MARCH 13, 2025 – Yesterday Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered a department-wide review of existing standards set by U.S. military branches pertaining to physical fitness, body composition, and grooming, which includes but is not limited to beards.
“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’s most lethal and effective fighting force,” Hegseth said.
“Our adversaries are not growing weaker, and our tasks are not growing less challenging. 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,” he added.
The full memo is attached.
