Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addresses senior military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico on September 30 in Quantico, Virginia. In a rare assembly, close to 800 generals, admirals, and senior enlisted personnel were rapidly convened from worldwide commands.
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has mandated that military personnel watch or read his recent address delivered at Quantico, Virginia, where he announced the end of the so-called “woke” military culture, criticized overweight generals, and instructed female service members to meet the highest physical fitness standards traditionally held by their male counterparts.
The directive, obtained by NPR, requires all servicemembers to complete the “Warrior Ethos Tasking,” which includes a link to the speech video and updated policy documents, by the end of the current month. These policies outline his comprehensive strategy to improve physical conditioning, grooming protocols, and overall military preparedness.
The memo emphasizes, “Commanders are responsible for recording the completion of the Warrior Ethos Tasking in a Memorandum for Record.”
When approached for a statement, a Defense Department representative, speaking off the record, responded via email, “The Secretary’s address was intended for the entire force, and this memo serves to reinforce that message.”
On September 30, Hegseth addressed a gathering of hundreds of generals and admirals who had been summoned from various global commands to an auditorium at Marine Corps Base Quantico.
“The Defense Department’s Era Has Ended”
Pacing the stage with a large American flag behind him, Hegseth proclaimed, “We are concluding the war on warriors today.” He declared that the “Defense Department era is over,” suggesting a rebranding to the Department of War and signaling a shift toward a more combative institutional culture.
Hegseth, a 45-year-old veteran of the Army National Guard and former Fox News host, criticized the military for advancing leaders based on diversity quotas and symbolic milestones rather than merit.
“It’s frankly disheartening to see overweight troops in formation, and it’s equally unacceptable to witness generals and admirals carrying excess weight within the Pentagon,” he stated.
“Today marks a new day of liberation for America’s warriors,” Hegseth continued. “You are not here to be politically correct or to fit into polite society. We are designed for a specific purpose.”
The assembled generals and admirals maintained a stoic demeanor throughout Hegseth’s remarks. This solemnity persisted as former President Trump subsequently addressed the group.
“I have never entered a room so silent before,” Trump remarked. “If you want to applaud, feel free. You can do whatever you want.”
According to an anonymous source, prior to both speeches and before cameras were activated, Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine instructed the officers to treat the addresses like a State of the Union event, maintaining the military’s traditional stance of nonpartisanship by showing no visible reaction.
