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From Fox News: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memo ordering the military to adopt the same standards for both men and women serving in combat roles on Sunday.
Hegseth highlighted the memo in a video filmed as he returned from a trip to Japan on Sunday, saying that the U.S. military’s standards had flagged under the previous administration.
“For far too long, we allowed standards to slip, and different standards for men and women in combat arms MOS’s and jobs. That’s not acceptable,” Hegseth said.
“We need to have the same standards – male or female – in our combat roles to ensure our men and women who are under our leaders and in those formations have the best possible leaders and the highest possible standards that are not based at all on your sex,” he continued.
WATCH BELOW:
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
In a memo released by Hegseth on Sunday, he made it clear that military requirements will not be determined by gender, but by qualifications needed for each role.
Below are excerpts from the memo: [emphasis added]
I am directing the Secretaries of the Military Departments to develop comprehensive plans to distinguish combat arms occupations from non-combat arms occupations. This effort will ensure that our standards are clear, mission-focused, and reflective of the unique physical demands placed on our Service members in various roles.
The Military Department’s plans must clearly define combat arms occupations and non-combat arms occupations. Additionally, for certain combat arms roles, it is essential to identify which positions require heightened entry-level and sustained physical fitness. These roles, which are critical to our military’s mission success, demand exceptional physical capabilities, and the standards for them must reflect that rigor. Therefore, plans must address:
1. Ground Combat Occupations. Standards for ground combat occupations should emphasize the ability to carry heavy loads, endure prolonged physical exertion, and perform effectively in austere, hostile environments. Service members in these roles must exhibit speed, strength, agility, and endurance to navigate the demands of combat situations.
2. Special Operations Forces (SOF) Occupations. The standards for SOF occupations must be equally rigorous, incorporating advanced swimming, climbing, parachuting, and the ability to operate in extreme environments. Sustained peak physical performance is essential to execute missions ofthe highest stakes across diverse and challenging terrains.
3. Specialized Occupations. For specialized occupations like Navy Divers and
Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technicians, the focus should be on proficiency in
those unique and demanding tasks such as aquatic rescue, repair, and demolition. Sustained endurance is necessary to tackle long hours in physically and mentally taxing conditions.Sex-Neutral Standards. 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. 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.
“No existing standard will be lowered in this process,” Hegseth wrote at the bottom of the memo.
In another post on X, Hegseth wrote: “Different physical standards for men and women in the U.S. military have existed for a long time. BUT, there were also combat roles that were male-only. Then, under Obama, all combat roles were opened to men AND women. BUT, different physical fitness standards for men and women remained.”
“Today at @DeptofDefense — we fix this. All combat roles are open to men and women BUT they must all meet the same, high standard. No standards will be lowered AND all combat roles will only have sex-neutral standards. Common sense.”
Different physical standards for men and women in the U.S. military have existed for a long time. BUT, there were also combat roles that were male-only.
Then, under Obama, all combat roles were opened to men AND women. BUT, different physical fitness standards for men and women…
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) March 31, 2025
Hegseth says he’s signing memo on combat arms standards for men and women https://t.co/cbT1CDANZQ
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 31, 2025
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