Coverage dated March 12, 2025

Hegseth orders review of military grooming and fitness standards

Headline from Military Times

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered senior Pentagon leadership to review how and why grooming standards, including beards, have changed since 2015.

Military Times's own description from its feed. We collect headlines and these descriptions, not full articles; read the original reporting below.

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Reports & sources

6 articles, oldest first.

  1. Fox News

    Hegseth orders review of military fitness and grooming standards: 'Our adversaries are not growing weaker' (opens Fox News)

    Published

    Fox News's feed description

    Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is ordering a review of all military fitness and grooming standards, according to a memo dated Wednesday.

  2. New York Post

    Hegseth orders review of US military standards, including grooming, after they were loosened under Biden (opens New York Post)

    Published

    New York Post's feed description

    Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday ordered a Pentagon-wide review of the physical fitness, body composition and grooming standards currently in place in the armed forces.

  3. Breitbart News

    Exclusive -- Hegseth Orders Review of Fitness, Grooming (opens Breitbart News)

    Published

    Breitbart News's feed description

    Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered a department-wide review of existing standards for physical fitness, body composition, and grooming

  4. Military Times

    Hegseth orders review of military grooming and fitness standards (opens Military Times)

    Published

    Military Times's feed description

    Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered senior Pentagon leadership to review how and why grooming standards, including beards, have changed since 2015.

  5. Military.com

    Beards, Body Fat in the Crosshairs as Hegseth Orders Military-Wide Standards Review (opens Military.com)

    Published

    Military.com's feed description

    Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered a sweeping, military-wide review of physical fitness and grooming standards with the apparent aim of making the military a stricter and less accommodating environment for troops.

  6. Washington Examiner

    Hegseth orders ‘department-wide review’ of military fitness and grooming standards (opens Washington Examiner)

    Published

    Washington Examiner's feed description

    The department-wide review will analyze the standards of all U.S. military branches to ensure they are the "most lethal and effective fighting force."