The Army has been tasked with implementing enhanced fitness standards for soldiers most likely to see combat, as mandated by Congress. However, it left to be seen whether separate fitness standards will soon apply to men and women. The new guidelines come after years of debate and changes to the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT), first introduced in 2017.
The House and Senate have passed an agreed-upon version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which is now awaiting President Joe Biden’s signature. Over the next 18 months, the Army will be required to increase ACFT standards for soldiers in certain combat arms military occupational specialties, such as infantry, Special Forces, and artillery. The service plans to use data to determine the specific standards for each group.
Historically, soldiers have been measured using mid-20th century fitness benchmarks, such as distance runs and calisthenics.
