Pentagon Shifts Combat Role Study to Johns Hopkins APL Amid FOIA Dispute
The Department of Defense transferred a yearslong review of women in combat units to a laboratory whose researcher has previously published critical findings, sparking a federal lawsuit.
By Giulia Gallagher ·
The U.S. Department of Defense has transferred its long-running study on the operational effectiveness of women in combat roles to the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. The move shifts the work from the Institute for Defense Analyses, a nonprofit based in Alexandria, Virginia. A Defense Department spokesperson confirmed the transfer but declined to explain the reasoning behind the change.
The shift has drawn scrutiny from civil rights advocates and military groups who argue the selection favors a specific researcher. Yevgeniya Pinelis, a scientist at the Applied Physics Laboratory, conducted a 2015 study on Marine Corps combat units that highlighted negative outcomes from gender integration. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has cited Pinelis’ work in his book, The War on Warriors, and has implemented strict fitness standards for combat units.
Gillian Thomas, senior counsel for the ACLU Women’s Rights Project, stated that the group has received no transparency regarding the study’s intent. Her organization, along with the Service Women’s Action Network and other groups, filed a federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The suit seeks to force the Pentagon to answer a Freedom of Information Act request submitted in August, which remains unfulfilled despite a legal deadline of 20 business days.
The lawsuit describes Pinelis’ earlier research as flawed, citing a small and biased participant pool that included Marines with unequal training and experience. The court documents argue that the transfer to the Applied Physics Laboratory, which lacks specific expertise in occupation-specific performance studies, raises further questions about the review’s methodology.
The initiative was first outlined in a December 2025 memo by Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Anthony Tata. The memo aimed to evaluate mixed-gender units following the 2013 policy change that allowed women into combat positions, a directive issued by former Secretary Leon Panetta. The military had until early 2016 to implement the policy.
The Applied Physics Laboratory is the largest recipient of defense contracts among the 15 research centers funded by the Pentagon. Located in Laurel, Maryland, the laboratory generated approximately $2.8 billion in revenue for the fiscal year ending in June 2025, accounting for roughly one-third of the university’s total income. The university’s financial reports indicate that the Department of Defense, now styled as the Department of War, provides about 70 percent of the laboratory’s revenue.
Since returning to office in January 2025, President Donald Trump’s administration has overseen several changes to the armed forces. Secretary Hegseth has faced criticism for promoting fewer women and minorities to senior ranks, cutting funding for identity-related events, and eliminating women-centered committees. He has also called for a re-evaluation of harassment standards within the military.
Representatives for the Applied Physics Laboratory and Pinelis did not respond to requests for comment. Thomas noted that moving the study to a researcher with a public track record opposing integration is concerning. The next scheduled step in the legal process involves the Pentagon’s response to the lawsuit, which seeks a formal explanation for the transfer.
Source: The Baltimore Banner
