In a decision reverberating across the U.S. military and political landscape, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the disbandment of the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS), a move that has ignited fierce debate over the future of gender policies in the armed forces. The panel, established in 1951 in the wake of the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act, has been a cornerstone in shaping policies affecting women in uniform for more than seven decades. Its dissolution, confirmed on September 23, 2025, marks a dramatic shift in the Pentagon’s approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
DACOWITS was founded with a clear mission: to advise the Department of Defense (DoD) on recruitment, retention, employment, integration, well-being, and treatment of women in the military. Over its 74-year history, the committee submitted more than 1,100 recommendations, with approximately 94% of them being fully or partially adopted, according to Pentagon records cited by several outlets including Fox News and Politico. These recommendations have ranged from improving body armor fit for female soldiers to advocating for parental leave and childcare support—issues that, until addressed, often went overlooked in the male-dominated military establishment.
However, Secretary Hegseth has argued that the committee’s recent direction undermined military effectiveness. In a statement relayed by Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson, Hegseth accused DACOWITS of “advancing a divisive feminist agenda that hurts combat readiness.” Wilson elaborated, “Secretary Hegseth has focused on advancing uniform, sex-neutral standards across the Department.” This rationale, repeated across multiple statements and social media posts, has become the administration’s central justification for the committee’s termination.
The decision was not made in isolation. Earlier in March 2025, Hegseth initiated a sweeping review of all Pentagon advisory committees, pausing their operations and removing all current members. The review, completed in May, recommended the termination of 14 advisory panels, with DACOWITS being the most prominent among them. According to Nexstar Media, the move was met with immediate outcry from Democratic lawmakers. In a letter dated May 13, Senators Tammy Duckworth, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Mazie Hirono, along with Representatives Chrissy Houlahan, Mikie Sherill, and Maggie Goodlander, urged Hegseth to reconsider, warning, “We are concerned the disassembly of DACOWITS will exacerbate the gap in the collection of data regarding key policies to improve conditions for service women and reduce barriers to the recruitment and retention of women.”
Historically, DACOWITS has not been without its critics. Some conservative commentators and former officials have long accused the panel of promoting gender quotas and weakening the core mission of the military. As Nancy M. Pfotenhauer, then-president of the Independent Women’s Forum, wrote in 2002, “Its agenda—which promotes gender quotas, women in combat roles, and gender-integrated basic training—weakens the basic purpose of the military: to fight and win wars.” More recently, right-leaning outlets and think tanks have echoed these sentiments, claiming the committee’s focus on gender equality and integration, sexual harassment prevention, and women’s health has become “detrimental to combat readiness,” as reported by the Daily Caller.
Yet, the committee’s defenders argue that its work has been instrumental in breaking down barriers for women in the armed forces. According to CBS News and Military Times, DACOWITS has been at the forefront of advocating for policy reforms such as allowing women in combat arms, standardizing maternity leave, and updating uniforms to better suit female personnel. Its 2023 report even called for the Marine Corps to fully integrate recruit training at the platoon level and to use mixed-gender drill instructor teams. Other recommendations included the timely distribution of female-specific aviation safety gear and a review of promotion data by gender and race over the past decade.
The committee’s termination comes at a time when women comprise 17.7% of U.S. military service members, according to the 2023 Department of War demographics report. Despite this growing presence, many advocates worry that the loss of DACOWITS will make it harder to identify and address the unique challenges faced by servicewomen. As one lawmaker’s letter put it, “Throughout its seventy-year history, approximately ninety-four percent (94%) of DACOWITS’ recommendations have either been fully or partially adopted by DOD.” The concern is that, without a dedicated advisory body, gaps in data and policy may widen, potentially undermining both recruitment and retention efforts.
Secretary Hegseth’s decision is part of a broader campaign against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives within the military. Since taking office, he has canceled several programs aimed at elevating women’s roles in national security, including one signed into law in 2017 by then-President Donald Trump. Hegseth has also ended Pentagon recognition of identity month commemorations, such as Black History Month, and overseen the removal of culturally significant works—including Maya Angelou’s memoir—from Naval Academy curricula. His stance is clear: the focus should be on uniform standards that apply to all, regardless of gender or background.
These actions have not gone unnoticed by the media and civil society. According to reports from Politico and Alternet, recent Pentagon rules now restrict media coverage of military activities, requiring news organizations to obtain prior government approval before publishing information. Journalists and free speech advocates have raised alarms, warning that such restrictions threaten transparency and undermine the public’s right to know.
The debate over DACOWITS’ termination reflects a broader national conversation about the role of gender, diversity, and inclusion in institutions traditionally resistant to change. Supporters of Hegseth’s approach argue that only by eliminating what they see as “divisive” agendas can the military maintain its focus on readiness and effectiveness. Critics, meanwhile, contend that sidelining women’s issues and DEI initiatives risks undoing decades of progress and could ultimately harm the very readiness the Pentagon seeks to protect.
There’s no denying the historical impact of DACOWITS. From its beginnings during the Korean War era to its recent work on sexual assault prevention and gender integration, the committee has helped shape the modern U.S. military. Its sudden dissolution, just days after plans were announced to reactivate it following a hiatus, has left many wondering what the future holds for women in uniform—and for the policies that support them.
As the dust settles, the Pentagon stands at a crossroads. The decision to disband DACOWITS may signal a new era of uniform standards, but it also raises pressing questions about whose voices will guide the military’s evolution in the years ahead.
