(WTVF) — The U.S. Army is rolling out a new gender-neutral combat fitness test for soldiers in select frontline jobs, part of a broader Pentagon push under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to tighten standards and refocus the military on what he has called the “warrior ethos.”
The new Combat Field Test will apply to designated combat specialties, including infantry, armor, engineers and special forces roles. According to Army guidance, the standards will be sex-neutral and the same for both “men” and “women,” as defined in Executive Order 14168, “Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.”
Months before the Army released the new test, Hegseth previewed his approach during a 2025 speech to senior military leaders in Virginia about future military fitness standards. He said the effort was not about preventing women from serving, but added that if no women qualify for some combat jobs under higher gender-neutral standards, “so be it.”
Soldiers must complete seven events in 30 minutes or less. The test includes two one-mile runs, 30 dead-stop push-ups, a 100-meter sprint, sandbag lifts, weighted carries and movement drills.
The Army said diagnostic testing begins in 2026. Starting in April 2027, failing the test could lead to administrative consequences.
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