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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed the military services to develop “sex-neutral” physical standards for combat-arms jobs.
“As the nature of warfare evolves and the demands on our service members grow more complex, it is imperative that we assess and refine the physical fitness standards that enable our readiness and lethality,” he wrote in a March 30 memo.
He ordered the service secretaries to develop comprehensive plans to distinguish combat-arms occupations from noncombat-arms jobs.
“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,” Hegseth wrote.
The review follows past concerns from Hegseth that military readiness has diminished since 2016, when combat roles were first opened to women.
Examples of combat-arms specialties include infantry, artillery, armor, cavalry and special operations forces.
Service secretaries have 60 days to submit their proposals and six months to implement them.
In his memo, Hegseth wrote that standards for those “in 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,” he added.
Hegseth underlined that service secretaries “may not establish standards that would result in any existing service member being held to a lower standard,” adding an asterisk at the end of the sentence.
A handwritten note with the asterisk under his signature noted that “no existing standard will be lowered as part of this process."
In a video recorded during his recent trip to the INDO-PACIFIC region and posted to X on Sunday, Hegseth said that the military had “allowed standards to slip and different standards for men and women in combat-arms [military occupational specialties] and jobs.”
“That’s unacceptable, and it changes right now!”
However, while female troops must meet different fitness standards than men in the ranks for some for jobs, they must pass the same standards for many combat jobs.
For example, Army troops must pass the gender-neutral High Physical Demand Tasks test before they receive the 11B Infantry MOS. The test is designed to predict a Soldier’s ability to perform the physically demanding critical tasks of ground combat.
The memo follows Hegseth’s March 12 order for the Pentagon to review military standards, including physical fitness, body composition and grooming.
The memo directs the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness to review the existing standards set by the military services.
─ By John Goheen
