Pete Hegseth Has instructed the military to establish fitness criteria for every combat role. gender not biased, which upset numerous women who view the action as unjust.
In a recent memorandum, the defense secretary instructed the heads of military branches to identify roles classified as combat arms—like those in special operations or infantry—that necessitate both rigorous initial and ongoing physical conditioning. Conversely, they were also tasked with differentiating these from positions that do not fall into this category.
The memorandum issued on Monday stated that all physical fitness criteria for these combat roles should be without gender bias, "determined exclusively by the functional needs of the role and the preparedness required to face any opponent."
Hegseth unveiled the new standards in an X post, stating: "For far too long, we have permitted our standards to decline. There have been varying criteria for men and women serving in combat arms Military Occupational Specialties (MOS) and roles... This inconsistency is unacceptable, and it ends immediately!"
On social media, numerous women responded very negatively.
Maria Cardona stated: "Your appointment and confirmation represent the lowest point the standards have sunk to in the annals of our republic!"
Heather Thomas added: "Bro, you are the epitome of the Slipped Standards poster."
Wait till people learn that there are also varying standards based on age," remarked Casey Lohrenz. "Does this mean we’re discarding all criteria related to age?
The response wasn't completely unfavorable, as some argued that this outcome was bound to happen after allowing women into combat roles.
"I anticipated that this would result in uneven (and reduced) standards — ultimately eroding preparedness and combat effectiveness. Now we have a Defense Secretary who understands this issue and will steer things back on course," penned Virginia Kruta.
The updated directive builds upon a memorandum issued by Hegseth on March 12, stating that the undersecretary for personnel should collect data related to military standards concerning 'physical fitness, body composition, and grooming, including—but not limited to—beards.'
Both reflect Hegseth's public complaints about fitness standards well before he took on the Pentagon job.
While working as a Fox News The commentator, Hegseth, discussed his stance against assigning women to combat roles and his view that standards have been reduced to make way for them.
Hegseth's objection—expressed in his writings and discussions—was straightforward prior to his nomination on November 12. However, when questioned by Congress, he seemed to change his position.
"I am simply stating that including women in combat positions has not enhanced our effectiveness or increased our lethality; instead, it has only made warfare more complex," he stated during a podcast with Shawn Ryan on November 7th.
He stated that women have their role in the military, but they should not be involved in special operations, artillery, infantry, or armored units.
In his book, he said women have performed well in dangerous support roles during war, but 'women in the infantry — women in combat on purpose — is another story.'
He states, "Women are unable to meet the same physical standards as men."
The secretary remarked, "Fathers encourage us to embrace challenges. Mothers provide support by stabilizing our bicycles with training wheels. While we require mothers' guidance, they shouldn’t be present in the military, particularly within combat roles."
His opinions upset certain members of Congress.
When asked about this matter during an interview on the 'Megyn Kelly Show' in early December, Hegseth stated that his main concern is ensuring military standards are upheld.
He mentioned that women participate in combat roles, and stated, "If we establish the appropriate standards and women achieve those standards, then alright. Let's move forward."
On Tuesday, Senator Hegseth was questioned intensely by the senate regarding his position on women serving in combat roles. He stated that he backs women being part of the military but believes that all service requirements should be thoroughly reviewed to ensure they aren’t compromised for the inclusion of women.
He clarified the difference between his earlier remarks and his recent statements by stating that 'authoring a book is not the same as serving as secretary of defense.'
Nevertheless, this directive might necessitate intricate evaluations as every service branch performs its duties and identifies which roles should be classified as combat arms.
For instance, sailors serving aboard a naval warship dispatched to the Middle East that come under attack from Houthi insurgents should be regarded as being in a combat role.
On smaller vessels, it's common for crew members to take on multiple roles, such as operating weaponry.
The armed forces have traditionally operated with a primarily dual-component framework for physical fitness criteria.
The first involves regular yearly health assessments with varying criteria according to sex and age.
The latter involves stricter criteria for particular combat roles, such as special operations, infantry, armor, pararescue jumpers, and similar positions that apply uniformly across each profession without adjustments based on age or gender.
Hegseth's memorandum seems to concentrate on the second category, contending that combat roles necessitate stricter physical fitness criteria.
So far, certain military roles such as those in special operations, infantry, armor, and pararescue have necessitated distinct, advanced physical – along with mental and psychological – assessments, criteria, and qualification programs.
These standards mandate that everybody must fulfill the same criteria, irrespective of their age or gender.
For instance, an army personnel aiming to become a Green Beret or a Ranger, as well as a sailor aspiring to join the ranks of Navy SEALs, needs to successfully complete rigorous multi-month qualification programs.
Additionally, once the Pentagon permitted women to take up all combat roles, the Army established uniform physical fitness criteria for every military position, irrespective of age or gender.
Trainees aspiring to join an infantry or armored unit have to meet stringent requirements through a particular fitness test before they can commit to such roles.
Likewise, the Marine Corps has stricter fitness requirements for their special operations units and combat roles.
Hegseth's memorandum notes stricter fitness standards for special operations forces - standards that are already in place.
It states that Navy divers and explosive ordnance disposal technicians should also be mandated to possess expertise in activities like water rescue and demolition, which form part of their current responsibilities.
The directive grants service heads 60 days to submit suggested modifications. Within 30 days after that, they must deliver an interim report.
"As warfare continues to evolve and the requirements for our servicemen and women become increasingly intricate, it is crucial that we evaluate and improve upon the physical fitness criteria which support our preparedness and combat effectiveness," Hegseth stated in the memorandum.
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