BEYOND COMBAT PERFORMANCE
The plan reflects broader debates over masculinity that have become increasingly prominent in American politics.
A report published last year by non-profit organisation Equimundo found that 63 per cent of men wished they were more masculine, driven largely by economic anxiety and societal pressures.
The proposal comes amid growing interest within US defence circles in “operator syndrome”, a collection of health issues observed in some special operations veterans that has been linked to hormone deficiencies.
Clinical psychologist Chris Frueh, who has written on the condition, believes these health problems are under-reported due to stigma.
He said testosterone replacement therapy can benefit some patients, but only as part of a broader treatment plan.
“My hope, my optimistic belief, is that focusing on testosterone is part of a much larger picture and approach that will focus not just on testosterone, but hormones more broadly, sleep, diet, brain health, pain management etc,” said the professor of psychology at the University of Hawaii-Hilo.
For now, there is no indication whether the programme would form part of a wider health strategy. It is also unclear how the screening policy would apply to women in the military, who also produce testosterone, albeit at much lower levels.
