The Army's Fitness Standards May Shift in 2025. But How Much Tougher Will They Be?

U.S. Army paratroopers assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division Artillery complete the hand-release push-up event of an Army Combat Fitness Test during the Best of the Best Competition on Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

The Army is poised to recalibrate its fitness standards, redefining the physical expectations for combat-arms roles in 2025. Yet, where those minimum requirements will ultimately land remains an open question — one that could present an early test for President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming Army leadership. The proposed changes stem from a congressionally mandated study conducted […]

Army Says Soldiers Are Getting New Fitness Uniforms, But Details Are Scant

Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael R. Weimer addresses an audience

It’s a mistress the Army can’t keep itself from continually returning to: uniform changes. Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Weimer, the service’s top enlisted leader, on Tuesday announced new physical training uniforms will be issued to troops in roughly a year. But the announcement at the Association of the United States Army, or AUSA, […]

Army Quickly Expanding Holistic Health and Fitness Teams Following Promising Early Results

Sprint-Drag-Carry exercise of the Army Combat Fitness Test at Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, Romania

The Army is fast-tracking the expansion of its Holistic Health and Fitness, or H2F, program as early results show soldiers in brigades recover faster, shoot better and have higher performance on critical fitness tests with the assistance. The service began fielding roughly 20-person H2F teams to brigades in 2021, providing 28 brigades with coaches and […]

Congress Tells Army to Set Higher Fitness Standards for Combat Arms Soldiers

Army Combat Fitness Test at Blue Mountain Track at Fort Indiantown Gap

Congress is set to direct the Army to boost fitness standards for most combat-arms jobs through a compromise defense policy bill unveiled Wednesday. The must-pass National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, which sets funding and policy priorities for the Pentagon, directs the service to increase the baseline standards in the Army Combat Fitness Test, or […]

Debate on Army Fitness Test Takes New Turn with Chief Nominee Testimony

Army Lt. Gen. Randy George testifies

The nominee for Army chief of staff told lawmakers Wednesday that he wants tougher and gender-neutral physical fitness standards, as the service and Congress remain locked in a years-long tug of war over how to measure athletic ability. Gen. Randy George, an infantry officer, testified on fitness standards as part of his confirmation hearing before […]

Senate Plan Would Force the Army to Revert to Old Fitness Test But Would Allow New Events

Deadlift event during a diagnostic Army Combat Fitness Test

A controversial proposal that would force the Army to return to its old, and what service leadership argue is inferior, fitness test would allow for some changes, including swapping out events, according to legislative language released Tuesday. The Senate Armed Services Committee unveiled the specifics of its proposed National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, which […]