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| -Land of the Free |
| Hegseth says he's signing memo on combat arms standards for men and women |
| 2025-04-01 |
| [FoxNews] 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. The memo, released by the Pentagon Monday, said "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. "I am directing the Secretaries of the Military Departments to develop comprehensive plans to distinguish combat arms occupations from non-combat arms occupations," Hegseth wrote in the document. "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. "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," the memo continues. "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," it also said. The new memo comes after Hegseth ordered a review of military fitness and grooming standards earlier this month. Hegseth has vowed to bring back tougher standards while reversing "woke" policies that don't align with restoring the warrior ethos, rebuilding the military and reestablishing deterrence. "Our standards will be high, uncompromising, and clear," he said in a Jan. 25 memo to service members. "The strength of our military is our unity and our shared purpose." |
| Posted by:Skidmark |
| #6 #3 Better would be a Army Auxiliary Corps for men and women. I had a short stint as a APO officer overseas and got several paratroopers who had one too many jumps. Good workers, got to stay in from the weather and got to go home to momma every night. Better than the school trained personnel. Some people just get busted up but still have the esprit to be there and the ability to do jobs that are available. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2025-04-01 10:05 |
| #5 "The battle is not always to the strong nor the race to the swift, but it is a good way to bet." We have seen this over and over again: Profession X is "male-dominated"! OK, we'll hire girls. But we are not lowering the standards. Women are being excluded because of the so-called "standards". OK, OK, we'll lower the standards. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2025-04-01 08:54 |
| #4 'Separate but equal'? [snicker] |
| Posted by: Bobby 2025-04-01 08:15 |
| #3 Here's an idea, why doesn't Hegseth authorize the creation on a Woman's Army Corps? A pilot program which could be expanded to other services if successful. Distinctive standards, uniforms, training, etc. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2025-04-01 07:56 |
| #2 There are no front lines. There were no mechanics or clerks during the Battle of the Bulge in Dec '44 or Tet in Jan '68. Everyone was an infantryman. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2025-04-01 07:50 |
| #1 Trump's Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth orders major overhaul of US military standards that will leave women fuming |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2025-04-01 00:42 |