Pentagon Wants Only the Fittest Troops to Attend Upcoming Hegseth Speech

The Wall Street Journal ^ | Sept. 15, 2026 4:14 pm ET | Lara Seligman

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Servicemembers must meet waist-to-height standards and have “impeccable” grooming

The Pentagon is asking commanders to nominate troops to attend Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s “State of the Force” address this September, and says the servicemembers must meet waist-to-height requirements and exhibit “impeccable” grooming standards.

Candidates, who will also have the opportunity to work out with the secretary, will be selected based on “demonstrated leadership quality and professional character,” according to emails reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. 

Hegseth’s plans for the Sept. 30 event come a year after he ordered the nation’s top generals and admirals to gather for his speech at Marine Corps Base Quantico, where he declared “no more beardos” or “fat generals.”   

Since becoming Pentagon chief last year, Hegseth has prioritized physical standards among the ranks, which he says is critical to improving the military’s ability to fight wars effectively. Some critics, however, have panned his focus as too narrow and warned against using troops to advance the administration’s political priorities.  

This time, the audience will include lower-ranking officers and enlisted servicemembers, officials said. The Journal earlier reported that Hegseth was considering reupping the event. 

According to an email dated Tuesday and sent to Army commanders, the Pentagon is looking for servicemembers who fit certain “physical standards,” to attend the event: passing the Army’s waist-to-height ratio and the Army fitness tests, and having “impeccable grooming and uniform standards (no exception).” Other commands throughout the military received a similar version of the message, officials said. 

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TOPICS: Military/Veterans
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[Sequoyah101]

We have seen something like this before. Let me think, where could it have been?

[DannyTN]

[albie]

Why would I bother reading this tripe? It’s the Wall Street Journal

[blueunicorn6]

What we need is a pretty Army.

[MinorityRepublican]

[TokarevM57]

...”Defense Secretary”...? no more “Department of War....”??

[miliantnutcase]

Please elaborate!

[july4thfreedomfoundation]

It’s a dig by the Globalist Murdochs.

[GOPJ]

Since becoming Pentagon chief last year, Hegseth has prioritized physical standards among the ranks, which he says is critical to improving the military’s ability to fight wars effectively. Some critics, however, have panned his focus as too narrow...

"Some critics"? Would that be the fat out-of-shape 'journalist' one desk over?

[ryderann]

I see this as a good way to encourage fitness and sartorial spiffiness.

[ETCM]

What kind of CO would send a fat, sloppy soldier to a SECDEF event? I consistently restricted out of standard sailors from attending VIP visits. Fat, sloppy uniform, need a shave or haircut? Strike below shipmate!

[T.B. Yoits]

What kind of CO would send a fat, sloppy soldier to a SECDEF event?

One who was sick and tired of the Army sending him fat, sloppy soldiers. Especially if the CO already had an established date of separation or date of retirement.

[T.B. Yoits]

"YOU ARE A DISGUSTING FAT BODY, PRIVATE PYLE!"

[dfwgator]

"You might have noticed, I have a slight weight problem"

"Noooo!"

[DoodleBob]

Mens sana in corpore sano.

Is he going to quote the Gospel according to Tarantino again?

[CDB]

[Governor Dinwiddie]

I guess this is going to exclude Sgt. Bilko and CPO Sharkey.

[trebb]

IOW - no Vindmans or Levines in the crowd..

[atomic_dog]

We have seen something like this before. Let me think, where could it have been?

Mid to late 70s. POTUS visits USN ship. All overweight/"unmilitary bearing" crewmembers were given the day off and sent home. Nothing new under the sun.