Pentagon PURGE Targets Female Military Leaders

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has upended a decade of settled military policy by ordering a comprehensive review of women’s effectiveness in combat roles, dismantling oversight committees and firing female military leaders while questioning standards that 160 female Ranger graduates successfully met.

Story Overview

Pentagon launches six-month review of women in infantry and combat arms positions after decade of successful integration
Defense Secretary eliminates historic advisory committee DACOWITS and removes all female four-star officers
New gender-neutral fitness standards implemented despite female veterans disputing claims that previous standards were lowered
160 women earned Ranger tabs over past decade with high performance evaluations in combat roles
Policy reversal occurs amid broader elimination of diversity programs across military services

A Settled Issue Suddenly Unsettled

The integration of women into combat roles was considered a closed chapter in military policy until Hegseth reopened the book entirely. Since 2015, when the Army announced its first gender-integrated Ranger training class, women demonstrated their capability in the most demanding military positions. Approximately 90 percent of senior infantry officers hold Ranger tabs, and female graduates consistently earned high performance evaluations from the same male commanders who certified them for these roles.

The numbers tell a compelling story that contradicts claims of lowered standards. First Lt. Gabrielle White finished 14th out of 52 teams in the Army’s Best Ranger competition, a grueling test of physical ability, technical skills, tactical knowledge, and cognitive performance. This achievement represents not just individual excellence but validation of integration policies that military leaders argued “made us better” by forcing examination of true job performance requirements.

Systematic Dismantling of Oversight and Leadership

Hegseth’s approach extends beyond policy review to institutional restructuring. The Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Service, established during the Truman administration, was eliminated entirely in March 2026. This committee provided crucial oversight of integration challenges, biases, and implementation issues that retired Coast Guard Admiral Cari Thomas warns still exist throughout military culture.

The removal of female military leadership compounds these concerns. Acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman fired former Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan on Inauguration Day, while Hegseth dismissed former Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti without explanation. These actions left the military without a single female four-star officer, eliminating visible leadership representation for women serving in combat roles.

Standards Debate Reveals Deeper Tensions

The core controversy centers on whether military standards were compromised to accommodate women’s integration. Hegseth claims that standards were changed “in ways direct, indirect, overt and subtle” to boost female participation numbers. However, female combat veterans and their male commanders vehemently dispute this characterization, calling it insulting to the broader Army and essentially accusing military leadership of systematic dishonesty.

The Army implemented new gender-neutral fitness standards in January 2026, requiring identical minimum scores for men and women in most combat specialties. Curiously, these standards exempt certain positions like artillery crewmen, which have very few women, while applying to artillery officers, where more women serve. This selective application raises questions about whether the review targets capability or participation rates.

Institutional Memory and Future Implications

The elimination of DACOWITS represents more than administrative streamlining—it removes institutional memory and advocacy that took decades to develop. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, a former Air Force officer, argues that women still face biases and integration challenges requiring oversight and advocacy. Without formal advisory structures, these issues may persist unaddressed while deterring female recruitment and retention.

Female combat veterans worry the review signals institutional doubt about their capabilities despite demonstrated performance. A company commander who received the highest rating among 31 commanders in a paratroop brigade noted that physical standards were never questioned by supervisors who witnessed daily performance. The disconnect between policy rhetoric and field reality suggests this review addresses political priorities rather than operational deficiencies.