Summary
Female veterans criticized Pete Hegseth, the Defense Secretary, for saying that military standards were lowered to allow more women in combat roles. Hegseth argued that diversity efforts and changed standards may weaken the military, but female veterans and some politicians disagreed, stating that combat roles already have gender-neutral standards.
Key Facts
- Pete Hegseth, the Defense Secretary, claimed military standards were lowered to allow women in combat roles.
- Elisa Cardnell of the Service Women's Action Network stated that combat roles have always had gender-neutral standards.
- Federal law prohibits different standards for men and women in the same military role.
- The military uses general fitness tests that adjust for age and gender for all entrants.
- New sex-neutral, age-adjusted combat standards were introduced by the Army, aiming to enhance force readiness.
- Hegseth called for fitness tests to be gender-neutral, with scores meeting specific benchmarks.
- Female veterans and politicians like Rep. Mikie Sherrill and Sen. Tammy Duckworth strongly opposed Hegseth's claims.
- Sen. Joni Ernst and former Marine Amy McGrath emphasized that there has always been one standard for combat roles.
