Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is ordering an immediate, military-wide review of physical fitness and grooming regulations.
In a memo released Wednesday, Hegseth instructed Darin Selnick, who currently performs the duties of under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness, to assess all existing guidelines related to physical fitness, body composition, and grooming.
The comprehensive review will analyze how and why these standards have evolved since January 1, 2015.
Hegseth underscored his intentions plainly on social media, declaring, “Our troops will be fit—not fat,” and adding, “Our troops will look sharp—not sloppy.” He promised that the Defense Department “will make standards high and great again—across the entire force.”
The move signals a clear shift away from previous policies, many of which critics argue prioritized accommodation over readiness.
In recent years, military branches have loosened some grooming restrictions, notably regarding facial hair, citing medical or religious reasons.
In 2020, for example, the Air Force began granting five-year medical waivers allowing airmen and guardians to maintain beards, and even considered broader beard-friendly pilot programs.
Advocates say beard accommodations help those suffering from pseudofolliculitis barbae, a painful skin condition disproportionately affecting Black service members. Yet Hegseth’s review places these relaxed standards firmly under scrutiny, marking a return to a more stringent environment.
Pentagon spokesman John Ullyot echoed Hegseth’s firm stance, sharply criticizing previous leadership, including former Joint Chiefs Chairman General Mark Milley, for what he called an erosion of discipline due to relaxed body composition standards. Ullyot specifically cited Milley’s “personal corpulence” as setting a poor example.
This rigorous reevaluation follows criticism from federal watchdogs, who recently reported that the Army allowed trainees into fitness programs despite failing body-fat composition requirements. Such lapses raised concerns about the Army’s commitment to rigorous standards and readiness.
Hegseth, a prominent Trump ally and veteran, emphasized that America’s adversaries have only grown stronger, making it vital that U.S. forces maintain peak physical and mental conditioning. “We must remain vigilant,” he wrote, calling for “high, uncompromising, and clear standards” to preserve America’s military as “the world’s most lethal and effective fighting force.”
The Pentagon has yet to announce specific policy changes, but supporters of both Trump and Hegseth have already applauded the aggressive stance, believing it marks a return to strength, discipline, and uncompromising excellence across the ranks.