The US Army has announced a significant change in its fitness testing policy, requiring all enlisted personnel in combat positions to meet identical physical standards, regardless of gender. This program, mandated by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, is intended to increase the fitness of America’s soldiers and thus their warfighting readiness. With service-wide adoption of these new standards starting June 1, 2024, it is time for the Army to start implementing them.
Recent data from a 2017 study found that women and older service members were failing the old fitness tests at significantly higher rates compared to men and younger members. To counter this, officials have removed the arbitrary goals and made the fitness standards uniform. The old policy established separate physical bathroom standards based on gender. This new approach would put a stop to those discrepancies once and for all.
The new fitness test will feature a deadlift, push-ups, plank, two-mile run and a sprint-drag-carry event. Notably, the old standby “standing power throw,” affectionately called the “ball yeet” in our office, has been eliminated from the test. As of the new standards, combat arms soldiers have to score a minimum of 60 points in every event. In order to pass, they require an overall passing score of 350 or greater.
While we applaud the implementation of these uniform standards, this initiative does prompt discussion on the importance of the physical capabilities of our soldiers. Hegseth has expressed skepticism regarding women’s ability to meet these demanding benchmarks, stating, “women cannot physically meet the same standards as men… but not in the military, especially in combat units.”
That said, the Army has until May 2024 to issue full implementation guidelines. This timeline gives active-duty troops until January 2026 to comply with the new standards. National Guard and Reserve members will have until June 2026 to comply with the same requirements. Soldiers who cannot pass the updated standards on two consecutive attempts face potential separation from the Army. Or, they’ll need to move into other roles outside of combat.
The Army emphasized that the five-event Army Fitness Test (AFT) is designed to “enhance Soldier fitness, improve warfighting readiness, and increase the lethality of the force.” While uniformity is an admirable goal, it should not come at the expense of ensuring gender equity among the ranks.