Pete Hegseth is rebuilding the Army’s ‘brass ceiling’
Half of the officers who have been fired or blocked from promotion are women or Black. A scholar who studies the US military explains why that’s dangerous.
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll abruptly resigned on August 31, 2026, leaving the military without a confirmed civilian leader during the busy Iran war period, its most active since Iraq and Afghanistan. This move came amid tensions with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has been criticized for blocking promotions of over 80 Army officers, predominantly women and Black individuals.
Hegseth's actions have allegedly violated military rules against political interference in the officer corps, which is supposed to be merit-based. Despite this, Hegseth claims the military's recruiting success is due to recruits' belief in civilian leadership, a view that overlooks market factors like upward mobility, job training, and educational benefits as primary motivators for young people joining the military.
The "brass ceiling," or limited opportunities for women and minorities in leadership, has been reinforced by Hegseth's policies, creating a military leadership that does not reflect the diverse force it serves. This situation echoes the discriminatory practices during the Vietnam War, where disproportionate numbers of Black and Latino servicemen fought while commanded by a predominantly white officer corps, leading to the establishment of the Defense Race Relations Institute in 1971.
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