Meritocracy at Center of Military Service, Hegseth Tells Cadets at Texas A&M

At Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, today, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth told future officers that the U.S. military they will enter places a premium on meritocracy, and that once they put on their uniforms, they will march into formations that value them only for what they bring to the fight.

"Under the leadership of our commander in chief, President Donald J. Trump, our doctrine is clear: America first and peace through strength," Hegseth said. "And we achieve it in three distinct ways: reviving the warrior ethos, rebuilding our military and reestablishing deterrence here at home and across the globe."

The secretary said that he knew restoring the warrior ethos also meant establishing a military centered on meritocracy rather than non-merit factors.

"Two days after taking office, I signed the memorandum restoring America's fighting force," he said. "That directive established a bedrock standard that will guide your entire military service ... the armed forces of the United States will be governed strictly by merit, competence and combat readiness."

The War Department, he said, is colorblind, gender-neutral and merit-based.

"The only thing that matters are our standards, discipline, readiness, training and lethality," he said. "And we will never compromise on those standards."

Walking onto the campus this morning, Hegseth said he was impressed by what he saw.

"I do not see an academic institution trying to apologize for American strength; I see backbone and resolve, and the uncompromising future of the United States and the United States armed forces," he said. "I see a real, grounded, strong institution, which is exactly what our nation needs."

The secretary's visit to Texas A&M University was part of a two-day trip. Yesterday, he visited Saronic, a defense contractor that builds autonomous ocean-going drones - one of which was used to rescue two AH-64 Apache pilots off the coast of Oman. Later that day, he administered the oath of enlistment to dozens of recruits, and today, he administered the oath of office to ROTC cadets.

The secretary said what he sees in Texas is the entire package of what's needed to rebuild the U.S. military.

"Just down the road, innovators are forging unmanned vessels, autonomous systems, drones, hypersonic missiles that will define modern deterrence," Hegseth said. "But standing right here in College Station, I'm looking at the indispensable other half of that equation: the future warfighters. ... The arsenal of freedom builds the sword right here in Texas, but that blade will be wielded as it always has been, by the Aggies standing in front of me today."

The secretary reminded cadets that during World War II, more than 20,000 Aggies served, and that their school provided more leaders to the U.S. military than any other source outside the U.S. service academies. The same remains true today, he said.

Not all of the men and women in the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets will go on to join the U.S. military - about 40% eventually accept a commission to serve. But those who do choose to serve, Hegseth said, will become part of the proud military history of the school. For those men and women, he said, he promised to always give them what they need so they can be best equipped to serve as they have sworn to do.

"I make you this personal pledge: just as my fellow soldiers had my back on the battlefield in Iraq and Afghanistan, I will always have your back," he said. "And you can know that our commander in chief has your back every single day."

Hegseth said his job at the Pentagon is to get them the weaponry, training, technology, and mission clarity they need to fight, win and then get home. He promised to do that.

"We will never tie your hands behind your back; silly rules of engagement are gone. Warfighters are unleashed, and we [will] never ask you to apologize for being warriors," he said. "We will demand excellence, and at the same time, back you to the hilt. So, train hard, demand more of yourselves than anyone else would ever dare demand of you, uphold the honor of that uniform ... honor the memory of the Aggies who marched before you ... [and] prepare to lead the most formidable fighting force the world has ever known."