September address will include enlisted troops and lower-ranking officers
The Pentagon is asking military commanders to nominate troops who meet waist-to-height requirements and “impeccable” grooming standards to attend Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s “State of the Force” address on Sept. 30, according to emails reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. A Pentagon official declined to comment on the selection process.
An email dated Tuesday and sent to Army commanders outlines a list of criteria the nominees must meet, including passing the Army’s waist-to-height ratio and the Army fitness test, and having “impeccable grooming and uniform standards (no exception).” Other commands throughout the military received a similar version of the message, officials told the Journal.
Beyond physical requirements, 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 the emails. The document also requires that candidates be “consistently rated as top performers within their formations,” have a “clear record of integrity, discipline and selfless service,” “demonstrate strong presence, clear communication and sound judgment under pressure,” and “serve as role models for their peers and subordinates.”
Unlike Hegseth’s September 2025 speech at Marine Corps Base Quantico — which assembled the nation’s top generals and admirals and surprised senior military officers, who only later learned that it was about enforcing the “warrior ethos” — the Sept. 30 address will include lower-ranking officers and enlisted service members, officials said. The Journal earlier reported that Hegseth was considering reupping the event.
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. At last year’s Quantico gathering, he declared “no more beardos” or “fat generals” and used the platform to roll out his priorities, rejecting policies from the previous administration that he dubs “woke” and emphasizing a return to “warfighting” as the Pentagon’s sole mission.
“For too long, we have simply not done that. The military has been forced by foolish and reckless politicians to focus on the wrong things,” Hegseth said at the 2025 event. “In many ways, this speech is about fixing decades of decay, some of it obvious, some of it hidden.”
Some critics have panned the focus on physical standards as too narrow and warned against using troops to advance the administration’s political priorities, the Journal reported.