Hegseth Says Goodbye to Double Standards in the Military with New Memo [WATCH]

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Monday that he will be issuing a memo aimed at establishing equal combat standards for both men and women across the U.S. military.

The memo, shared via X, will ensure that all service members involved in combat roles are held to the same standards, regardless of gender.

Hegseth emphasized the importance of reviewing current policies to ensure the “highest and equal standards” for all service members in combat positions.

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He made it clear that the time had come to address discrepancies in the standards applied to male and female personnel, particularly in combat-related roles.

“For far too long, we have allowed standards to slip,” Hegseth wrote in his post.

“We’ve had different standards for men/women serving in combat arms [Military Occupational Specialty] MOS’s and jobs…. That’s not acceptable, and it changes right now!”

For far too long, we have allowed standards to slip. We’ve had different standards for men/women serving in combat arms MOS’s and jobs….

That’s not acceptable, and it changes right now! pic.twitter.com/Zn9OyBew6G

— Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) March 31, 2025

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The move comes after several years of ongoing discussions and adjustments regarding gender-based differences in military standards.

The U.S. Army, for instance, made changes to the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) in 2022, when it was found that women were failing at much higher rates than their male counterparts.

A RAND Corporation study revealed that in 2021, 65% of women failed the ACFT, which led to adjustments in the test to accommodate different standards based on gender.

In addition to the ACFT adjustments, there were reports that female candidates in Army Ranger School were given additional opportunities to pass tests during the initial “RAP week,” the first five days of the course.

Multiple Army Rangers testified that these accommodations were made for female candidates, sparking further debate about gender equity in military standards.

Hegseth, during his confirmation hearing for the role of Defense Secretary, came under scrutiny from Senate Democrats for past comments suggesting that women should be excluded from certain combat roles.

However, he clarified his position during the hearing, stating that he supported maintaining high standards to “maximize efficacy” rather than creating different standards based on gender.

“Women will have access to ground combat roles given the standards remain high,” Hegseth assured lawmakers during his testimony.

“We’ll have a review to make sure standards have not been eroded in any of these cases.”

This announcement by Hegseth marks a significant shift toward establishing uniform standards across all combat roles in the military.

The upcoming memo is expected to provide clear guidance on how the armed services will move forward with combat training and physical standards for all service members.

The Pentagon has not yet responded to requests for further comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation regarding the new initiative.

However, this development is seen as an effort to ensure that all service members, regardless of gender, meet the necessary criteria to serve in combat roles and maintain the integrity of military readiness.

As the military continues to evolve, Hegseth’s memo could have far-reaching implications for how gender and combat roles are defined and implemented in the U.S. Armed Forces.

The focus now shifts to how these new policies will be rolled out and whether they will achieve the desired effect of creating truly equal standards in military service.

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