Spc. Ian Zimmerman, an infantryman in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, deadlifting in an Army Combat Fitness Test during the 2024 National Guard Bureau Region II Best Warrior Competition on May 8, 2024, in Annapolis, Maryland. The 2024 Region II Best Warrior Competition, which is hosted by Maryland Army National Guard, features soldiers and non-commissioned officers from Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. The intense four-day competition tests competitors on a wide range of tactical and technical skills relevant in today’s combat environment.
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FORT MEADE, Md. — The U.S. Army officially adopts the Army Fitness Test as the new test of record for Soldiers starting June 1, 2025. The change will replace the Army Combat Fitness Test and introduce updated scoring standards that emphasize readiness and combat effectiveness.
Soldiers will have until Jan. 1, 2026, to meet the new AFT requirements without facing adverse actions. Active-duty Soldiers in 21 designated combat specialties must additionally meet the more rigorous combat standard of a minimum score of 350 points total, with a minimum of 60 points in each event. National Guard and Reserve Soldiers in those same specialties will have until June 1, 2026, to meet these requirements. The passing score for all other specialties is 300 points, with a minimum of 60 points in each event. Active Guard Reserve Soldiers and those mobilized on orders exceeding 60 days must meet the Jan. 1, 2026, suspense.
“The AFT is designed to improve Soldier readiness and ensure physical standards [and] prepare Soldiers for the demands of modern warfare,” said Sgt. Maj. Christopher Mullinax, senior enlisted leader, deputy chief of staff for Operations, Army Headquarters. “It emphasizes holistic fitness over event-specific training and is grounded in performance.”
The decision to replace the ACFT with the AFT follows 18 months of analysis and feedback from thousands of test iterations. The Army describes the change as a data-driven reform focused on consistency and combat-effective fitness.
The AFT is a five-event assessment, including the three-repetition maximum deadlift, hand-release push-up, sprint-drag-carry, plank and two-mile run. While similar in structure to the previous test, the standing power throw event is no longer a requirement.
“We eliminated the standing power throw because it wasn’t effectively promoting fitness and readiness as well as we would like,” Mullinax said. “Furthermore, it presented an elevated risk of overuse injury and encouraged Soldiers to focus on technique rather than demonstrating true power.”
The new test raises expectations, particularly for Soldiers in combat roles. The updated scoring tables are standardized, and combat standards are sex-neutral for the 21 direct combat roles, a change designed to ensure fairness and operational readiness.
“We’re a ‘Be All You Can Be’ Army, and that means if you’ve got the heart, the grit, and the drive to meet our toughest standards, you belong in the fight,” Mullinax said. “It doesn’t matter who you are, what matters is that you want it and you’re willing to earn it. The battlefield doesn’t care about anything but performance, and that’s what we’re built to deliver.”
Additionally, the AFT supports the Army’s broader Holistic Health and Fitness initiative, or H2F, which aims to build a culture of lifelong fitness and well-being for Soldiers.
Mullinax emphasized the new approach isn’t just about changing exercises, but about transforming the Army’s mindset around fitness.
“I’m fully confident the AFT meets the Army’s fitness needs; it’s built on data, focused on combat readiness, and raises the bar where it matters,” Mullinax said. “However, our goal is not to lock in a single solution, but to foster a culture of lifelong fitness, learning and adaptation to prepare our Soldiers for the demands of today’s missions and the future fight.”
For more information visit the AFT website.
