Formation of a Special Task Force in the U.S. Army to Implement Meritocracy Policy

On Thursday, February 11, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced in a memorandum to senior military commanders the establishment of a special task force to oversee the strengthening of the U.S. armed forces 'based on meritocracy.' The memorandum quotes the Secretary of Defense stating that the Department of Defense is obligated to ensure that their sons and daughters serve under the best possible leadership. He further added that this is a necessary action for maintaining national security. According to Hegseth, the presence of 'the most qualified individuals' based on their merit and in accordance with 'non-discriminatory policies' should be one of the fundamental principles of the U.S. Department of Defense. The Secretary of Defense stated that the 'Restoration of U.S. Combat Power' task force will be established by the Deputy Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, tasked with overseeing the department's efforts to eliminate organizations, offices, and policies that prioritize non-merit-based factors such as gender, race, and ethnicity over values like meritocracy, accountability, standards, and readiness. Hegseth emphasizes in the memorandum that to ensure the Department of Defense focuses on its primary mission of providing the necessary military forces to prevent war and guarantee U.S. security, all decisions related to hiring, promotion, and personnel selection for missions will be based on merit and the needs of the department. The Secretary of Defense has set March 1 (Esfand 11) for an initial report and June 1 (Esfand 11) as the final report deadline for this task force. On Monday, President Donald Trump issued an executive order titled 'Restoration of U.S. Combat Power,' which prohibits any preference or detriment based on gender, race, or ethnicity for any individual or group in the armed forces. Hegseth, in another part of the memorandum, stated that the mission of the Department of Defense is to win the country's wars and that to do this, it needs a fighting force that rewards initiative, excellence, and hard work based on merit. This special task force in the Department of Defense has been created to achieve the goals set by the President of the United States.