Pentagon to review physical standards for military combat jobs

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a memorandum for equal combat standards for men and women in the U.S. military. It emphasized high standards without sex differentiation.

This policy change responds to a 2021 RAND Corporation study. The study showed that 65% of women failed the Army Combat Fitness Test and highlighted performance discrepancies.

Hegseth said all entry-level and sustained physical fitness requirements must be sex-neutral and based on operational demands. He wants to ensure the best leaders are in combat roles.

Mixed-gender combat units took 159% longer to evacuate a casualty than all-male units. This prompted Hegseth to direct military departments to develop comprehensive plans for combat arms occupations.