Pentagon Eliminates Women’s Military Advisory Committee After 70 Years

A decades-old Pentagon advisory group dedicated to supporting women in the military has been terminated. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the elimination of the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services, known as DACOWITS, saying the group promotes what he called a “divisive feminist agenda that hurts combat readiness.”

Founded in 1951, the committee was established as women began to take on larger roles within the U.S. military. For more than 70 years, DACOWITS provided the Department of Defense with recommendations on a wide range of issues affecting women service members, including the design of body armor, domestic abuse prevention and support, and access to health care.

The decision to dissolve the committee marks a significant shift in the Pentagon’s approach to addressing women’s issues in the armed forces. Supporters of the group say its work helped ensure that policies and equipment reflected the needs of all service members, particularly as the number of women in uniform steadily increased.

Critics of the move argue that eliminating DACOWITS could leave gaps in addressing gender-specific challenges faced by military personnel. The Pentagon has not announced any replacement body or program to take on the committee’s role moving forward.

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