Pete Hegseth’s requirements for troops attending his upcoming speech reveal just how far his fitness obsession goes. The Defense Secretary is handpicking service members based on strict physical and grooming standards for his “State of the Force” address.
Army commanders are being asked to nominate troops who meet Pete Hegseth’s standards
Army commanders received an email Tuesday asking them to nominate troops for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s upcoming “State of the Force” address, The Wall Street Journal reported. Nominees must meet specific physical and grooming standards set by Hegseth. Selected service members must pass the Army’s fitness test and meet its waist-to-height ratio requirement.
The waist-to-height ratio serves as the Army’s official body composition screening method under Hegseth’s leadership. It divides a soldier’s waistline measurement in inches by their height, with 0.55 as the benchmark. Soldiers who exceed that score twice yearly enter the Army Body Composition Program.
Candidates must also exhibit “impeccable grooming and uniform standards,” according to the email. Commanders will evaluate nominees based on “demonstrated leadership quality and professional character.” Troops must also show a “clear record of integrity, discipline, and selfless service.”
Hegseth has consistently pushed strict appearance rules since taking over the Pentagon. He told senior officers at Marine Corps Base Quantico last September that having “fat generals” was “unacceptable.” He also targeted facial hair, calling bearded troops “beardos” during that same address.
“We don’t have a military full of Nordic pagans,” Hegseth told several hundred senior officers at Quantico. “No more beards, long hair, superficial individual expression.” He later threw a fit in June after spotting sailors not following his grooming guidelines aboard a Navy ship.
This year’s speech will expand beyond the top generals and admirals who attended last year. Lower-ranking officials and service members will also join the audience. Selected troops will even get the chance to exercise alongside the self-styled “Secretary of War.”
