PETE HEGSETH FACES GROWING CRITICISM OVER COMMENTS ON WOMEN SERVING IN COMBAT ROLES
For over three decades, women have served in combat by flying aircraft, and over a decade ago, women were permitted to fight with boots on the ground. However, the debate on women in combat continues, and one political leader has made his opinion very clear—Pete Hegseth doesn’t want women fighting for our nation.
Should Women Be Allowed in Combat? Pete Hegseth Says No
After a decorated military career in the National Guard, you’d think Pete Hegseth would have enough experience to value the many skills women in combat bring to our military; however, you’d be wrong.
President-elect Donald Trump selected Hegseth to be the next Secretary of Defense as a part of his presidential cabinet, but it doesn’t seem that women fighting on the frontlines will be a part of his agenda.
The former Fox News host spoke about opposing military women in combat on the Shawn Ryan Show saying, "It hasn't made us more effective, hasn't made us more lethal, has made fighting more complicated."
As if that wasn’t enough, Hegseth told Navy SEAL Veteran and host Shawn Ryan that he was "straight-up saying we should not have women in combat roles."
It really doesn’t get much more blatant than that. Then again, if you have been following the rhetoric of Hegseth, it’s not as surprising as you might think.
Hegseth: A Pattern of Disrespect
Hegseth is an author, and has used his books to criticize women in combat, alleging preferential treatment, "woke" narratives and unsubstantiated claims of career threats posed by female cadets.
Furthermore, Hegseth also labeled Adm. Lisa Franchetti unqualified for her role, asserting her selection prioritized optics over merit.
Around 3,800 women currently serve in frontline Army combat roles, including fewer than 10 female Green Berets, with one transgender woman and another advancing through Special Forces training.
In the Marine Corps, nearly 700 women serve in combat roles, and their numbers have rapidly increased since 2018.
Removing women from combat arms could cause a logistical crisis, retraining costs, and force readiness challenges, potentially pushing many out of the military.
Changes Throughout the Years for Female Troops
The Pentagon lifted the ban on women in combat in 2013, which would begin the process of integrating female troops throughout every military role by 2016. Even in the Marines, who were the most resistant to change.
Women in combat have had a long history of unfair treatment and hurdles to clear just for the right to serve their nation the same as men.
Fortunately, many of the arguments on women in combat have gone by the wayside thanks in part to more recent successes during the Global War on Terrorism, which made it possible to bridge gender gaps within the military.
Because of the contributions from female warfighters in Afghanistan and Iraq, the history of women in combat would begin to shift further, with the opening of all military jobs to women in 2016, under the direction of Defense Secretary Ash Carter.
What Pete Hegseth Gets Wrong About Women in Combat
Women are becoming increasingly critical to military recruitment as young men face higher disqualification rates due to obesity and academic struggles.
Female enlistments in the Army have remained steady since 2013, while male enlistments have dropped by 35%.
Young women are outperforming men in physical fitness, education, and cognitive skills, reshaping recruitment demographics.
Advocates highlight that restricting women from combat roles undermines readiness by excluding a capable talent pool, emphasizing that integration strengthens the military by leveraging the skills of all qualified candidates.
Women in combat is the right thing to do not just to help improve our nation’s defenses but because anyone willing to serve our nation honorably deserves an equal opportunity to do so.
Sadly, Hegseth isn’t seeing the full picture and has used statements that harm our nation’s heroes in the process.
Hopefully, the women in combat defending our nation’s interests and freedoms continue to receive the support they deserve and the equal opportunity to meet the standards of the U.S. military in every capacity.
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