Overview
- The Army adopted higher academic benchmarks for ROTC on Aug. 5 and then Under Secretary Mike Obadal rescinded the memo days later, saying the proposal needed further staffing and analysis.
- The proposed thresholds would have required a 1000 SAT, a 20 ACT, or scoring at or above the 50th percentile (about a 110) on the ASVAB, with the change slated to take effect for ROTC contracting in January 2027.
- Multiple reports say Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was furious at the rollback and that the episode has exposed friction between Hegseth and Army civilian leaders, including reported clashes with Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll.
- The Army says the effort is not dead and that any final change will need review and formal approval by appropriate senior leaders, including the Secretary of the Army and the Acting Chief of Staff, because accession rules require interlocking sign-offs.
- ROTC supplies a large share of new Army officers, so a firm cutoff could narrow the recruiting pool and change who becomes an officer; the next signs to watch are the results of the senior-leader review and whether the Army formally reissues the policy before January 2027.