The Army has withdrawn new academic standards for ROTC cadets, including a minimum SAT score of 1000, a move that has reportedly angered Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. The decision to rescind the proposed requirements, which were slated to take effect in January, has exposed internal friction within the Army's leadership.
The new standards were announced on Aug. 5 in an internal memo from then-assistant secretary of the Army for manpower and reserve affairs Jules Hurst. Hurst, who was confirmed as Pentagon comptroller two days later, stated the Army must "cultivate intelligent and adaptive officers to build a lethal and ready Army prepared to deter, fight, and win our nation’s wars."
However, on Aug. 12, Under Secretary of the Army Mike Obadal signed a memo rescinding the standards, citing a need for "further staffing and analysis." Sources told The Post that the reversal reflects dysfunction within the Army, noting that Secretary Dan Driscoll and Hegseth have clashed previously and are reportedly not on speaking terms.
Pentagon sources indicated that the memos announcing the new standards did not reach Secretary Driscoll's desk before being issued. One source confirmed that the Army secretary was not included in an internal email chain that unveiled the initial memo.
Hegseth's displeasure with the situation was conveyed by three Pentagon sources. Military officials stated that new academic benchmarks are necessary and align with Hegseth's broader initiative to strengthen officer standards. "A modest policy like this is a move in the right direction," a senior Pentagon official told The Post. "1000 on the SAT is nothing. If you can’t hit that you probably shouldn’t be an officer to begin with. We don’t want stupid people leading our soldiers."
The rescinded proposal would have allowed incoming ROTC cadets to alternatively submit an ACT score of 20 or a score above the 50th percentile on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB), which is used for enlisted personnel. "These are really common sense policies that everyone should be able to get behind," the senior official added. The official also noted that every U.S. military branch except the Army currently has minimum commissioning requirements for ROTC cadets, regardless of scholarship status.
College ROTC programs serve as the primary pipeline for incoming Army officers, accounting for 40-70% in recent years, according to publicly available statistics. Hegseth has previously advocated for stricter officer standards, including fitness and grooming policies, to enhance professionalism within the armed forces.
An Army spokesman stated that the service "is in lock-step with Secretary Hegseth and the president’s direction regarding military standards and readiness." The spokesman added that the Army is evaluating proposed changes to ROTC cadet standards for review by senior leaders and approval by the Secretary of the Army and the Acting Chief of Staff of the Army. The ultimate disposition of the test-score proposal remains unclear.