Female veterans and service members are speaking out against Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary, for his remarks against women in combat roles. Hegseth believes women make fighting more complicated and are better suited for non-combat roles due to being “life-givers, not life-takers.” However, many female veterans and service members disagree, citing their decades of experience in combat and their equal training and oath as their male counterparts.
The Pentagon opened all combat roles to women in 2016, allowing them to serve in previously male-only positions like special operations units and infantry. Women have proven their competence and heroism during the nation’s longest wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, with over 300,000 women serving tours of duty and earning various military awards, including Purple Hearts and Combat Action Badges. Women make up over 17% of the military’s active-duty force, with their numbers slowly increasing each year.
Despite Hegseth’s opposition to women serving in combat roles, female veterans like retired Army Lt. Col. Raquel Durden argue that the military should focus on enforcing high standards for all individuals in these positions, regardless of gender. Other female veterans, like Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who lost both legs in combat, believe Hegseth’s stance is dangerous and out of touch with modern warfare. The backlash from female veterans and service members against Hegseth’s nomination as defense secretary underscores the ongoing debate over women’s roles in the military and the importance of recognizing their contributions and sacrifices on the battlefield.
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