NEWNow you can listen to Fox News articles!
The Army announced in a statement released earlier this week that we are introducing a new combat fitness test for front-line soldiers as leaders push to strengthen battlefield readiness amid continued recruiting challenges.
The Combat Field Test (CFT), which is age and gender neutral, applies to special forces soldiers, is designed to reflect the physical demands of modern warfare and signals a shift to more rigorous, role-specific standards as the Army looks to improve readiness at all levels.
The move comes after the Army has missed recruitment targets in recent years, including the death of nearly 15,000 soldiers by 2022. according to data from the US Army Recruiting Command, as leaders work to rebuild enrollment numbers and overall strength.
While the service has strengthened to meet its 2025 goals, leaders continue to work on long-term readiness.
The update follows extensive changes to Army fitness standards in recent years.
In 2025, the service announced a new Army Fitness Test to replace the previous Army Combat Fitness test, after months of data analysis and feedback, with officials saying the changes were designed to improve readiness and emphasize combat effectiveness.
TRUMP SENDS A STRONG MESSAGE TO OUR ENEMIES – AND ALLIES WITH THEM – THROUGH THE PENTAGON’S REBRAND
A group of men do push-ups during a military camp training session. (Stock)
The update comes amid Secretary of the Army, Pete Hegseth, trying to restore the military to what he calls the “warrior ethos.”
“The Combat Field Test is an important step forward in ensuring that our soldiers operating in the most physically demanding environments are qualified to command the modern battlefield,” Army Secretary Dan Driscoll said in a statement Wednesday. “This is about the readiness, the lethality and the well-being of our soldiers.”
An Army spokesman did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Soldiers will have 30 minutes to complete seven events with the clock running continuously while wearing their Army Uniform and boots.
ARMY INTRODUCES NEW STRENGTH TEST WITH INJURED SIDES — CAN YOU TAKE IT?
The update follows extensive changes to Army fitness standards in recent years. (Stock)
They must first run one mile, followed by 30 dead push-ups, a 100-meter sprint, 16 lifts of a 40-pound sandbag to a 65-inch platform and a 50-meter carry of two Navy cans weighing 40 pounds each.
The test then requires soldiers to complete a 50-meter high-crawl drill and a 25-meter sprint for five seconds before a final one-mile run.
The test then requires soldiers to complete a 50-meter high-crawl drill and a 25-meter sprint for five seconds before a final one-mile run. (Reuters, File)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS PROGRAM
The military will begin using the new test this month, and soldiers will be required to complete it every year.
During the first year of the rollout, soldiers will face no penalties as the Army moves into the new standard, part of a broader effort to prepare soldiers for the practical demands of modern warfare.
