WASHINGTON, D.C. — Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced sweeping reforms to military fitness and grooming standards Tuesday, declaring an end to “lowered expectations” and vowing to restore a culture of discipline, readiness, and physical excellence across the U.S. Armed Forces.
Speaking before hundreds of generals, admirals, and senior enlisted leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, Hegseth unveiled two directives — one overhauling physical training requirements and another reinstating strict grooming rules.
Under the new “Military Fitness Standards” memorandum, all active-duty service members will be required to engage in vigorous physical exercise every duty day and complete two annual fitness tests. National Guard and Reserve personnel will also be mandated to maintain fitness year-round and take one test annually, aligned with their combat or noncombat role.
“These standards will be gender-neutral,” Hegseth said. “Every soldier, sailor, airman, and Marine will be held to the same combat fitness expectations and weapons proficiency requirements. Excellence has no qualifiers.”
Hegseth said the era of lax enforcement and declining standards is over.
“It’s completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon, leading commands around the country and in the world,” he told the audience. “Overweight troops and their leaders will no longer be tolerated.”
In a second directive, “Grooming Standards for Facial Hair Implementation,” Hegseth reinstated a traditional clean-shaven requirement across all services.
“If you want a beard, you can join special forces. If not, then shave,” he said bluntly. “We don’t have a military full of Nordic pagans.”
The memo specifies that sideburns must remain above the ear opening and that beards, goatees, and other facial hair are prohibited unless explicitly authorized. Mustaches are permitted but must be neatly trimmed and not extend beyond the corners of the mouth or interfere with respirator seals.
“Leading warfighters toward the goals of high, gender-neutral and uncompromising standards in order to forge a cohesive, formidable and lethal Department of War is not toxic,” Hegseth said. “It is our duty, consistent with our constitutional oath.”
The sweeping reforms mark one of the Trump Administration’s most aggressive military culture resets to date, signaling a sharp departure from the appearance waivers and evolving physical standards of previous years.
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