The United States Army is preparing to implement a revamped fitness assessment, introducing a series of significant changes aimed at setting new, gender-neutral standards for soldiers across all service branches. According to an internal memo accessed by Military.com, the rebranded “Army Fitness Test” (AFT) will replace the current “Army Combat Fitness Test” (ACFT) and will be rolled out starting June for active-duty troops, Army Reserve, and National Guard members.
Among the most notable modifications is the removal of the Standing Power Throw — a task that required soldiers to throw a 10-pound medicine ball backwards over their heads. This event, often criticized for focusing more on technique rather than raw strength or endurance, will no longer be part of the AFT. As a result of dropping this event, the maximum score achievable in the fitness test will be adjusted from 600 to 500 points.
US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth emphasized the importance of standardized benchmarks across genders. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he reiterated the commitment to maintaining identical fitness requirements for men and women in combat roles, aligning with ongoing efforts to foster equality across the armed forces.
The ACFT, which was officially introduced in 2022 after nearly a decade of development, was initially designed to assess soldiers based on their specific military occupational specialties (MOS). However, the role-specific model encountered practical hurdles and was eventually abandoned.
Critics have pointed out that the new AFT offers relatively low passing standards, with requirements such as completing a two-mile run in 22 minutes and performing 10 hand-release push-ups. However, achieving high scores will demand exceptional levels of fitness and precision in technique.
Soldiers who are unable to complete all events due to combat-related injuries will still be required to score at least 70 points in each event they can perform. The Army has yet to release the updated official scoring chart for the AFT.
The sweeping changes reflect a broader initiative within the Department of Defence to reassess and modernize fitness evaluations, ensuring readiness while promoting fairness and inclusivity across the ranks.
