The US Department of Defense has ignited a firestorm by ordering a sweeping, six-month investigation into whether the presence of women in elite combat units is harming the military's capacity to win wars.
Scrutiny on the 'Tip of the Spear'
A leaked memo, first obtained by NPR, reveals that defence chiefs have commissioned a gruelling audit of thousands of female soldiers and Marines currently serving in infantry, armour, and artillery units. These roles are often described as the 'tip of the spear' in ground combat. The review, managed by the non-profit Institute for Defense Analyses, will scrutinise 'all available metrics' on individual readiness and deployability.
In the memo, Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel, Anthony Tata, stated the aim is to assess the 'operational effectiveness of ground combat units' a decade after the Pentagon lifted all remaining restrictions on women in combat. He has given Army and Marine Corps leaders until January 15 to appoint points of contact who will provide access to the military's most sensitive performance data.
Backlash from the Ranks
The announcement has triggered a fierce rebellion among female service members, with many branding the review a 'sexist operation'. In a private online support group leaked to the Daily Mail, one furious service member highlighted a perceived double standard, writing: 'You mean your guys can't focus on the mission without trying to stick it in... not my problem.'
Another woman shared a text message questioning the premise of the probe: 'Are we also reviewing the effectiveness of men in ground combat positions, or just assuming they're effective because they were born with a penis?' The private Facebook mentorship group, a reported lifeline for thousands of military women, has become a digital war room. One member argued, 'If you meet the standard, you should be able to do it… They all want to ban all women just because it 'makes it complicated.''
An army source expressed concern about the cultural impact, telling the Daily Mail: 'Even if this is just rhetoric, it's giving the men around us who are already sexist the opportunity and the encouragement to be more overtly sexist.' Women currently represent a small fraction of Army combat units, with approximately 3,800 serving in such positions.
Leadership Insists on 'Gender Neutral' Standards
Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson defended the review, stating it is already underway. He emphasised that standards for combat arms must remain elite and impartial. 'Our standards for combat arms positions will be elite, uniform, and sex neutral because the weight of a rucksack or a human being doesn't care if you're a man or a woman,' Wilson said. 'Under Secretary Hegseth, the Department of War will not compromise standards to satisfy quotas or an ideological agenda—this is common sense.'
In a September speech at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, Undersecretary Hegseth was unequivocal: 'When it comes to any job that requires physical power to perform in combat, those physical standards must be high and gender neutral. If women can make it, excellent. If not, it is what it is.' While the Secretary of Defense can alter physical standards without Congress, an outright ban on female troops in these roles would require congressional approval.
The seven-page memo also demands internal, non-public research on women in combat. The investigation's findings, due in six months, are poised to shape the future of gender integration in the US military's most demanding frontline roles.
