Overview
- The Pentagon announced the program in a video on X Wednesday, adding annual testosterone tests to periodic health assessments for service members aged 30 and older with under-30 troops able to opt in.
- Hegseth said any resulting recommendation for testosterone replacement therapy would be voluntary and that testing is meant to identify low levels that could affect strength, mood and long‑term health.
- Democratic lawmakers immediately criticized the plan for appearing to exclude transgender and female service members and cited what they called a contradiction with Hegseth’s past bans on gender‑affirming care.
- Endocrinologists warn the diagnosis is complex because testosterone varies by time of day and condition, standard practice calls for symptom‑driven testing with repeat morning blood draws, and TRT carries risks such as blood clots and reduced fertility.
- Key operational details remain unspecified — including start date, diagnostic thresholds, whether women will receive comparable hormone screening, and how results and medical data will be handled — while the move dovetails with a broader push in the administration to expand access to TRT.