A recent speech by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth presented the current administration’s policy for the military in front of an unprecedented meeting of all serving generals and admirals at Marine Base Quantico on Sept. 30, 2025.

Hegseth is an Army veteran with two Bronze Stars and a Combat Infantryman Badge (he served in combat), who served in Afghanistan and Iraq. The speech dealt with eliminating “woke” (left-leaning) policies, requiring “male standards” for all combat troops regardless of gender, raising physical fitness standards, eliminating DEI (diversity equity inclusion) sessions, and requiring troops to follow strict grooming rules. Hegseth said, “The era of politically correct, overly sensitive, don’t-hurt-anyone’s-feelings leadership ends right now.”

Much of this policy is outlined in Hegseth’s book, “The War on Warriors, Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free”. Promotions in the military in the past were often based on DEI, which resulted in some unqualified people being placed in important positions. DEI has, on occasion, resulted in an unintended slam against minorities and women. If a minority or a woman attains a high position, many wonder whether the achievement was a result of the competence of the person or because of DEI.

Woke leadership has been a problem in the military. For instance, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the first Trump administration, commented on the politics of the George Floyd controversy, which is inappropriate for a general officer, who should concentrate on military readiness and not leftist propaganda. According to Peril (a book by Woodward and Costa), the chairman also conducted two secret phone calls with Chinese General Li Zuocheng – on Oct. 30, 2020, and Jan. 8, 2021 – to assure China that the U.S. would not launch an attack. Aiding and abetting the enemy is grounds for a court-martial.

Hegseth called for the end of using official resources directed at monthly celebrations of DEI months, such as Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Asian American Heritage Month, National Hispanic Heritage Month, National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and National American Indian Heritage Month. Time should be spent on the firing range and not in DEI classes. These celebrations tend to divide those in the military, which is contrary to the military doctrine of cohesive military units. In civilian life, DEI has fomented anti-Semitism (https://www.spiked-online.com), anti-Christianity, anti-conservatism, etc.

He stated that it was “tiring to look out at combat formations, or really any formation, and see fat troops.” Hegseth considers physical fitness and appearance to be a requirement for military readiness. He directed the development of a single set of physical standards for combat based on the previous male standards. If a woman meets these standards, then she is qualified for combat. He also considered it unacceptable to see “fat generals and admirals” occupying the Pentagon. His new policy is that every member of the armed forces takes a physical training test twice a year and meets height and weight requirements. All soldiers are to be clean-shaven and present a good appearance.

It is difficult to predict how this new policy will turn out. Some soldiers think that the new policy is way overdue. Others believe the current status will not change. Nevertheless, the speech summed up the new policy that DEI is out, military-related training and physical fitness are paramount, and there is no room for “fat generals.”

Chuck Roberts is a freelance writer in Rochelle.