On his way back from a trip to Japan, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth made a major policy announcement that many in the military have long called for. He revealed that the Pentagon is now mandating one high standard for combat roles, without any differences based on sex.
While still aboard his flight to Washington, D.C., Hegseth displayed a new memorandum that sets the course for the U.S. military to overhaul its physical and combat qualification measures. He said the services will begin reviewing requirements across all branches to eliminate separate standards.
C’mon. Nearly 70% of US troops are overweight or obese, research report says | Stars and Stripes https://t.co/BF265Qu0pg
— Lara Logan (@laralogan) March 16, 2025
Hegseth said the decision stems from the need to rebuild discipline and toughness across combat arms roles. “We’ve allowed standards to slip,” he said, while making it clear that the practice of having different standards for men and women is now ending.
For far too long, we have allowed standards to slip. We’ve had different standards for men/women serving in combat arms MOS’s and jobs….
That’s not acceptable, and it changes right now! pic.twitter.com/Zn9OyBew6G
— Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) March 31, 2025
The defense chief emphasized that readiness depends on consistent, demanding expectations. He stated that combat leaders must be selected based on ability, not on biological differences or social policy. According to the directive, troops will now face one unified bar for qualification.
I'm tired of seeing dishonest individuals crying "sexism" for these three fat lazy Teletubbies who couldn't pass a physical fitness test if their life depended on it. Not meeting standards in the military will cost lives. There is zero excuse for obesity in the military. https://t.co/GvBvHVgvhd pic.twitter.com/dXx46MJqYl
— J.R. Salzman (@jrsalzman) March 21, 2025
Hegseth’s announcement follows a broader effort to restore American military strength abroad. He said the shift comes as the Pentagon looks to reinforce deterrence in the Indo-Pacific and ensure combat units are led by the most capable service members possible.
The change has been welcomed by service members who have expressed concern in recent years that political pressure has led to the erosion of military effectiveness. Under the new guidance, combat fitness and training benchmarks must now apply equally across the board.
The memorandum Hegseth signed went into effect Sunday and directs every military branch to submit implementation plans as part of the overhaul.
