Secretary Hegseth unveils six major initiatives in Quantico address

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth outlined six major initiatives to steer the department in the years ahead, framing the package as a continuation of a two-year push to prioritize lethality, warfighters, and rapid modernization. He presented the plan directly to active-duty E-6s and O-3s at Marine Corps Base Quantico, addressing the tactical ranks expected to carry out the changes.

The centerpiece is the creation of an Autonomous Warfare Command intended to scale unmanned and AI-enabled capabilities across the Joint Force as a four-star functional combatant command by Oct. 1, 2027. Building on a Drone Dominance effort that has fielded thousands of robotic systems to the Middle East in support of Operation Epic Fury, DRPM UxS has been tasked to lead Project Agincourt. Owen West, currently director of the Defense Innovation Unit, and Navy SEAL Senior Chief Max Strasiser, the first enlisted SEAL to graduate from Navy Test Pilot School, were tapped to run DRPM UxS in a CEO-COO arrangement.

A new commissioning pipeline, America’s Corps of Cadets, expands beyond the six Senior Military Colleges by adding full-time Corps programs at Louisiana State University, Liberty University, Tuskegee University, Mississippi State University, and Hillsdale College. Each will carry the revived “Distinguished Military College” designation, with stringent standards for discipline, tactical training, and military organization, and will receive “Honor School” status with priority in officer commissioning. The initiative seeks to increase the number of officers grounded in constitutional principles, Western civilization, American heritage, and a warrior ethos through continuous military discipline and leadership development on campus.

The FORTRESS America program (Federal Operations for Resilience, Troop Resources, Energy, Supply, and Survivability) is billed as a national insurance policy for the homeland. It aims to ensure every major U.S. installation can generate its own power so operations can continue if the civilian grid is disrupted by cyberattack or sabotage; reshore key supply chains for rare earths, specialty metals, semiconductors, and propellants; build deep reserves of munitions, fuel, medicine, and blood; harden bases against cyber intrusions, sabotage, and drones; and secure satellites, spectrum, and the ability to see, navigate, and communicate.

The Next Great American Base project launches a competition among states to host a new off-grid, state-of-the-art installation designed as a power-projection platform over hundreds of thousands of acres. The site is planned to include autonomous systems and advanced air defenses and to feature classical design consistent with presidential executive orders on civic architecture. Governors and adjutants general will submit proposals, with the selection hinging on the ability to cut red tape and provide the strongest package of land and support.

To elevate spiritual readiness as a factor in combat effectiveness, the department is establishing an Office of Religious Affairs reporting directly to the Secretary. The office will drive policy, identify unmet requirements, and advocate resources while safeguarding free exercise. Service chaplaincies remain the primary providers of religious support. The office will not compel participation, privilege any faith, or diminish the rights of personnel of any or no faith; its role is to ensure voluntary, meaningful access to support and community that bolster resilience through hardship and loss.

Project Meridian is being commissioned to define the capabilities needed for dominance on the next-generation battlefield, spanning everything from subterranean environments to the cislunar domain. The department’s Chief Technology Officer, Emil Michael, is facilitating the effort, which will be co-directed by Elon Musk, Palmer Luckey, and Newt Gingrich, supported by experts from academia, policy, and industry. The project has a 120-day deadline to deliver a public, unclassified report with recommendations and a classified annex, with the objective of accelerating advanced systems that strengthen deterrence and give U.S. forces a decisive technological edge if conflict occurs.