SecDef Hegseth Memo Puts “Thumb on Scale” for Accused: Erodes Trust and Threatens Military Readiness

Washington, DC – Protect Our Defenders (POD), the nation’s leading organization dedicated to ending sexual violence and harassment in the military, warns that the Department of Defense’s new so called “Restoring Good Order and Discipline” memo will erode trust, silence survivors, and worsen the military’s growing recruitment and readiness crisis. This directive comes amid a severe recruitment and retention shortfall – with the Army, Navy, Air Force, and National Guard all falling short of their recruiting goals in 2023. Rather than strengthening the force, this new policy will drive service members out of the ranks, degrade unit cohesion, and undermine the military’s ability to fight and win wars.

Issued April 23 by the Secretary of Defense, the memo rolls back professional standards and   protections by ordering military departments to dismiss complaints lacking “actionable, credible evidence,” reward the accused in unsubstantiated cases, and threaten administrative action against those who report misconduct — despite clear evidence that false reports are exceedingly rare.

This dangerous directive comes just 16 months after the military implemented historic reforms creating an independent prosecution system, reforms Protect Our Defenders fought for more than a decade to achieve. This memo comes as sexual assault rates continue to surge across the services. Recent cases, including Army doctor Maj. Michael Stockin — accused of assaulting over 100 male service members — and Army Major Jonathan Batt — facing allegations from at least 20 victims in the DC area — underscore the urgent need to strengthen, not weaken, survivor protections.

Protect Our Defenders Founder and CEO, Nancy Parrish, released the following statement: 

“The real threat to mission readiness, recruitment, and retention is leadership undermining trust and protections for our troops — not survivors coming forward to report a crime. That’s where the focus needs to be.

“This memo talks about maintaining a ‘lethal and ready force,’ but the Secretary’s actions will do the opposite. Undermining the reporting system will silence survivors, drive talented prospective recruits and service members away, and further weaken the military at a time when our national security demands an effective and cohesive force. We cannot afford it.

“False reports of sexual assault in the military are exceedingly rare — far rarer than the harm caused by doubting crime victims. Weaponizing accusations of widespread false reporting in a memo like this is a dangerous distraction from the real crisis: skyrocketing sexual assaults and dwindling recruitment numbers.

“And in the midst of this crisis what does the Secretary do? He directs the military to eliminate rape kits for DoD overseas civilian workers!”

“This isn’t just a women’s issue. The Stockin case — where over 100 male service members were assaulted — shows just how widespread and urgent this crisis is.”

Protect Our Defenders Senior Vice President, Josh Connolly, former Chief of Staff for Rep. Jackie Speier (former Chairwoman of the Military Personnel Subcommittee on the House Armed Services Committee), released the following statement:

“This latest reckless Pentagon action will do lasting damage to trust in military leadership — weakening survivor protections, burying misconduct, and driving even more talented service members out at a time when recruiting and retention are already in crisis.”

“This new policy sends a stark and chilling message: report misconduct at your own risk. By creating new barriers to justice and threatening retaliation against those who speak up, the Department of Defense is attempting to undo congressionally mandated legal protections — and tip the scales against survivors — with a memo.

“Protecting survivors isn’t a distraction from military readiness — it is central to building the force we need. Our service members deserve a justice system that strengthens morale and cohesion, not one that undermines it and intimidates victims of these heinous crimes into silence.”