Pete Hegseth, the newly sworn-in Secretary of Defense, has once again proven himself to be a relic of a bygone era, clinging to outdated and offensive beliefs that have no place in a modern military or a just society.
His comments suggesting that women should not serve in the military are not only factually baseless but also deeply insulting to the countless women who have sacrificed their lives in service to this nation.
“Pete Hegseth’s remarks are particularly galling in the wake of the tragic death of Captain Rebecca Lobach, a 28-year-old Army pilot who perished in the line of duty last week,” said New Jersey Democrat Lisa McCormick. “To dishonor her memory and the service of all women in uniform with such ignorant rhetoric is nothing short of despicable.”
The crash, among the worst aviation disasters in modern history, left no survivors.
Captain Lobach was a distinguished military graduate of the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, commissioned as an active-duty aviation officer in 2019.
She was one of the pilots of the Black Hawk helicopter that collided with an American Eagle flight near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, claiming the lives of all 67 people aboard.
Lobach had 500 hours of flight time, considered normal, while Eaves had 1,000 hours, deemed experienced.
Lobach’s best friend, First Lieutenant Samantha Brown, an active-duty field artillery soldier, described the female captain as brilliant, dedicated and a fierce competitor.
Brown said she would march 12 miles with a 45 pound pack, at a pace faster than the standard for infantry soldiers. Lobach hoped to fly her Black Hawk at some point on a combat deployment and dreamed of one day becoming a doctor.
In a prepared statement, the Lobach family said, “We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Rebecca. She was a bright star in all our lives. She was kind, generous, brilliant, funny, ambitious and strong. No one dreamed bigger or worked harder to achieve her goals.”
Her death is a stark reminder of the bravery and sacrifice of women in the armed forces—women who have proven time and again that they are every bit as capable as their male counterparts.
Yet, Hegseth, in his confirmation hearing, had the audacity to suggest that the military has “worsened” by admitting women into more roles, a claim he failed to substantiate with a single shred of evidence.
When pressed by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Hegseth attempted to deflect, claiming he was not disrespecting women but rather criticizing the alleged lowering of standards to accommodate them.
Hegseth’s comments are not just wrong; they are dangerous. They perpetuate harmful stereotypes that undermine the contributions of women in the military and create a toxic environment for those who serve.
His suggestion that commanders are forced to meet gender-based quotas is equally baseless. As Senator Gillibrand pointed out, no such quotas exist.
Captain Rebecca Lobach was 28 years old and a native of Durham, N.C. She was a distinguished military graduate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and commissioned in 2019 as an active-duty aviation officer.
She died along with fellow pilot Chief Warrant Officer Andrew Eaves, 39, of Great Mills, Md. and crew member Staff Sergeant Ryan O’Hara, 28, of Lilburn, Ga.
This is a tired, sexist trope that has been debunked repeatedly.
After retiring from service at the age 60, Marina Perez found a new community of women veterans who introduced her to the National Veterans Golden Age Games.
Over the course of 12 years, Perez, who is now 79, set the record with 65 medals in cycling, bowling, javelin, long jump and many other track and field events.
Perez’s military career spanned 25 years, culminating in her retirement as a sergeant first class. Her service included deployments to the Gulf War and Bosnia, where she served with distinction and received the prestigious Bronze Star Medal.
Looking back on Perez’s life journey, from emigrating to the United States, running a marathon, serving in two war zones, retiring from the military to becoming a Golden Age Games champion, anyone can see that she is a testament to the fact that Pete Hegseth and Donald Trump believe in lies about immigrants, women, and the determination of people who face adversity.
Lory Manning, an expert on women in the military, has made it abundantly clear: standards for combat roles have never been lowered for women. In fact, federal law explicitly prohibits it.
Manning, a veteran who served for 25 years in the Navy before becoming the director of government operations with the Service Women’s Action Network, led Women in the Military Project at the Women’s Research and Education Institute for 15 years, where she regularly oversaw studies on women in the military.
The National Defense Authorization Act of 1994 mandates that all military occupational standards must be gender-neutral and based on common, relevant performance criteria.
Hegseth’s insinuation that women are somehow given a free pass is not only false but also deeply offensive to the women who have met and exceeded the same rigorous standards as men.
The military has always been a reflection of the society it serves, and as our nation has progressed toward greater equality, so too has the armed forces.
“Women now make up more than 21 percent of the active-duty force, serving in nearly every role, from combat pilots to infantry officers,” said McCormick. “This evolution has not weakened the military; it has strengthened it. Diversity of thought, experience, and perspective is a strategic advantage in modern warfare, where adaptability and innovation are paramount.”
“To suggest otherwise, as Hegseth has done, is to ignore the reality of the 21st-century battlefield,” said McCormick, who faulted both Presidents Trump and Biden for failing to order publication of the Equal Rights Amendment, which was ratified by the 38 states required by the Constitution.
Hegseth’s claims about lowered standards and gender quotas are not just factually incorrect; they are a deliberate attempt to undermine the progress that has been made. His rhetoric echoes the same tired arguments used to resist integration and equality at every stage of our nation’s history.
Just as the military did not collapse when it desegregated or allowed LGBTQ+ individuals to serve openly, it has not faltered because women now have the opportunity to prove themselves in combat roles.
The only thing that has changed is that the military is now more inclusive, more representative, and more capable than ever before.
What makes Hegseth’s comments even more egregious is the timing. At a moment when the nation mourns the loss of Captain Rebecca Lobach and the other brave souls who perished in last week’s crash, his words are a cruel reminder of the biases that women in uniform still face.
“Captain Lobach did not just meet the standards of her role; she excelled in it. She was a leader, a pilot, and a patriot who gave her life in service to her country,” said McCormick. “To suggest that her presence in the military somehow diminished its effectiveness is not only false but also an insult to her memory and the sacrifices of all women who have served.”
Hegseth’s confirmation as Secretary of Defense is a troubling sign of how far we still have to go in the fight for equality. It is a reminder that even as women break barriers and prove their worth on the battlefield, they continue to face resistance from those who cling to outdated notions of gender roles. This is not just a problem for women in the military; it is a problem for all of us. A military that does not fully value and utilize the talents of all its members is a military that is less prepared to face the challenges of the future.
We cannot afford to have a Secretary of Defense who is more interested in perpetuating myths than in leading with integrity and respect for all service members. Hegseth’s views are not just offensive; they are a threat to the morale, cohesion, and effectiveness of our armed forces. It is time for Congress, the President, and the American people to demand better. We owe it to Captain Rebecca Lobach, to the women who serve today, and to the generations of women who will follow in their footsteps.
The military is stronger because of the women who serve, not in spite of them. It is time for Pete Hegseth to recognize that—or to step aside for someone who will. The stakes are too high, and the sacrifices of too many brave women and men demand nothing less.
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