups have insisted that women are being subjected to lower physical fitness requirements than their male counterparts, and they demanded changes in the military’s approach.

Defense Department officials did not say whether the findings due in May could result in some of those female service members being asked to leave their current roles or being forced out.

In a social media statement, Hegseth said the move was needed to ensure “the highest and equal standards” for all troops.

“For far too long, we allowed standards to slip, with different standards for men and women in combat arms. That’s not acceptable,” he said.

The memo ordering the review, released by Defense Department officials on Monday, calls for a redefinition of combat arms occupations and non-combat roles. It specifically lists three military specialties “which require heightened entry-level and sustained physical fitness.”

For ground combat operations, standards must include “the ability to carry heavy loads, endure prolonged physical exertion, and perform effectively in austere, hostile environments.”

For special operations forces, the standards will incorporate “advanced swimming, climbing, parachuting, and the ability to operate in extreme environments,” as well as “sustained peak physical performance.”

And for specialized operations, the memo calls for a focus on “proficiency in those unique and demanding tasks such as aquatic rescue, repair, and demolition.”

“All entry-level and sustained physical fitness requirements within combat arms positions must be sex-neutral, based solely on the operational demands of the occupation and the readiness needed to confront any adversary,” the memo states.

It continues, “In establishing those standards, the secretaries of the military departments may not establish standards that would result in any existing service member being held to a lower standard.”

Implementation of the new standards will happen over the next six months, according to department officials.

Under the direction of Hegseth, military offices have already begun removing some photos, stories and web pages detailing historic accounts of women’s contributions to the military. Department leaders have labeled the works as running afoul of new rules designed to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

Women make up about 18% of the current active-duty force, according to department statistics. Female troops must meet different fitness standards for general occupations in the ranks than male service members, but they must pass gender-neutral standards for combat posts.

In an podcast appearance last November, Hegseth was critical of women in serving in any combat occupations, asserting that “everything about men and women serving together makes the situation more complicated, and complication in combat means casualties are worse.”

“I’m straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles,” Hegseth said. “It hasn’t made us more effective, hasn’t made us more lethal. It has made fighting more complicated.”

Military leaders at the time pushed back against those statements. Then Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said female combat troops “add significant value to the finest and most lethal fighting force on Earth.”