Secretary of War Pete Hegseth is ordering a one-day stand-down across the entire military, to be executed no later than October 15th, so that every service member has the opportunity to vote.
According to the announcement, Hegseth directed commanders and supervisors at every level to carry out the stand-down. "Every warrior will be given the opportunity to vote," he said. "This year, we'll execute the stand-down no later than October 15th."
Hegseth pointed to an estimated 300,000 troops who were not registered to vote in 2024, saying the military must make sure its service members have every opportunity to participate in the elections they defend with their lives.
He was clear on one point: the military isn't telling anyone who to vote for. It's making sure they have the opportunity to cast a ballot.