US army rolls out ‘sex-neutral' fitness test—what it means for women in combat

Time of India

23-04-2025

Women serving in U.S. Army combat positions will soon be required to pass the same physical fitness test as their male counterparts, following a policy change announced by the Army on Monday.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
The decision follows an order issued earlier this month by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who directed the military to eliminate gender-based scoring differences in physical standards for combat roles.
The Army's new 'sex-neutral' fitness evaluation, called the Army Fitness Test, will replace the
Army Combat Fitness Test
(ACFT) and apply to 21 close combat military occupational specialties. The branch said the updated test is 'designed to enhance Soldier fitness, improve warfighting readiness, and increase the lethality of the force.'
Implementation begins on June 1, with full enforcement for active-duty soldiers in combat roles set for January 2026. National Guard and Reserve soldiers will follow six months later, in June.
The test includes five events: dead lifts, push-ups, planks, a two-mile run, and a sprint-drag-carry exercise involving sleds and kettlebells. One component of the ACFT—the standing power throw, where soldiers hurled a 10-pound medicine ball backward over their heads—has been dropped.
The event, often mocked by soldiers as the 'ball yeet,' was unpopular and is not included in the revised test.
What do the changes mean for women?
The primary change lies in how the test is scored. Female soldiers in close combat occupations will now be evaluated using the same performance scale as men. This move marks a significant shift from the previous policy, which allowed women and older soldiers to pass with lower minimums. For example, under the new standards, women aged 17 to 21 must deadlift at least 140 pounds, up from the prior requirement of 120 pounds.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
They will also have to complete the two-mile run in 22 minutes, compared to the earlier 23 minutes and 22 seconds.
Soldiers innoncombat or support roles will still be tested based on age and sex-specific standards. However, according to Sgt. Maj Christopher Mullinax, as reported by the New York Times, those in combat roles who fail the test twice consecutively may face removal from the Army or be required to switch military occupational specialties.
The policy update comes three weeks after Hegseth's directive and effectively reverses the 2022 modifications that had eased standards for women and older personnel.
Hegseth, a former National Guard infantryman and Fox News personality, has been openly skeptical of women in certain combat positions. In a recent book, he wrote: 'Women cannot physically meet the same standards as men,' adding, 'Dads push us to take risks.
Moms put the training wheels on our bikes. We need moms. But not in the military, especially in combat units.' He later amended his stance, stating in December: 'If we have the right standard and women meet that standard, Roger, let's go.'