Hegseth Shuts Down Women’s Military Panel

By: Paul Goldberg, Senior Editor | JRL CHARTS – Breaking Military News

WASHINGTON, D.C. — (September 23, 2025) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has shut down the Pentagon’s nearly century-old women’s advisory panel, a decision critics warn signals his determination to reshape the military in his own image. The move is widely seen as part of his “Dark Age warrior ethos” ideology — a framework that dismisses equality as weakness and seeks to roll back decades of progress made by women in uniform.

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The elimination of the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS) — first created in 1951 to expand opportunities for female service members — is more than a bureaucratic cut. It reflects Hegseth’s broader campaign to erase feminist influence from military policy while promoting an exclusionary vision of combat readiness rooted in outdated notions of masculinity.

A Dark Age Rollback at the Pentagon

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has eliminated a nearly century-old Pentagon advisory committee created to expand opportunities for women in the U.S. armed forces. Critics say the move is part of Hegseth’s ongoing effort to drag military policy back to the 1920s, aligning with his self-proclaimed “warrior ethos” — a framework many describe as Dark Age tribalism masquerading as policy.

The Committee’s Legacy

The Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS) was founded in 1951 under President Harry Truman and Defense Secretary George C. Marshall.

Advised Pentagon leaders on recruitment, retention, and promotion of women.
Played a crucial role in opening new career fields for female service members.
Served as a watchdog ensuring women were represented in military leadership decisions.

Hegseth’s Justification

Pentagon spokesperson Kingsley Wilson announced the shutdown on Tuesday via X (formerly Twitter), claiming the committee was advancing a “divisive feminist agenda” that hurt combat readiness.

This is consistent with Hegseth’s long track record:

Has called gender equality efforts “woke” and “divisive.”
Shut down Pentagon programs supporting women in peace building and conflict prevention.

Tightened grooming standards while dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across the Department of Defense.

Contradictions in Hegseth’s Record

At his confirmation hearing, Hegseth told senators:

“I respect every single female service member that has put on the uniform past and present.”

But his public comments have repeatedly contradicted that statement:

On The Shawn Ryan Show podcast, Hegseth declared: “We should not have women in combat roles. It hasn’t made us more effective. Hasn’t made us more lethal. Has made fighting more complicated.”
As a Fox News host, he regularly questioned women’s place in combat, framing it as a weakness rather than a strength.

Why This Matters

The closure of DACOWITS signals a philosophical shift at the Pentagon under Hegseth:

Erasing women’s voices from military policymaking.
Weakening institutional memory of progress made since WWII.
Redefining “combat readiness” through a narrow, exclusionary lens.

Observers warn that sidelining women undermines not only military equality but also national security effectiveness in the modern era.

Key Takeaways

Hegseth is dismantling nearly all Pentagon diversity programs.
The women’s advisory panel lasted over 70 years before being shuttered.
The decision reflects Hegseth’s “warrior ethos” — a model critics say is regressive and dangerous.
Women’s role in the U.S. armed forces remains under direct political attack.

Footnotes

DACOWITS (Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services) was established in 1951 and historically provided recommendations on issues including training standards, maternity policies, and combat integration.
Pete Hegseth is a former Fox News personality and Iraq/Afghanistan veteran who has built his political identity around opposition to “wokeness” in the military.

Stay with JRL CHARTS Breaking Military News for continuing coverage on the Pentagon’s internal battles and the fight for equality in America’s armed forces.

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