What Changed From the ACFT
The AFT replaced the Army Combat Fitness Test on 1 June 2025. The Standing Power
Throw was removed — it was the event most associated with training injuries — cutting the test from six
events to five and the maximum score from 600 to 500.
Why the Change
The Army based this on roughly 18 months of data analysis across nearly a million ACFT
administrations, with RAND Corporation support, examining injury rates and event validity — described as a
normal 3-to-5-year evolution of Army fitness standards, not a one-off adjustment.
Rollout Timeline
| Date | What Happens |
|---|
| 1 Jun 2025 | AFT becomes the test of record; ACFT retired |
| 30 Sep 2025 | Older ACFT scores stop counting for promotion/compliance |
| 1 Oct 2025 | AFT General standard applies to promotion actions; General scores must be recorded in DTMS |
| 1 Jan 2026 | Combat standard enforced — Active Duty, AGR, Reserve on 60+ day orders; Combat scores required in DTMS |
| 1 Jun 2026 | Combat standard enforced — National Guard and remaining Reserve |
Dates reflect the announced rollout as of publication — reclassification/enforcement details have shifted before and may again.
Doctrinal Basis
FM 7-22 (Holistic Health and Fitness) and ATP 7-22.01 provide the doctrinal foundation —
the AFT is framed as emphasizing holistic fitness over narrow event-specific training.
MDL — 3-Repetition Maximum Deadlift
Lift the maximum weight possible for three continuous reps using a 60-pound hex bar plus
plates. Measures total-body strength, especially posterior-chain/hip-hinge strength and bracing under load.
HRP — Hand-Release Push-Up
Max reps in 2 minutes using the hand-release standard — hands come off the ground at the
bottom, arms extend fully at the top. Measures upper-body pushing strength/endurance plus trunk control.
SDC — Sprint-Drag-Carry
A multi-phase sprint, sled drag, lateral shuffle, and carry event testing anaerobic
capacity, speed, and the ability to move under load quickly.
PLK — Plank
Hold a plank position for maximum time. Replaced the sit-up-style event from older tests,
aimed at reducing lower-back injury risk while still testing core/trunk stability and endurance.
2MR — Two-Mile Run
Timed 2-mile run on a measured course. Tests aerobic endurance relevant to ruck marches,
sustained movement, and recovery after intense exertion.
Scoring Structure
Each of the 5 events is scored 0–100 points, for a maximum total of 500.
Every event has a hard floor: score below 60 on any single event and the whole test fails, regardless
of the total.
General Standard Most Soldiers
Applies to combat-enabling and other non-designated specialties. Scoring is sex- and
age-normed. Minimum total: 300 points, with 60+ in every event.
Combat Standard 21 Combat MOS/AOCs
Applies to 21 designated combat specialties (infantry, armor, cavalry, field artillery,
special forces, and similar). Uses a sex-neutral, age-normed scale — the same raw-score thresholds
apply to men and women in these MOSs. Minimum total: 350 points, with 60+ in every event.
Promotion Points
AFT performance feeds into semi-centralized promotion points, with a revised points table
under AR 600-8-19. Scores must be recorded in the Digital Training Management System (DTMS) to count — no
DTMS entry means no promotion points for that category.
Body-Fat / WHtR Exemption Rescinded
Under prior policy, a total AFT score of 465+, with passing scores on every event,
exempted a Soldier from body composition standards for that testing cycle under AR 600-9. That exemption is
no longer in effect — the 7 July 2026 Army Directive made the Waist-to-Height Ratio the sole ABCP
standard, with no AFT-score-based exemption. A strong AFT score does not exempt a Soldier from the WHtR
standard.
Failing the General Standard
Results in an administrative flag, which blocks promotions, reenlistments, and other
favorable actions until the Soldier passes a subsequent record test.
Failing the Combat Standard
Everything that applies to a general-standard failure, plus the Soldier becomes subject to
mandatory reclassification into a non-combat MOS if the combat standard isn't met by the applicable
component deadline.
Voluntary Reclassification Window
During a defined window (announced as roughly September–December 2025), Soldiers in
combat MOS/AOCs who didn't meet the 350-point combat standard could request voluntary reclassification if in
the rank of PVT–SSG with under 18 years total active federal service.
Retesting
Soldiers who fail are authorized a retest with command approval, within a defined time
window. Missing that retest window, or failing a second consecutive record test, can lead to further
administrative action — potentially separation.
Tracking
An IPPS-A generated report tracks Soldiers who don't meet combat standards monthly; unit
S1s verify their personnel and a higher-echelon review checks for mismatches.
No reference cards match that search.