Key facts
- The Department of Defense will screen soldiers aged 30 and older for testosterone deficiency.
- The screening aims to optimize service members' physical and mental readiness and "lethality".
- Soldiers under 30 can opt into the program voluntarily.
- Treatment for testosterone deficiency, including hormone therapy, will be voluntary.
- The initiative follows new standards for combat roles introduced in September.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday that the Pentagon will screen soldiers aged 30 and older for testosterone deficiency, a move aimed at enhancing service members' fitness and "lethality." In a video posted to X, Hegseth stated the initiative is part of the department's effort to optimize warfighters' performance, resilience, and long-term health, emphasizing that it is about restoring natural capabilities rather than artificial enhancement.
Soldiers under 30 will have the option to undergo testing voluntarily, and those diagnosed with testosterone deficiency will be offered hormone therapy, though it will not be mandatory. This initiative follows the rollout of new standards for combat roles in September, which included a service fitness test requiring members to meet a "male standard" regardless of gender.