Pentagon Issues New Guidance on Physical Fitness, Grooming Standards Following Quantico Speech

The Pentagon issued several memos on Tuesday that outlined a broad range of personnel changes, instituting stricter grooming standards and gender-neutral standards for combat jobs.

The memos follow a Tuesday address by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth of senior military leadership at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., previewing the new policy changes for the military.

“From this moment forward, the only mission of the newly restored Department of War is this war fighting,” Defense Secretary Hegseth said. “Preparing for war and preparing to win, unrelenting and uncompromising in that pursuit. Not because we want war — no one here wants war — but it’s because we love peace.”

‘Fit not Fat’

Hegseth has emphasized physical fitness since he took charge of the Pentagon.

“My goal is unmistakable: our core fighting formations must not just meet the standard — they must embody it. We need high, uncompromising, sex-neutral standards rooted in combat effectiveness. Every warfighter must be held to the same rigorous expectations,” reads the memo, “Military Fitness Standards.”

As of Tuesday, there will now be two annual fitness tests: the existing service fitness test and a combat field test for combat arms personnel or a combat readiness test for those not in combat positions.

Members of the reserve or National Guard will compete one annual fitness test based on their combat or non-combat designation.

Those in combat arms positions will have a service fitness test that is sex-neutral, age-normed and follows the male standard. Service members must achieve a 70 percent average, according to the memo.

The following are the roles in the Navy that will fall under the new policy.:

• Sea, Air, Land Officer
• Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer
• Explosive Ordnance Disposal Candidate
• Explosive Ordnance Disposal Limited Duty Officer
• Chief Warrant Officer Sea, Air, Land
• Chief Warrant Officer Special Warfare Combat Crewman
• Chief Warrant Officer Diving Officer
• Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Apprentice
• Basic Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician
• Senior Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician
• Master Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician
• Diver First Class
• Diver Second Class
• Master Diver
• Special Operator Candidate
• Sea, Air, Land Delivery Vehicle Operator
• Sea, Air, Land Operator
• Special Warfare Boat Operator Candidate
• Special Warfare Combat Crewman/Boat Operator

The following are the combat positions in the Marine Corps that will fall under the new policy:

• Infantry Officer
• Infantry Weapons Officer
• Rifleman
• Light-Armored Reconnaissance Marine
• Reconnaissance Marine
• Machine Gunner
• Mortarman
• Antitank Missile Gunner
• Light-Armored Reconnaissance Unit Leader
• Infantry Unit Leader
• Marine Raider Officer
• Marine Raider
• Light-Armored Reconnaissance Operations Chief
• Operations Chief
• Field Artillery Officer
• Target Acquisition Officer
• Field Artillery Cannoneer
• Field Artillery Radar Operator
• Field Artillery Fire Control Marine
• Field Artillery Sensor Support Marine
• Field Artillery Operations Chief
• Fire Support Marine
• Artillery Unit Leader
• Joint Fires and Effects Integrator
• Combat Engineer Officer
• Combat Engineer
• Assault Amphibian Officer
• Assault Amphibious Vehicle Crewmember
• Amphibious Combat Vehicle Crewmember
• Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer
• Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician
• Marine Explosive Ordnance Disposal Dive

The combat field test will have service-determined standards.

For the Navy and the Marine Corps, pilots and submarine and surface warfare sailors were not included under the new combat standards.

For non-combat positions, the service fitness test will be sex-normed and age-normed. Those positions will have to take the combat readiness, although it could be substituted for the service fitness test.

Hegseth said Tuesday these changes aren’t meant to kick women out of the service.

“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 said. “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.”

The ban on women in combat roles was lifted in 2015.

The fitness standards will continue to use body composition standards, with height and waist circumference measured twice a year. Additional guidance on height and weight standards will be published within the next 60 days.

Those who perform well on fitness tests may be granted exemptions within limits that are not laid out in the memo.

“High performance does not excuse non-compliance with body composition standards,” reads the memo.

Grooming Standards

All service members, barring some exceptions, will need to be clean-shaven. This means sideburns above the ear opening and no beards, goatees or other facial hair.

Mustaches are allowed as long as they are neatly trimmed and do not extend past the corners of the mouth.

