The United States Army has revealed an updated fitness test that sets the same physical standards for men and women in combat positions, dropping one of its most debated exercises in the process.

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The new Army Fitness Test (AFT), announced on Monday, will take the place of the existing Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT).

According to the Army, the AFT is meant to create a force that is "physically ready" for tough and unpredictable conditions. The new test will be rolled out in stages starting from 1 June 2025, with the gender-neutral scoring system coming into effect on 1 January 2026 for active-duty soldiers and 1 June 2026 for Reserve and National Guard members.

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Push for equal standards

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has stressed the importance of applying the same requirements to everyone in combat positions, regardless of gender.

“Different standards for men and women in combat arms MOSes and jobs, that’s not acceptable,” he said in March. “We need to have the same standard, male or female, in our combat roles,” he added.

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The updated requirements will apply to 21 combat-focused Military Occupational Specialties (MOSes), including infantry, Special Forces, and artillery. These roles will now be assessed using the male scoring chart.

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"For those 21 MOSes, they will all be graded on the male scale, so it will be sex neutral," said Command Sergeant Major JoAnn Naumann.

“The passing score for most people will be a 300 with a minimum of 60 in every event. For those in those 21 specialties, the passing score will be 350 with a minimum of 60 in every event,” he added.

What’s in the New AFT?

The AFT will include five events:

Three-rep max deadlift

Hand-release push-ups with Army extension

Sprint-drag-carry

Plank

Two-mile run

Combat-role soldiers will need to score at least 60 points per event and reach a total of 350 to pass. Noncombat roles will continue to use a performance-normed scoring system based on sex and age, requiring 300 points in total.

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For women entering combat positions, the change marks a substantial increase in expectations. For example, under the previous test, a 17 to 21-year-old woman could pass by lifting 120 pounds. Now, she must lift 140 pounds. The sprint-drag-carry time also tightens from 3 minutes and 15 seconds to 2 minutes and 28 seconds.

Naumann made it clear, “The one thing that’s definite is no standard will be lowered.”

Some have raised concerns that the new standards might affect women more. During the ACFT trials in 2019, 84% of women failed the test, compared to a 70% pass rate among men, a RAND Corporation study found. The Service Women’s Action Network criticised the earlier rollout, calling it “rash” and warning that too many capable soldiers were failing.

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