{"id":2412944,"date":"2025-03-13T02:09:01","date_gmt":"2025-03-13T06:09:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hegseth-orders-department-wide-review-of-military-fitness-and-grooming-standards-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-03-13T02:09:01","modified_gmt":"2025-03-13T06:09:01","slug":"hegseth-orders-department-wide-review-of-military-fitness-and-grooming-standards-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hegseth-orders-department-wide-review-of-military-fitness-and-grooming-standards-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Hegseth orders \u2018department-wide review\u2019 of military fitness and grooming standards &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fhegseth-orders-department-wide-review-of-military-fitness-and-grooming-standards-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2412944&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Hegseth orders &lsquo;department-wide review&rsquo; of military fitness and grooming standards<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2036851\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Secretary of Defense <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/pete-hegseth\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Pete Hegseth<\/a> is ordering an evaluation of the fitness and grooming standards of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/u-s-military\/\" title=\"\">U.S. military<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The department-wide review will <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defense.gov\/News\/Releases\/Release\/Article\/4118161\/rapid-force-wide-review-of-military-standards\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">analyze<\/a> all U.S. military branches &ldquo;U.S. military branches pertaining to physical fitness, body composition, and grooming, which includes but is not limited to beards.&rdquo; The decision to review the military standards was announced in a release issued by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-defense\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Department of Defense<\/a> on Wednesday evening.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/3346233\/wisconsin-supreme-court-candidates-spar-partisanship-race-control-court\/\">Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates spar over partisanship in tense race to control court<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/3346150\/police-chief-slams-troubling-release-tesla-arson-suspect\/\">Police chief slams &#8216;troubling&#8217; release of Tesla arson suspect<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3345923\/house-doge-subcommittee-investigation-attacks-tesla-elon-musk\/\">House DOGE subcommittee calls on FBI and DOJ to investigate attacks on Tesla and Elon Musk<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;We must remain vigilant in maintaining the standards that enable the men and women of our military to protect the American people and our homeland as the world&rsquo;s most lethal and effective fighting force,&rdquo; <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.defense.gov\/News\/Releases\/Release\/Article\/4118161\/rapid-force-wide-review-of-military-standards\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said<\/a> Hegseth.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Our adversaries are not growing weaker, and our tasks are not growing less challenging,&rdquo; Hegseth noted. &ldquo;This review will illuminate how the Department has maintained the level of standards required over the recent past and the trajectory of any change in those standards.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Hegseth&rsquo;s review will evaluate all changes implemented by the military since Jan. 1, 2015, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/media.defense.gov\/2025\/Mar\/12\/2003666182\/-1\/-1\/1\/RAPID-FORCE-WIDE-REVIEW-OF-MILITARY-STANDARDS-OSD001952-25-RES-FINAL.PDF\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">according to a memo<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The secretary of defense&rsquo;s decision to review military standards comes after two reports on appearances, grooming, and fitness standards in two military branches were released in January and February.<\/p>\n<p>In January, the U.S. Air Force announced it was <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3306675\/air-force-new-appearance-standards\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">updating its grooming requirements<\/a> for men and women in the military branch. The new policy required male members to be &ldquo;clean-shaven at all times, unless given a medical or religious waiver&rdquo; and for their hair to be styled and cut so it does not &ldquo;go past their ears.&rdquo; It also required women, while in uniform, to only have nail polish that is a &ldquo;clear color or an American or French manicure.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3330468\/army-disregarded-physical-fitness-standards-recruitment-goals\/\"><strong>ARMY DISREGARDED PHYSICAL FITNESS STANDARDS TO HIT RECRUITMENT GOALS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>In February, a <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-defense\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Department of Defense<\/a> inspector general&rsquo;s <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3330468\/army-disregarded-physical-fitness-standards-recruitment-goals\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">report<\/a> found the U.S. <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/army\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Army<\/a> permitted recruits who did not meet fitness requirements to join the military branch. Leadership at the Army Training Center and Fort Jackson allowed recruits who exceeded the maximum required body fat percentages to join. The &ldquo;Management Advisory: Army&rsquo;s Future Soldier Preparatory Course Places Trainees At Increased Risk of Adverse Health Effects&rdquo; discovered that 14% of recruits in the Army&rsquo;s Future Soldier Preparatory Course program between February and May 2024 didn&rsquo;t meet minimum body fat levels.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Our troops will be fit &mdash; not fat,&rdquo; Hegseth <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/petehegseth\/status\/1899994315423699018?s=46\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">posted<\/a> on X on Wednesday. &ldquo;Our troops will look sharp &mdash; not sloppy. We seek only quality &mdash; not quotas. BOTTOM LINE: our<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DeptofDefense\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> @DeptofDefense<\/a> will make standards HIGH &amp; GREAT again &mdash; across the entire force.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_2036851\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2036851\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hegseth orders \u2018department-wide review\u2019 of military fitness and grooming standards Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is ordering an evaluation of the fitness and grooming standards of the U.S. military.\u00a0 The department-wide review will analyze all U.S. military branches \u201cU.S. military branches pertaining to physical fitness, body composition, and grooming, which includes but is not limited<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2677,"featured_media":2412945,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Hegseth.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2412944","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Hegseth.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2412944","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2677"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2412944"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2412944\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2412945"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2412944"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2412944"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2412944"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}