During a recent Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) questioned top enlisted leaders from each branch of the U.S. military about whether the presence of women in combat roles has lowered unit standards. All the senior enlisted leaders and the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff responded that there is no evidence supporting this claim.
The discussion followed a Pentagon decision to review the effectiveness of women in combat jobs, which has raised concerns among lawmakers and advocates. Senator Hirono stated, “The Department of Defense’s review undermines the sacrifice of thousands of female service members who have already met the rigorous gender-neutral standards and have served in combat with distinction.”
Women have been allowed to serve in combat positions for over ten years. At the hearing, Hirono asked if any data suggested that women’s participation had resulted in lower standards or reduced readiness. Senior Enlisted Advisor David Isom said, “I’ve seen no data that supports that there’s any lowering of standards or that there’s lowering of the readiness of units with those females in those units.” Other leaders echoed his statement.
Marine Corps Times and Task & Purpose reported on how these leaders confirmed that gender does not compromise military standards or readiness.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently called for a review assessing operational effectiveness and integration outcomes for women in ground combat units. The six-month assessment will require branches like the Army and Marine Corps to submit relevant data.
Senator Hirono expressed her opposition to this review, saying, “This is an attack on women to call for this kind of review. I think that he is laying the groundwork to reverse the policy allowing women to serve in combat arms positions.” She indicated plans to introduce legislation codifying current Department of Defense policies permitting women in these roles if they meet established standards.
All top enlisted leaders agreed with Hirono when she asked if troops should be able to serve in any role, including combat arms, regardless of gender as long as they meet established requirements. Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Weimer said, “Yes, senator. It’s about standards.”
Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force David Wolfe noted his experience: “From my perspective, I serve with some of the best war fighters that the world has ever known. Some of them happen to be men. Some of them happen to be women. Absolutely not. I have not seen any erosion.”
According to her official website, Senator Hirono represents Hawaii as its first female senator and is also recognized as the first Asian American woman elected to the U.S. Senate. She serves on several key committees including Armed Services and Judiciary and focuses on supporting veterans, servicemembers, immigrants, minorities, and underserved communities.
Hirono immigrated from Japan to Hawaii as a child with her family (official website). She graduated from University of Hawaii at Manoa with Phi Beta Kappa honors before earning her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center (official website). Her office provides assistance on federal matters such as Social Security claims and veterans benefits (official website).
The Pentagon maintains that its standards remain uniform and sex-neutral across all branches.
