‘If women can make it’: Pete Hegseth calls for ‘gender-neutral’ fitness guidelines; signals fewer women in combat roles | World News

US protection secretary Pete Hegseth (Pic credit score: AP)

US protection secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday introduced new directives for the army, together with implementing gender-neutral bodily fitness requirements and eliminating what he described as “woke” tradition from the armed forces. The announcement got here throughout an in-person assembly with army officers on the Marine Corps base in Quantico, Virginia. The new insurance policies are guided by what Hegseth calls the “1990 test,” which examines whether or not modifications to army requirements since 1990 had been needed on account of evolving combat wants or had been influenced by different priorities. “The 1990s test is simple. What were the military standards in 1990, and if they have changed, tell me why: Was it a necessary change based on the evolving landscape of combat, or was the change due to a softening, weakening or gender-based pursuit of other priorities?” he defined.“I don’t want my son serving alongside troops who are out of shape, or in a combat unit with females who can’t meet the same Combat Arms physical standards as men, or troops who are not fully proficient on their assigned weapons, platform, or task, or under a leader who was the first but not the best. Standards must be uniform, gender neutral and high,” Hegseth stated. Women had been first allowed in direct combat roles throughout the Obama administration. While Hegseth didn’t announce a full rollback of women in combat, he made it clear that the “highest male standards” would now apply to all combat roles. He acknowledged that this might end result in fewer women qualifying for some positions. “We very much value the impact of female troops — our female officers and NCOs are the absolute best in the world. But when it comes to any job that requires physical power to perform in combat, those physical standards must be high and gender-neutral,” he stated. “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. That is not the intent, but it could be the result.” Under the brand new guidelines, all combat personnel, together with generals and admirals, shall be required to go two yearly bodily exams. Hegseth emphasised that the requirements are “gender neutral” however shall be primarily based on the “highest male standard” for bodily fitness in combat roles.