Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth wants lone fit, well-groomed troops in the spectators for an upcoming location in Quantico, Virginia, afterward this month, according to a new report. The choice criteria indicate Hegseth's broader concentration on bodily fitness and the military's public image.
According to inner emails reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, troops in attendance for Hegseth's address must encounter the military's importance requirements and keep "impeccable" grooming standards.
The Office of the Secretary of Defense declined to comment on or provision a copy of the emailed memo to Business Insider.
It's average for armed forces units to evade showcasing sloppy-looking assistance members during high-profile community events. Ceremonial units are fine known for selecting fit troops who are meticulously groomed and dressed. Selecting an complete spectators on these requirements, as fine as subjective guidance traits, is small so.
Only those who are "consistently rated as top performers inside their formations," have a "clear document of integrity, site and selfless service," "demonstrate powerful presence, apparent communication and audio judgement under pressure," and "serve as function models for their peers and subordinates" may be sent by units to act the speech, according to the Journal.
The Pentagon issued akin direction this fountain on the choice of fit troops to act a blended martial arts event on the White House grassland as part of America's 250th anniversary celebration.
The address, scheduled for September 30, comes one twelvemonth following Hegseth ordered 800 generals and admirals to the identical basis for a address concerning renewing the "warrior ethos" inside the ranks.
"No additional beardos," he stated at Marine Corps Base Quantico final year. "The era of rampant and ridiculous shaving profiles is done." He additionally stated it was "tiring to appearance out at combat formations, or really any formation, and see fat troops," adding that he did not desire to see "fat generals in the Pentagon and foremost commands."
Past defence secretaries haven't traditionally ordered specified ample groups of armed forces personnel to act akin standalone events to current priorities.
At the event final year, Hegseth told armed forces leaders that he would "restore a ruthless, dispassionate and average awareness use of standards" and would not tolerate overweight troops or beards. He additionally ordered mandatory regular bodily training and twice-yearly fitness tests.
"You get up early, you get up and you activity out since we're going to be fit and we're not going to be fat," Hegseth stated at a May 2025 conference. During travel, the administrator routinely seeks out opportunities to do bodily training alongside troops.
Certain parts of the armed forces have lengthy struggled alongside obesity and another fitness challenges inside their ranks. In 2020, nearly 20% of active-duty troops were considered obese. Previous studies have cited akin preparedness concerns inside the National Guard and reserve forces.
During the identical location final year, Hegseth challenged the emblem officers in the area during criticizing the former presidential administration and what he characterized as a "woke" degradation of the armed forces.
"If the words I'm speaking today are making your bosom sink," Hegseth said, "then you should do the honest item and resign."
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Kelsey Baker is a armed forces affairs newsman alongside Business Insider. She joined in 2025 and covers armed forces personnel issues and how the armed forces is overhauling how it prepares for forthcoming conflicts.Prior to joining BI, she worked at The Washington Post as a Military Veterans in Journalism Fellow covering individual involvement stories and global news and at The Chronicle of the Horse mag covering equine sports. She holds a alumnus flat in Journalism from Northwestern University, a flat in Diplomacy from Norwich University, and an undergraduate flat in History from the University of Denver. She earlier served in the Marine Corps as a logistics officer, and afterward in the reserve.Contact her via email at [email protected], or via Signal at KelseyBaker75.75. Use a individual email address, a nonwork WiFi network, and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing data securely.
