Last year, Hegseth introduced new sex-neutral fitness standards that sought to eliminate sex-based grading for combat soldiers on the military’s physical fitness exam. That exam includes a 3-mile run, push-ups or pull-ups, and an abdominal plank. When the standards were announced, some analysts worried it could lead to fewer women enlisting.
But a new report from The War Horse, a nonprofit newsroom, suggests that Hegseth’s new standards were not making the military more masculine, as he seemed to hope. The report found that 90% of female Marines in combat roles who took the fitness test passed or exceeded expectations.
I read about this - around 96% of men pass, and 90% of women. Really good results, the test is not easy.
I know my athletic daughter, the gymnast, could always beat guys at pull -ups when she was little because she was so light and strong and could just crank them out like it was nothing. Push ups will ever be easier for men, weight distribution, but pull ups are a strength -to-weight situation so a trained woman can sometimes be at an advantage.
Because the women applying know they will be held to a much higher standard than the men, as always. So they are prepared.
Bonus points to: knowing that they will have to fight off their fellow, extra rapey, enlisted counterparts.
Edit: before I get the colic boys giving wojak tears
On average, during the war in Afghanistan, 24% of active duty women and 1.9% of active duty men experienced sexual assault
You’re exactly right:
Women in the Army Are More Likely to Be Killed by Fellow Soldiers Than Enemy Combatants
A first-of-its-kind analysis by The Intercept found that in the Army, women are more likely to be killed by their fellow service members than by enemy combatants, in a reversal of the threat soldiers are trained to face. Between 2011 and August 2025, at least 41 women died by homicide in the Army — more than half of them at the hands of other service members or veterans. Using Defense Department manpower data to calculate per capita death rates, The Intercept found that active-duty Army women face a higher risk of homicide than male soldiers, the opposite of national and global trends.
In many cases, women in the Army are killed by current or former romantic partners. Over 70 percent of victims had an intimate relationship with the perpetrator at one point, and the rate of homicides among women soldiers from intimate partner violence is at least three times higher than the national average.
I do wonder how that compares to the DV rates for Law Enforcement. I would tend to assume it’s a bit worse among LEOs actually. Armed forces tend to draw from a slightly wider pool, with the more… enthusiastic ending up in law enforcement after discharge.
24% seems low. The Invisible War goes into some horrific details about this issue.
I’m certain it is. The military self-selects for a specific type of person.
The women exceeded expectations… well i want that limp dick fuck face to do the test as well! show me how fit you are loser!
Show us your damn Nazi tats, low T Pentagone Peter Brian!
Alcoholic man with daddy issues makes dumb decisions based on feels
based on feels
No, remember, when men do it, it’s “instinct”; when it’s women doing it, it’s “feelings”.
That’s right, I forgot to masculinize the term so as not to make them feel emasculated. Like “man bag” instead of “purse” and “man soap” instead of “hand soap”
This guy is such a moron. The only reason he even has the job is that donnie was sure he’d be loyal to donnie and donnie saw him on the TV.
The fact that this fucking asshole is playing a role in judging the ranks, and even getting to meddle in the Scouts is a goddamned outrage.
I hope he goes to prison in the aftermath.
Low T Petey B, Secretary of Whores
For Marines, Ladies have to do a weird hold on the pull-up bar. Men have to do 3 pull ups. Yep, the most elite men in the country (huge /s) only have to do three pull-ups.
If the wars continue, and they will, there will be a draft.
Tell the recruiter that you’ll frag an officer as soon as you’re given a gun
Nope. Well, not unless the fascists rig the lottery to only draft POC. Which, tbf, sounds like exactly something they would do.
Not just POC. This would explain why they are so intent on getting voter rolls from blue states. If there is a draft, they probably want to be able to draft anyone on the political left so they can send them off to die and leave all the MAGAts at home to survive, breed, and vote.
I hope they do, I don’t think organizing their opposition into an army is going to go well for them.
From the linked “report” (more like an article):
According to Marine Corps data, 91.38% of women and 96.53% of men in combat arms who have taken the test since January have met or exceeded that threshold.
I support less women killing innocent people.
But don’t atop there. Please, kick out all the Men too. The world is a safer place when the US military has nobody in it.
I like human beings. Not human doings…It has worked out in the long run…
Next test: Pee distance?
That exam includes a 3-mile run, push-ups or pull-ups, and an abdominal plank.
I mean, that’s not much of a physical exam. Pretty much any person who isn’t physically limited in some way could achieve this level of fitness in a short time. I knew these fascists didn’t think much of women but I didn’t realize they thought they were totally physically incompetent. You really thought that women couldn’t jog for three miles? Or do a plank? haha
Mean it’s timed and a minimum score
How is this a backfire though?
The goal was to have women fail the physical fitness exam because they think women are inherently less fit than men across the board.
Idk, I would say setting lower standards for women is thinking ‘women are inherently less fit than men’ tho.
I’d be curious to know if it was lower standards or different standards before this change.
I work in orthopedics and rehabilitation, we see a lot of military members because we have a couple different bases in our state and only have one large medical campus close to them.
I have had more active duty military in my clinic this year than the last couple years combined. Most of them are senior NCO or older officers who have been forced to do an exercise routine that is designed to challenge people half their age.
Past a certain age, you just need more recovery time than younger people. These guys basically had desk jobs, and now they are having to exercise 5 days a week. Of course you are going to acquire a bunch of injuries in your senior ranks. Been seeing a ton of overuse injuries for the foot, ankle, and knees.
