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Hegseth Orders Testosterone Screening for Troops Over 30
The new policy is part of a broader Trump administration push to expand testosterone therapy, while critics question its science and scope.
- On Wednesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the Pentagon will require annual testosterone deficiency screenings for active-duty service members age 30 and older, integrating the test into existing periodic health assessments troops already complete each year.
- Research showing declines in men's testosterone levels since the 1990s prompted Congress to include a measure in the fiscal year 2025 national defense bill requesting briefings on treatments and protocols, while special operations veterans identified low testosterone as a critical health issue.
- Hegseth characterized the initiative as voluntary medical care, stating 'If treatment is recommended, it's entirely your choice to receive testosterone replacement therapy,' and emphasized the program aims at 'restoring and optimizing your natural capabilities' rather than artificial enhancement.
- Implementation details remain pending as the Pentagon determines rollout timing across military branches, though service members under 30 will have the option to undergo voluntary screening despite facing no mandatory requirement.
- The testosterone initiative caps a series of body-focused reforms Hegseth has implemented since taking office, including mandatory daily physical training and his September ban on beard exemptions; during a June Navy visit, he pressed enforcement affecting sailors with razor bumps, a condition affecting an estimated 60 percent of Black men.
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Hegseth begins new medical program to restore and optimize 'performance' of US military: 'Sacred duty to maintain the advantage’
Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth is rolling out a new plan to bolster and strengthen the US military. Troops who are 30 or older must now check their testosterone levels annually to ensure military readiness. All keep them on “the leading edge of lethality.” According to the NY Post, the Pentagon will also offer testosterone replacement therapy to those who need it. Hegseth shared the news in a video posted to X, which was captioned, “T…
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Total News Sources438
Leaning Left106Leaning Right81Center138Last UpdatedBias Distribution42% Center
Bias Distribution
- 42% of the sources are Center
42% Center
L 33%
C 42%
R 25%
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