Pete Hegseth directs military academies that all future admissions will be based solely on merit
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday sent a memo to West Point, the U.S. Naval Academy and the U.S. Air Force Academy, saying that all future admissions will be based solely on merit.
"The Department owes it to our nation, our Service Members, and our young Americans applying to the MSAs to ensure admissions to these prestigious institutions are based exclusively on merit," Hegseth wrote in a memo to the academies.
He added that this would ensure that only the "most qualified candidates" would be admitted.
Pete Hegseth Says West Point Professor Who Resigned Over Trump Admin Education Overhaul 'Will Not Be Missed'
"Selecting anyone but the best erodes lethality, our warfighting readiness, and undercuts the culture of excellence in our Armed Forces," he wrote.
He said the secretaries of the military departments would have 30 days to certify that there will be no consideration of race, ethnicity or sex in applications and that they will be based on merit only.
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He said merit can be weighted by athletic talent, prior military service, performance at an MSA preparatory school, or other similar experience.
"The Department must remain steadfast in its pursuit of excellence and never compromise the high standards at our MSAs," he concluded. "A strong officer corps is essential to ensuring the United States military remains the most lethal the world has ever known."Original article source: Pete Hegseth directs military academies that all future admissions will be based solely on merit
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It said that he was 'involved with security situations in Eastern Europe, Africa, North America and the Middle East, including the West Bank, Southern Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.' Video from outside Hortman's home on Saturday showed law enforcement towing a black Ford Explorer equipped with police lights. Archived photos from a home previously owned by Boelter show a similar vehicle in the driveway. In speeches reviewed by CNN, Boelter described his deep faith and said he was born again into the church as a teenager. 'I met Jesus when I was 17 years old and I gave my life to him,' Boelter told the church in the DRC in February 2023. 'And I just wanted to tell everybody about Jesus.' Records also show that Boelter once launched a Christian nonprofit called Revoformation Ministries. 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Boelter's LinkedIn page claims he had a doctorate in educational leadership and a masters of science in management, both from Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, and he used the prefix Dr. on his website and social media. Social media posts also indicate he has multiple children. A search of Minnesota criminal records showed no cases against Boelter aside from some traffic charges. Boelter had a property outside the small town of Green Isle, about 50 miles west of Minneapolis, according to records. A sheriff's deputy was blocking a gravel road leading to the home on Saturday afternoon. In the town's restaurants and bars, no one who spoke to CNN knew Boelter or his family. CNN's Majlie de Puy Kamp and Bob Ortega contributed to this report.
