The Pentagon will begin screening active-duty service members 30 and older for testosterone deficiency every year, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday, framing the move as a readiness measure while leaving any resulting treatment up to the individual.
The screening will be added to the periodic health assessment that troops already complete each year, Hegseth said in a video posted on social media. Service members younger than 30 will be able to request the test voluntarily. While the screening will be mandatory for eligible troops, any treatment that follows—including testosterone replacement therapy, or TRT—will not be.
"I'm authorizing a new screening program for testosterone deficiency for our service members, ensuring you have the right testosterone levels to operate at your absolute best," Hegseth said in the video.
"If treatment is recommended, it's entirely your choice to receive testosterone replacement therapy," he added.
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