DOD Watch Supports Reforming Scouting America

WASHINGTON – DOD Watch issued the following statement after Secretary of War Pete Hegseth discussed significant reforms coming to Scouting America: 

“DOD Watch commends Secretary of War Pete Hegseth for taking decisive action to address the ideological drift within Scouting America, formerly known as the Boy Scouts of America. Sec. Hegseth underscored how an institution once grounded in duty to God and country, character formation, and leadership development moved away from its founding principles. The resulting embrace of DEI mandates and gender ideology weakened both public trust and the organization’s historic relationship with the Department of War. 

“We support the Secretary’s requirement that Scouting America comply with Executive Order 14173, eliminate politicized programming, discontinue activist merit badges, and restore biological standards for membership and private spaces. His insistence on measurable reform within six months sends a clear message: institutions connected to military communities must reflect merit, unity, and mission focus, not divisive social experimentation. 

“DOD Watch will continue monitoring progress closely and will monitor the Department’s willingness to reassess its support if reforms are not fully implemented. Organizations shaping future leaders, whether Scouting America or alternatives such as Trail Life USA and Awana Clubs, should embody the traditional values of strength, excellence, and moral clarity that underpin national defense. Restoring those principles is essential to maintaining the integrity and effectiveness of America’s armed forces.”

About DOD Watch: DOD Watch is dedicated to examining and informing the public about wokeness in the Department of War. By increasing public awareness of radical policies and practices infiltrating the Pentagon, DOD Watch aims to return the U.S. military to its mission of national defense through the traditional values of strength, excellence, and unity. ###