The Army has approved a series of revisions to its physical fitness test, recalibrating performance benchmarks in a modest and symbolic move that reflects mounting internal and political pressure over how the military measures fitness.
What began as an initiative to introduce gender-neutral standards for combat arms roles has gradually evolved into a servicewide adjustment. The new Army Fitness Test, or AFT, which will take effect in June, introduces incremental changes -- some stricter, some more lenient -- but in most cases, little different from the standards already in place.
The revisions follow a congressional mandate aimed at raising baseline requirements for combat-specific occupations, and coincide with a broader push from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has made physical readiness a hallmark of his early tenure. Hegseth has repeatedly emphasized the need for a fitter force, often echoing the refrain: "Fit, not fat."
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"Army fitness standards have faced intense scrutiny," noted an internal memo reviewed by Military.com. "Concerns persist over the practicality of applying uniform standards across all ranks and roles. The Army intends to address these concerns through a robust communications campaign."
Speaking at a special operations conference in Florida on Tuesday, Hegseth affirmed the administration's position: "We will never compromise on standards. Our standards will be high."
Nonetheless, most of the modifications are modest and largely affect younger soldiers, who face the highest expectations under the Army's age-bracketed grading system. For example, the minimum number of hand-release push-ups required for women will increase slightly, from 10 to 11.
Adjustments to the deadlift event will raise both minimum and maximum scoring thresholds by 10 pounds. Other core events -- the plank and the sprint-drag-carry sequence -- remain unchanged. Alternate cardio events for injured soldiers such as the rower also weren’t changed. The latter requires soldiers to alternate between sprints, dragging a 90-pound sled and carrying 40-pound kettlebells.
The two-mile run, the most frequently failed component of the test, has undergone the most notable revision. For women in the 17-to-21 age group, the time required to achieve a perfect score has been relaxed from 15 minutes, 29 seconds to 16 minutes.
However, passing thresholds have grown marginally stricter. Men in that same age bracket now must complete the run in 19 minutes, 57 seconds, down from 22 minutes. Women must finish within 22 minutes, 55 seconds, a shift from the prior mark of 23 minutes, 22 seconds.
The most notable AFT change is the elimination of the standing power throw -- an event in which soldiers hurled a 10-pound medicine ball overhead.
The ball toss was largely seen as a poor measure of explosive power, and too technique-driven as the event favored taller soldiers and demanded some level of precision of how to throw the ball. It was also a departure from other events that are generally pedestrian workouts that offer an easy evaluation of general fitness.
The previous Army Combat Fitness Test, or ACFT, was broadly seen as a solid measurement of general fitness, but much of the force and some lawmakers saw the minimum standards to pass as wholly inadequate. Meanwhile, earning top scores required a nearly elite level of athleticism.
The change marks the first major initiative under Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, who also serves concurrently as acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The service has not articulated what its decision-making process is for tweaking its standards, particularly so minimally, and declined Military.com's interview request when asked about its methodology.
Combat arms soldiers -- those in infantry, armor, cavalry, Special Forces and most artillery roles -- will continue to operate under gender-neutral standards, requiring a minimum composite score of 350. That standard will also be gender-neutral. Officers, regardless of whether they are in a support or combat arms role, will also have to score at least 350 to be qualified for command positions.
The difference between hitting a 300 and 350 is relatively minor. Each of the five events are worth 100 points. But for women now being grading on the male scale, those changes are significant, requiring a deadlift of at least an extra 50 pounds for the minimum and an extra 120 pounds for the maximum score.
Soldiers in support roles will be held to a 300-point threshold. Personnel currently in combat arms positions will have the option to reclassify into support roles before the policy takes full effect in January.
While the AFT becomes the official test for all soldiers across each Army component in June, the standards for combat arms and officers stick with a minimum 300 until January for active duty and June 1, 2026, for the part-time soldiers in the National Guard and reserve.
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