Military Standards Revamped for Equality in Combat Roles

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth mandates unified fitness standards for combat roles, eliminating gender-based exceptions in a move that could reshape military combat service.

Key Insights

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered gender-neutral physical fitness standards for all military combat positions, giving military services 60 days to propose changes.
The policy requires all branches to identify which jobs qualify as combat arms and need more rigorous physical standards based solely on operational demands.
Approximately 4,800 women currently serve in Army infantry, armor, and artillery roles that will be affected by the standardization.
Conservative groups have claimed women are being subjected to lower physical requirements than men in combat positions.
Hegseth has previously expressed opposition to women in combat roles, stating, “We should not have women in combat roles.”

New Standards Create Equal Requirements Across Genders

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered a 60-day review of physical standards for military combat positions, aiming to establish unified requirements regardless of gender. The directive specifically targets combat arms roles, requiring military services to create one set of physical standards that all service members must meet to qualify. This represents a significant shift in military policy and could impact the approximately 4,800 women currently serving in Army infantry, armor, and artillery positions.

The memo requires each military branch to identify which jobs are classified as combat arms and necessitate heightened physical fitness requirements. According to the directive, these standards must be based solely on operational demands and combat readiness, not gender. The goal is to ensure that every service member in a combat role can perform the physically demanding tasks required in warfare scenarios.

Combat Readiness Concerns Drive Policy Change

Hegseth’s order builds on a previous March 12 memo regarding military standards on physical fitness, body composition, and grooming. The new directive emphasizes that physical requirements for combat positions must be determined by battlefield demands, not demographic considerations. This approach reflects concerns about combat effectiveness that have persisted since 2016, when all military combat roles were opened to women during the Obama administration.

Conservative groups have long maintained that women in combat roles have been held to lower physical standards than their male counterparts, potentially compromising unit effectiveness. The new directive appears to address these concerns by requiring “the highest and equal standards” for all troops regardless of gender, with requirements based exclusively on the physical demands of specific combat operations.

Implementation Timeline and Current Standards

Military services currently operate under a two-part system for physical fitness standards. All service members must pass routine annual tests that have different requirements based on age and gender. However, specific combat roles already maintain more rigorous standards that are generally the same for all personnel. The Army and Marine Corps have particularly strict fitness criteria for combat and special operations positions.

The implementation timeline requires military leaders to provide an interim report within 30 days and propose comprehensive changes within 60 days. The Pentagon expects full implementation of new standards to occur over the next six months. This review will redefine which occupations qualify as combat arms versus non-combat roles, with specific attention to ground combat, special operations, and specialized operational positions requiring heightened physical capabilities.

Hegseth’s Views on Women in Combat

Hegseth’s directive comes amid his previously expressed reservations about women serving in combat roles. In past statements, he has suggested that mixed-gender units could complicate combat situations. Women currently constitute approximately 18% of the active-duty military force, with a relatively small percentage serving in frontline combat positions that will be affected by the new standards.

This directive represents one of several policy changes implemented since Hegseth’s appointment as Defense Secretary. He has also directed the removal of certain historical accounts of women’s contributions to the military, citing new rules against diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. These changes signal a significant shift in Pentagon policy regarding gender integration in combat forces, prioritizing physical capability over demographic representation.