Active-duty Army combat soldiers in 24 specialist roles, including special forces and artillery officers, will soon be required to pass a new physical fitness test consisting of seven consecutive events with no rest, or risk losing their jobs. The test must be completed within 30 minutes, as part of Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth's directive for combat specialty service members to return to the highest male standard.
Soldiers who fail the test will be enrolled in reconditioning training and given 90 days to pass. A second failure could lead to involuntary separation from the Army or reclassification to a non-combat position. The new combat field test is separate from the Army Fitness Test and does not replace it; active-duty soldiers must pass both annually, while National Guard and Reserve soldiers need to pass one of the two each year.
Since taking office, Hegseth has implemented stricter grooming and fitness standards, emphasising a male-dominated force. In September, he criticised overweight troops and senior officers, calling it unacceptable. Last year, he ordered a sex-neutral and age-normed fitness test, insisting women must meet the same standards as men, despite his past remarks that women cannot physically meet male standards and should not serve in combat roles.
Women combat veterans have pushed back, arguing they already meet the same standards. The new test takes effect immediately, but soldiers have one year to pass before facing adverse action. Those unable to meet the standard can voluntarily request reclassification to a non-combat role within that period. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll called the test a critical step for ensuring soldiers in physically demanding specialties have the specific fitness required for modern battlefields.
