Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is pushing for a major overhaul of military fitness standards after a new report showed more than two-thirds of reserve troops are overweight or obese. He vows to make fitness and accountability a top priority to rebuild America’s fighting strength.
Key Facts:
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced plans to overhaul military fitness and weight standards via an X post on Friday.
- A Military Times report revealed that 68% of National Guard and reserve troops are classified as overweight or obese.
- The American Security Project study highlighted that 21% of National Guard members are obese.
- Existing fitness standards have not been properly enforced, contributing to the issue.
- Hegseth emphasized restoring the U.S. military’s status as the most lethal force in the world.
The Rest of The Story:
A recent Military Times article, citing data from the American Security Project, exposed a troubling trend: 68% of National Guard and reserve troops do not meet acceptable weight standards.
Even among active-duty troops, the study noted concerning levels of overweight and obesity.
The problem is especially complicated for part-time forces like the Guard and Reserves, who split time between civilian and military life.
However, the consequences of poor physical fitness—ranging from diabetes to heart disease—pose serious risks to military readiness.
In response, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made it clear that fitness will no longer be optional.
He called the situation “completely unacceptable” and pledged swift changes to ensure America’s forces are fit to fight.
Completely unacceptable.
This is what happens when standards are IGNORED — and this is what we are changing. REAL fitness & weight standards are here.
We will be FIT, not FAT. pic.twitter.com/KWMlFbS1c8
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) April 25, 2025
Commentary:
It is almost unbelievable that two-thirds of our reserve forces are overweight or obese.
A military that cannot meet basic physical fitness standards is not just weakened; it is dangerously compromised.
Troops need to be ready for the rigors of combat, not unfit to fight.
This disgraceful situation is a clear failure of leadership by previous administrations.
Instead of focusing on building a strong, capable military, they allowed political distractions like DEI initiatives to take priority over readiness.
Physical fitness is not a luxury for the military—it’s a core requirement.
Allowing standards to slide shows a shocking disregard for national security.
Combat demands strength, stamina, and toughness.
Those who cannot meet the demands should not be in uniform.
Pete Hegseth is absolutely right to make this overhaul a top priority.
Rebuilding the military’s fighting capability must start with enforcing discipline, accountability, and basic fitness.
No elite fighting force in history has been made up of the unfit and the unhealthy.
Secretary Hegseth deserves credit for taking swift action.
America’s enemies aren’t getting softer, and neither can we.
Every service member should be proud to meet high standards, not look for excuses to avoid them.
The Bottom Line:
The Pentagon’s tolerance of low fitness standards has endangered military readiness, but new leadership under Pete Hegseth promises to fix it.
Enforcing real fitness standards is critical to restoring America’s military strength.
The days of an unfit force must end if we expect to win tomorrow’s battles.
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