Pentagon Mandates Gender-Neutral Fitness Standards for Combat Roles
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directs military branches to implement rigorous, sex-neutral standards for combat jobs within six months to enhance readiness and lethality.
- All U.S. military combat roles will now require gender-neutral physical fitness standards, based solely on operational demands, as outlined in a memo signed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on March 31, 2025.
- Military branches must submit implementation plans within 60 days, with full adoption of the new standards required within six months.
- The directive emphasizes the physical demands of combat roles, including carrying heavy loads, enduring prolonged exertion, and operating in austere environments, with specialized requirements for special operations forces and other roles.
- Hegseth, who previously opposed women in combat roles, has shifted his stance, stating that equal standards will ensure the highest level of readiness and leadership in combat units.
- Critics warn that stricter standards could affect recruitment and retention, while supporters argue that the changes are necessary to maintain a merit-based, mission-focused military.
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