Hegseeth says that the Pentagon is ready 'run on eggshells'. Women in uniform say it feels like a 'slap in the face'.

• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseeth ordered an overview of the policy of equal opportunities.

• Some service members fear that the assessment can undermine progress on intimidation and discrimination problems.

• But many agree that reforms of the programs are needed.

An eruption of changes in the Pentagon has worried for some female service members. Now a new memo has been set to possibly make more change, an additional alarm caused.

Since Minister of Defense Pete Hegseeth took over the Pentagon, his top female officers fired, some women's service histories were deleted, the leadership programs for women have been crushed and an advisory board aimed at women in the army have been rejected.

Last Friday Hegseeth signed a memo that has signed an evaluation of programs for equal opportunities and the processes for reporting and investigating the accusations of intimidation and investigating intimidation. Hegseeth said that the movements, which he called the policy “No More Walking on Eggshells”, would ensure that faster and more impartial investigations.

“Too often at the Ministry of Defense, complaints have been submitted for certain reasons that cannot be verified who have ended the career of people,” he said in a corresponding video and called some complaints “nonsense.”

But the current and former female service members told Business Insider that they are concerned about potential changes, the recent progress in tackling problems such as hazing, sexual harassment, racism and misconduct for social media.

Retired Marine Corps Lt. Colonel Kate Germano, author of the book “Fight Like A Girl”, said Bi that “It looks like those who are at the bottom of the pecking order will be the most adverse consequences by the [latest] Change – especially women and people of color. “

A maritime officer who led the investigation to tell BI that the new memo “seems to weaken the participation of under -represented groups” with their efforts.

“It doesn't seem bad to prevent false complaints,” she said, anonymously speaking to prevent retaliation. She has investigated a doubtful claims, but said she hates “the idea that you could be punished if your command disagrees with you.”

'Secure the program'

The new memo, entitled “Restoring good order and discipline through balanced accountability”, does not support the dismissal of complaints by “usable, credible evidence”. Such a change can discredit anonymous complaints or intimidation that occurs in private, Rachel Vanlandingham, Professor of Law at the Southwestern Law School and the former Air Force Jag.

Changes in the policy of the Ministry of Defense can also have a major impact on the lowest ranks, which form a large part of the historical reports of bias and gender -based discrimination complaints.

Military EO programs are responsible for guaranteeing staff who is “full and honest possibility for work, career development and access to programs without taking breed, color, religion, national origin, handicap, gender, age, sexual orientation, genetic information or parental status.”

“The programs allow staff to report discrimination and intimidation, and that's a good thing,” said Hegseeth in a DOD press release. “But what is not good is when these programs are armed. Some individuals use these programs too badly to take revenge on superiors or peers.”

Hegseeth has not provided any information about the scope of false accusations made by the EO process of the army and only said in a video about X that he “always” hears it.

The secretary has personally confronted with what he said, false accusations of sexual violence. In 2020, Hegseeth decided a dispute with a woman who said that the former TV hastheer her sexually abused. There have never been any charges. During his confirmation hearing, he said that the situation was “fully investigated” and that he “had been completely deleted”.

EO programs were previously investigated. Some critics have said that the policy makes “character murder” easy for dissatisfied staff.

“There are things that can be worked on,” said Vanlandingham. But with this memo, she said, it seems that “they just dive into the program.”

A survey of 2020 by Reuters showed that troops are submitting complaints at much lower rates than DOD citizens, suggesting that a fear of retribution of staff of active employment.

Vanlandingham said that making a false accusation is a crime that already falls under the uniformed Code of Military Justice, which makes false official statements punishable.

Changes in the EO program can cause a horrifying effect on victims who might be afraid of reporting intimidation, added them, and emphasized that some troops can prevent complaints from being submitted for fear of retribution or being banished.

“I would never tell anyone to serve an EO complaint, especially now,” said a female veteran who previously filed a complaint that claimed sexual harassment and said she was later confronted with retribution. She spoke on condition of anonymity because she is looking for federal employment. BI assessed related documentation between her and her command.

“If they don't like you, it is definitely a way to get rid of you and adversely affect your career,” she said.

Another woman who has active service told BI that she fears that the changes will discourage troops from submitting complaints.

“This feels like a slap in the face,” she said.

Unanswered questions

“I think the biggest question is who decides what is or is not credible information or what is fair,” said Germano. She said that the army process for internal investigations is already thorner – such studies are often done by troops with little or no meaningful research experience, which often donated them as a secondary duty.

By making more doubts about the legitimacy of claims it could make it even more difficult, said Germano, in which it is explained that decisions can be influenced by the perspectives of the senior members of the command, based on their own experiences.

Such prejudices have probably contributed to patterns of research into sexual violence that ended favorably for alleged perpetrators who were viewed positively by their leaders, said Germano.

BI asked the office of the Minister of Defense whether the testimony of eyewitnesses would be considered credible evidence, and what could happen if intimidation occurs privately. The office referred to a Friday statement of acting Unders Secretary of Defense for staff and readyness Jules W. Hurst III.

“Protecting Meo and EEO programs and processes is crucial for promoting meritocracy and balancing the accountability,” said the statement. “The extensive assessment will ensure that these programs and processes are timely, efficient and effective, and that the tools that are designed to support them are applied in a way that is consistent with our mission and values.”

The interest group protects our defenders, said that the new memo “sends a Stark and Hazinge Message: report misconduct at your own risk.”

“By creating new barriers to the court and threatening retribution against those who speak, the Ministry of Defense tries to fulfill congress to undo legal protection – and to give the scales against survivors – with a memo,” the group said.

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