A viral image purporting to be a memo from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth forbidding servicemembers from wearing their uniforms in social media posts has been debunked by the Pentagon.
The false memo bears the Department of Defense鈥檚 insignia but claims to come from the 鈥淥ffice of Military Standards and Ethics,鈥 which does not exist, as Pentagon spokesperson for personnel and readiness Jade Fulce pointed out to Stars and Stripes.
The false order lectures military personnel about the 鈥渦nauthorized use鈥 of their uniforms in online posts.
It warns that 鈥渁ll service members are prohibited from posting content in uniform for personal branding, monetization, entertainment or social media growth without explicit written approval from their unit鈥檚 Public Affairs Office.
鈥淯sing it to build a following, chase internet clout, or promote personal narratives is a direct insult to the profession of arms and the Americans who trust us to defend them.鈥
The official guidance on the matter is straightforward: anyone wearing a military uniform to identify themselves as a service member, directly or indirectly, must remember that they are considered a representative of the U.S. Armed Forces and should conduct themselves accordingly.
The Vanguard Wall Podcast reportedly responded to the fake memo by using artificial intelligence to create a video satirizing the confusion it spawned, in which a fictional service member complains: 鈥淗ow am I supposed to monetize myself now? I just bought an Audi 鈥 the uniform is the brand!鈥
The timing of the memo is also a giveaway, given that Hegseth is currently preoccupied by the tensions between Israel and Iran, having overseen the U.S. bombing raid on Tehran鈥檚 nuclear sites on Saturday, so is unlikely to have time to turn his attention towards such a minor detail of protocol.
Influencer and Marine veteran Kayla Haas wrote on X that although she identified the memo as fake, she wished it were real.
鈥淭he Office of Military Standards and Ethics doesn鈥檛 exist. The formatting is off. No directive number, no signature, no trace on official channels. That said? I agree with the spirit of it. And I wish a version was real,鈥 Haas posted.
These topics (with the exception of monetization, in my opinion) are gray at best and hard to enforce. How do you define 鈥減ersonal branding鈥? Is it a promotion ceremony photo? A fitness page? A deployment video?鈥
鈥淪ome service members use social media well to educate, inspire, and uphold the best of the military. Others chase clout, rake in money, and damage trust in the institution. We need clearer lines. Not censorship, but well-defined standards.鈥