Secretary of War Pete Hegseth recently ordered U.S. military leaders to ensure that all War Department personnel watch the “warrior ethos” speech he gave to America’s top military officers in Quantico, Virginia, last month.
In a memorandum obtained by NPR, Hegseth ordered U.S. military leaders to have service members complete the “Warrior Ethos Tasking,” which includes the review of updated War Department policies and a link to a video of his recent speech that highlighted major changes to the military under President Donald Trump’s administration.
NPR reported that the memorandums included as part of the “Warrior Ethos Tasking” reveal Hegseth’s plans to restore military readiness, physical fitness standards, and grooming standards, which the secretary of war emphasized throughout his speech last month.
The memorandum ordering U.S. military leaders to have all War Department personnel complete the “Warrior Ethos Tasking” states, “All commanders must document the completion of the Warrior Ethos Tasking in a Memorandum for Record.”
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CNN reported that the memorandum, which was issued on October 6, adds, “Leaders at every level will ensure all personnel will either watch the full recording or read the official transcript of the speech, and review the policy changes no later than 31 October 2025.”
Hegseth noted that U.S. military leaders “must inculcate our cultural shift and ensure every member of the Department of War understands my guidance.”
Asked to comment on the new memorandum from Hegseth, a Pentagon spokesperson told NPR, “The Secretary’s speech was for the whole force and this memo just reinforces that guidance.”
During his speech last month, Hegseth explained that the U.S. Military was forced to “focus on the wrong things” by “foolish and reckless politicians.” Hegseth claimed that prior to the transformation of the Department of War under the Trump administration, the U.S. military lost its way and became “the woke department.”
The secretary of war noted that his speech was focused on fixing “decades of decay” and removing distractions from the military. “We’re ending the war on warriors,” Hegseth declared.
