Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memorandum, April 24, 2025, directing a comprehensive review of medical conditions that disqualify individuals from joining the military.

The memo, addressed to senior Pentagon leadership, ensures recruits meet the high physical and mental standards required for service. This initiative responds to concerns about current medical waiver policies and their impact on military readiness, prompting a 30-day evaluation to refine enlistment criteria.

Titled “Review of Medical Conditions Disqualifying for Accession into the Military,” the memo targets Department of Defense Instruction 6130.03, Volume 1, which outlines medical standards for enlistment, appointment or induction. It notes that waivers are currently permitted for conditions such as schizophrenia, paraphilic disorders, congestive heart failure and chronic oxygen use.

Hegseth emphasized that while the desire to serve is admirable, individuals with such conditions are often unable to complete initial training or their first term of service, potentially compromising mission success and the safety of service members.

“Applicants for military service … must be physically and mentally able to perform their duties under the harshest of conditions without risk to themselves or others,” he said in a video posted on Defense Department social media accounts.

The memo tasks the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness with identifying conditions that should be ineligible for waivers and those requiring approval from a military department secretary. Proposed updates to the instruction will be submitted for the secretary’s approval within 30 days.

In his recorded statement, Hegseth spoke about the memo’s intent. He highlighted the need for “clear, high, and uncompromising medical and mental standards” to ensure readiness.

“Service members need to be medically ready to fight,” he said, underscoring the goal to…