Story perspectives

Hegseth Orders Grooming Fitness Standards for Sept. 30 Address

By Drooid · Sep 16, 2026, 6:27 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered only well-groomed troops to attend his State of the Force address on Sept. 30.
The Pentagon emailed Army commanders requiring nominees to pass the fitness test and meet the waist-to-height ratio.
The same directive demanded impeccable grooming and uniform standards with no exceptions for all attendees.
Commanders must select service members showing top performance, integrity, discipline, selfless service, and strong presence.

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Story summary

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered only well-groomed troops to attend his State of the Force address on Sept. 30.
The Pentagon emailed Army commanders requiring nominees to pass the fitness test and meet the waist-to-height ratio.
The same directive demanded impeccable grooming and uniform standards with no exceptions for all attendees.
Commanders must select service members showing top performance, integrity, discipline, selfless service, and strong presence.