Hegseth: Combat troops must meet 'highest male standard only'
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() Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the fitness requirements for all military combat jobs return to the highest male physical standard.

“War does not care if you’re a man or a woman, neither does the enemy,” Hegseth said during a meeting with top military officials Tuesday. “But when it comes to any job that requires physical power to perform in combat, those physical standards must be high and gender neutral.”

During the speech, he announced that a “combat field test” would be created for combat arms units, and that the units must “execute their service test at a gender-neutral, age-normed male standard scored above 70%.”

In a document obtained by per a source familiar with the changes, the combat test is in addition to the existing service fitness test, and the two must be completed annually by active military members.

Hegseth added that the new standards do not mean that women will be prevented from serving in combat jobs, but that it may be the result.

“If women can make it, excellent. If not, it is what it is. If that means no women qualify for some combat jobs, so be it,” Hegseth said.

The comments were part of a series of changes Hegseth and President Trump announced for the Department of Defense, which they have announced is being renamed as Department of War. Those changes include a pledge of a trillion dollar investment and a focus on the weight and fitness of generals. Click here to read about all of the changes announced Tuesday.

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