Special operations forces can request modified standards for validated mission-essential requirements but must be clean-shaven if deploying to an area where the risk of chemical, biological, radioactive or nuclear threats are high.

The department will now implement the pre-2020 standards for medical waivers for facial hair, with temporary profiles accepted for medical conditions, including pseudofolliculitis barbae, a condition that disproportionately affects Black men.

Each case will be reviewed for operational impact and limited to a year, with a treatment plan required. Any permanent condition will result in a possible administrative separation.

For religious accommodations, the department will use pre-2010 standards with facial hair waivers generally not given. Those who do receive a waiver will be limited to non-deployable roles that do not have the risk of chemical attack or firefighting requirements.

“Uniform grooming standards are not about appearance -they are about survivability, interoperability, and mission execution,” reads the memo. “Consistent enforcement ensures personnel can operate protective equipment, meet deployment requirements, and support combat and emergency operations.”

Education and Training Standards

Hegseth is ordering a 60-day review of the education system curricula and training school standards, according to the memo, “Department of War Military Education and Training Standards 60-Day Review.”

Under the review, the secretaries of the military departments and the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff will review the programs and report any changes to the standards since 1990 and make recommendations on whether standards should be restored to those of 1990.

Hegseth introduced his two new frameworks for standards: the 1990 test and the E-6 test. The 1990 test has the standards evaluated compared to those in 1990. Hegseth did not say why he chose 1990 for the year. The secretary commissioned as an infantry officer in 2003 after graduating from Princeton.

“1990 seems to be as good as a place to start as any,” Hegseth said during his speech.

The E-6 test, which he expanded to an O-3, asks if leadership accountability and lethality efforts make it easier or more complicated for an E-6.

“Does the change empower staff sergeants, petty officers and tech sergeants to get back to basics?” Hegseth said. “The answer should be a resounding yes.”

Reduction in Mandatory Training

Hegseth ordered a reduction in mandatory training, saying during his speech that when they are not training on the mission, the military is less prepared for preventing future wars.

Under the memo, “Reduction of Mandatory Training Requirements to Restore Mission Focus,” the department will relax or remove a number of trainings, including on cybersecurity.

The mandatory frequency for cybersecurity and controlled unclassified information trainings will be relaxed, while records management training will be narrowly tailored.

Privacy Act Training from the Common Military Training will be removed, while the mandatory frequency for training on combatting trafficking persons will be eliminated.

Other mandatory training will be consolidated as possible.

While the memo does not address suicide prevention training, common military training that is focused on harmful behaviors must clearly delineate between prevention and response with resources and response procedures identified, according to the memo.

Hazing

Under memo, “Review of Hazing, Bullying, and Harassment Definitions,” Hegseth is ordering a 30-day review of the definitions of hazing, bullying and harassment, saying that the current definitions are overly broad.

“The definition of toxic has been turned upside down, and we’re correcting that,” he said.

To Hegseth, the department’s previous approach to hazing and bullying prevents leaders from creating a lethal and ready force.

“Setting, achieving and maintaining high standards is what you all do. And if that makes me toxic, then so be it,” Hegseth said.

Reform of Military Equal Opportunity and Equal Employment Opportunity

Any MEO or EEO complaints will be handled within 30 days and dismissed if they “lack actionable, credible evidence,” reads Implementation of Military Equal Opportunity and Equal Employment Opportunity Reform Plan, reviewed by USNI News.

Anyone who knowingly submits a false complaint or repeatedly submits frivolous complaints will be held accountable, reads the memo.

MEO complaints will no longer be anonymous, with complaints submitted through a confidential complaint reporting option. Mediation is now a first-line alternative to filing a formal complaint.

“Unless required by law, MEO complaints that lack sufficient merit to trigger an investigation will be systematically dismissed under new threshold criteria, ensuring that resources are directed toward complaints containing credible evidence,” reads the memo.

The department will begin a pilot to consolidate the EEO offices and create an EEO task force. Cases involving flag and general officers, as well as senior executives, will be expedited.

Modern Workforce Management

The “warrior ethos” preached by Hegseth will extend to the civilian employees in the department, as well, according to the memo, “Modern Workforce Management.”

Hegseth is calling for a “cultural refresh” that will reward top performers, including with monetary awards. He is also calling for more guidance for managers to separate underperforming employees.

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