September 2025, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth delivered a speech that reignited one of the most contentious debates in modern military policy: Who belongs on the battlefield? His call to “get back to basics,” eliminate what he described as “woke ideology,” and enforce a single “male standard” for combat roles sent shockwaves across the nation. Some hailed it as a necessary return to discipline and readiness. Others warned it signaled a dangerous step backward. The impact of t