Top enlisted leaders say they see no issue with women in combat arms meeting standards
Source: Task & Purpose
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The top enlisted leaders for each of the military branches — all of whom are men — said they have no issue with women in combat roles meeting the same standards as men.
The remarks were in response to a question posed at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Wednesday about a recently ordered Pentagon review of the “effectiveness” of women in combat jobs. The review, which will look at data on ground combat troop readiness, training, casualties, and deployability, comes more than a decade after the Department of Defense lifted the ban on women in combat roles.
Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) asked the all-male panel for their input, saying that the review was “an attack on women” and that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was “laying the groundwork” to reverse the decade-old policy that approved women to serve in combat jobs.
“It also undermines the sacrifice of thousands of female service members who have already met the rigorous gender-neutral standards and have served in combat with distinction,” she said.
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Hirono prompted the enlisted leaders to answer the question: “Do you believe the mere fact of women being in these combat arms units lowers standards?”
She directed the question to each enlisted leader and they all disagreed.
“I’ve seen no data that supports that there’s any lowering of standards or that there’s lowering of the readiness of units with those females in those units,” said Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff David Isom, a former member of the Navy’s SEAL Team 6.
Both Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy John Perryman IV and Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps Carlos Ruiz responded the same way, saying: “Senator, no.”
Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Weimer also said “no,” adding that “I’m not seeing anything that leads me to believe there’s an issue with meeting the standard or affecting readiness.”
And Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force David Wolfe said that “From my perspective, I serve with some of the best war fighters that the world has ever known. Some of them happen to be men. Some of them happen to be women. Absolutely not. I have not seen any erosion.”
Lastly, “from the Space Force perspective, we’ve not seen any erosion in the readiness based on any of the administration’s positions,” said Chief Master Sgt. of the Space Force John Bentivegna.
The top enlisted leaders in the U.S. military testified before the Senate on Feb. 11 about quality-of-life issues facing junior troops. Air Force photo by Chad Trujillo.
In January, Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson said that the military’s combat standards would be “uniform” and “sex neutral,” adding that they “will not compromise standards to satisfy quotas or an ideological agenda.”
A number of women who served in combat arms, like infantry and armor, told Task & Purpose that they have repeatedly proved that they can meet the same standards as men — whether by graduating from Ranger School, one of the Army’s most physically grueling schools, or in their day-to-day jobs, which require they complete physically demanding tasks like loading artillery shells or even carrying their peers on their back.
Hirono then asked the leaders if they agreed that troops, “regardless of gender,” should be allowed to serve in any role, including combat arms, if they meet “established standards.”
All agreed, with Weimer adding, “Yes, senator. It’s about standards.”
The post Top enlisted leaders say they see no issue with women in combat arms meeting standards appeared first on Task & Purpose.
Classification
Analytical Domain
Strategic
Primary Category
Political-Military
SALUTE Report
Size
Not specified
Activity
Top enlisted military leaders expressed support for women meeting combat standards
Location
Unit
U.S. Military
Time
February 11
Equipment
-
Summary
Top enlisted leaders of the U.S. military testified before the Senate on February 11, affirming that women can meet the same combat standards as men. They responded to concerns raised about a Pentagon review of women's effectiveness in combat roles, stating that there is no evidence of lowered standards or readiness. Senator Hirono criticized the review as potentially undermining women's contributions in the military.
Key Facts
- Top enlisted leaders support women in combat roles meeting the same standards as men.
- The Pentagon is reviewing the effectiveness of women in combat jobs.
- Senator Hirono expressed concern that the review undermines women's contributions in the military.
- All enlisted leaders disagreed with the notion that women lower standards in combat units.
- Combat standards are stated to be uniform and sex-neutral.