From The Conversation · Jeremiah Favara · · 2m
How Pete Hegseth is rebuilding the Army's brass ceiling
The Defense Secretary has removed over 80 officers, mostly women and Black leaders, while claiming success in military recruitment.
In brief
The Defense Secretary has removed over 80 officers, mostly women and Black leaders, while claiming success in military recruitment. Hegseth's targeting of diverse officers is creating a leadership that doesn't reflect the enlisted force or the nation, repeating mistakes that led to racial violence during Vietnam…
Army secretary resigns amid Iran war
Dan Driscoll stepped down on August 31, 2026, leaving the Army without a Senate-confirmed civilian leader six months into the Iran conflict, its busiest period since Iraq and Afghanistan.
Hegseth blocks 80 officer promotions
Since January 2025, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has fired or blocked promotions of more than 80 admirals and generals, often citing "woke" diversity efforts as his reason.
Targeting women and Black officers
More than half of the removed officers are women or Black, despite the officer corps being 79% male and 74% white. One officer was blocked after officials wrongly believed he allowed a female mentorship group.
Violating military promotion rules
Hegseth's actions appear to violate military rules protecting against politicization of the officer corps and have undermined faith in the merit-based promotion system.
Recruitment success isn't about ideology
The Army exceeded its 60,500 recruit goal in fiscal 2025 and hit targets in 2026, but success comes from economic need, not agreement with Hegseth's vision.
Market forces, not patriotism, drive enlistment
Research shows recruits are motivated by steady pay, job training, education benefits and medical coverage. These occupational appeals have historically attracted diverse recruits women and people of color.
The brass ceiling solidifies
All five service chiefs and nine in ten combatant commanders are white men. The lowest percentage of women in 25 years have been nominated to general and admiral ranks.
Leadership doesn't reflect the force
An overwhelmingly white and male leadership commands an enlisted force where 34% identify as racial minorities and 17% are women, creating conditions for discrimination.
Vietnam lessons being ignored
After Vietnam, the military created race relations training and expanded ROTC at historically Black colleges to address racial violence and fragging incidents caused by a white-dominated officer corps.
Disproportionate combat costs
About half of the 18 service members killed in the Iran war between February and August were women and people of color, yet they won't see themselves reflected in leadership.
At a glance
Hegseth's targeting of diverse officers is creating a leadership that doesn't reflect the enlisted force or the nation, repeating mistakes that led to racial violence during Vietnam.
