National Defense

Army Rolls Out Equal Fitness Standards For Men And Women In Combat Roles

(U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Marisa Lindsay/Released)

The U.S. Army formalized equal fitness standards between men and women in combat roles in new guidelines released Monday.

The new Army Fitness Test (AFT), formally the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT), will not have separate standards for men and women in combat Military Occupational Specialties (MOS), according to the Army. The new standards will begin the first stage of implementation on June 1 with a projected completion by January 2026.

However, the general test that includes non-combat roles will retain gender-specific guidelines, according to the Army.

“The change reflects the Army’s continued focus on building a physically ready force capable of meeting operational demands in austere environments,” the Army said in their announcement. “The Army is also adapting its policy framework to support implementation, including support to Soldiers with medical profiles and governance to monitor the impact of the new standard on readiness, retention, and end strength.”

The Army also removed the standing power throw from the list of exercises, which involved throwing a 10 pound medicine ball over the back of one’s head. All personnel in combat MOS’ will have to score at least 350 points in total over the now-five events, scoring no less than 60 points each event.

The change comes after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered equal standards for men and women in combat roles across the armed forces in a directive issued Mar. 31.

“For far too long, we have allowed standards to slip,” Hegseth said on X regarding the March directive. “We’ve had different standards for men/women serving in combat arms [Military Occupational Specialty] MOS’s and jobs…. That’s not acceptable, and it changes right now!”

“The five-event Army Fitness Test is designed to increase warfighting readiness, reduce injury risk, and enhance the physical performance of the force,” Army spokesperson Matt Ahearn told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “The AFT introduces a higher, sex-neutral and age-normed standard for 21 combat specialties, aligning fitness requirements with operational demands.”

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect additional comment from the Army.