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Task & Purpose: Top enlisted leaders say they see no issue with women in combat arms meeting standards

The remarks were in response to a question posed at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Wednesday about a recently ordered Pentagon review of the “effectiveness” of women in combat jobs.

The 19th*: Women combat veterans want Pete Hegseth to know that they already passed the test

Quotas and different standards are already illegal, and past reviews have actually shown benefits to women being fully integrated into combat roles. But Hegseth continues to imply that the military has valued inclusion over efficacy — even though the requirements for women and men in combat roles are identical.

Fulcrum: Veterans Are Defending the Constitution against a New Enemy: The Secretary of War

When Admirals lectured us on judgment and ethics, I could detect the checks and balances in the subtext of their speeches and felt reassured. This is not the message the Secretary of War is sending today. Hegseth’s subtext says something more like: shut up and don’t you dare challenge us. -- Julie Roland, Naval Officer

The Bulwark: Having Women in Combat Is Still Controversial—But Shouldn’t Be

These are not “DEI hires,” nor are they the results of actions by “woke generals and DOD officials”...These are immensely talented young people who are driven to contribute to our national security. They just happen to be women.

MilTimes: Female troops bristle at Pentagon's review of combat roles

“The only reason to conduct a new study is if you want a different outcome and you’re prepared to skew whatever answers you get to achieve that outcome” - Sue Fulton

ABC: Pentagon reviewing effectiveness of women in combat roles more than a decade after integration

"We're 10 years down the road, most men in combat arms have served with women in combat arms and they know they meet the standard…this is his attempt to solve a problem that doesn't exist.” - Kris Fuhr

Task & Purpose: Women in ground combat jobs say they prove their ‘effectiveness’ every day

New Pentagon review will only duplicate studies of the last decade that confirmed women meet "objective" and “qualitative” standards

NPR: Pentagon, under Hegseth, to review role of women in ground combat units

The Army gathered extensive data on the impact of integrating women into combat arms back in between 2019 and 2023. During this period, the Army concluded there was no evidence of any degradation in unit readiness or effectiveness due to the presence of women.

WRBL: Secretary Hegseth’s study of women in military combat roles draws concern from one advocate

He’s creating a study which will be biased...And it’s because he has a solution in search of a problem. - Kris Fuhr

CNN: Woman Naval CDR Ousted

"She was the best man for the job": Hegseth's policies forcing qualified women out of the military

The Atlantic: Holy Warrior

Pete Hegseth is bringing his fundamentalist interpretation of Christianity into the Pentagon.

Andrea Goldstein: My Thoughts on Pete Hegseth's Speech About Standards

Work harder, suck less. On leading the military with feelings, not facts.

Andrea Goldstein: The Army Wages War on Lipstick

Can we shoot the word "faddish" into the sun?

Task & Purpose: Air Force rolls out age- and sex-neutral fitness test for EOD techs

All Air Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal, or EOD, troops will be held to a new, four-event physical fitness test in August with gender-neutral scoring.

The Atlantic: The Backdoor Way That Pete Hegseth Could Keep Women Out of Combat

Donald Trump’s Pentagon chief moderated his stance to get the job but is now pushing for change in the name of high standards.

Task & Purpose: Army will look for false accusations, consider ‘credibility’ in misconduct cases

New rules will send misconduct complaints to a “credibility assessment” before a full investigation is launched, and removes negative flags from personnel records during investigations.

Real Clear Defense: Hegseth is Wrong about Women in Warfighting

Female soldiers have been vital to counterterrorism and defense operations worldwide—Hegseth’s decision ignores hard-won lessons from the battlefield.

WiSCI: Veterans for Military Women Press Conference

Veterans for Military Women Press Conference
House Triangle, US Capitol, 12pm-1pm, June 5, 2025