WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon has rolled out formal guidance for mandatory testosterone testing for male service members 30 and older, a policy that leaves out women for now and faces questions from medical experts about the need and efficacy of such a program.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced in July that a new program to screen troops for “testosterone deficiency” was necessary to allow them to operate at their “absolute best.” The new clinical guidance, released late Thursday, outlines how the program would work.

The Pentagon's efforts to test for low testosterone coincide with growing interest in the hormone that has been driven by men’s health influencers and podcasters, many of whom recommend the drug as a way to boost energy, muscle and feel younger.

However, many experts say those far-reaching benefits aren’t supported by the science. Hegseth's messaging on the hormone has blended established scientific facts with broader, and less substantiated, claims.

The doctor said, "It's plain to see
You suffer a deficiency
The problem is, son, I can't fill
The prescription for your ill"

The system designed to assist sailors’ mental health aboard deployed U.S. Navy aircraft carriers is unable to meet the demand of prolonged combat deployments, according to current and former military personnel.

Sailors and U.S. Navy mental health professionals told Military Times that long wait times to see a provider, along with an insurmountable caseload for therapists and misguided treatment, stressed a system that was never built to handle the mental toll of extended military operations in contested environments.

Navy therapists are trained to provide consistent care, but that approach is often unattainable on a ship with so many sailors in need of assistance.

“The practice does not really match the [needs] of the ship that needs quick response, quick triage and longer sessions,” said one Navy mental health professional who was aboard an aircraft carrier during an extended deployment.

Several individuals who spoke to Military Times were granted anonymity for fear of reprisal from the U.S. military.

Service members can sometimes wait weeks for an appointment, a timeline that does not align with at-sea environments that require quick crisis management, according to the mental health professional.

The Navy also deploys a limited number of personnel who assist thousands of sailors onboard a ship, a ratio that worsens wait times, therapist burnout and effectiveness of care.

The heavy administrative burden on providers frequently buries them in paperwork, which they say adds to disillusionment about whether the job even makes a difference. Retention of mental health professionals is degraded in turn, according to sources.

A new presidential Executive Order (EO) coordinates efforts among the U.S. Departments of Labor, Veterans Affairs, and War to modernize records sharing, streamline access to earned benefits and strengthen the transition from military service to civilian employment.

The executive order, signed Sept. 8 by President Trump, calls for a range of improvements such as:

• Directing the Secretary of War and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to modernize the sharing of military personnel and medical records and improve veterans’ access to benefits.

• Within 180 days, providing an update to the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) and other workforce development programs so that every transitioning servicemember is connected to potential matching civilian jobs, or enrolled in career and technical education opportunities.

American Legion Government Affairs Executive Director Mario Marquez applauded the EO.

“This is a victory on several levels for veterans, most notably those who are transitioning or servicemembers who will be doing so in the future,” he said. “The executive order paves the way for improvements in key areas such as interoperable records, AI-enabled transition tools, direct connections to employment and training, and coordinated access to veterans’ benefits. The American Legion has advocated for these initiatives for years.”