The policy making testosterone testing mandatory for members of the US military aged 30 or over has been reinstated. The policy had previously been suspended temporarily. The Pentagon has now published new guidance after medical experts raised questions about the need for it and the possible health risks.
The US Defense Department published the new guidance on the policy on Friday (September 18). The policy is being implemented at the initiative of defence secretary Pete Hegseth.
Hegseth first announced the policy in July. He said at the time that the testing was needed to identify possible testosterone deficiency and to allow service members to operate at maximum capacity.
Interest in testosterone has also been growing among various podcasts and health influencers online. Some of them promote the use of testosterone injections for health and muscle growth. The Pentagon’s new initiative is seen as consistent with that trend.
In a Pentagon statement, Hegseth said the aim of the initiative is to restore and maximise service members’ natural physical capacity, protect their long-term health and ensure the physical foundation needed to carry out military duties.
Medical experts, however, consider the programme unnecessary. They fear that if applied wrongly, testosterone-based treatment could cause infertility and other health complications in service members. For that reason the Pentagon temporarily suspended the earlier version of the policy in September, saying at the time that it was doing so to make some necessary updates.
The new guidance will apply only to male service members. It sets out a uniform testing method for identifying testosterone deficiency and arrangements for treatment. Testosterone testing will be carried out during routine health checks and annual assessments. Service members under 30 may also request the test if they wish.
Hegseth has been pushing various policies, arguing they are necessary to bring military readiness to its highest level. Critics allege that these initiatives bring right-wing cultural disputes into the military.
The Trump administration has already banned third-gender and transgender people from serving in the military. Some protective measures adopted to reduce civilian casualties in military operations have also been withdrawn, and several military officers who disagreed with the government’s priorities have been removed from their posts.
Hegseth said: “We are investing heavily in weapons systems, military equipment and various war technologies. But our most important strategic advantage will always be the fighting service member, one by one.”