The Army will implement a revised ACFT, starting on April 1, 2022, that will include several differences based on 630,000 sample ACFT test scores, the RAND independent assessment and feedback from Soldiers. The test now includes performance-normed scoring standards, scaled to age and gender. Additional changes include the plank as the sole core-strength event and the addition of the 2.5-mile walk as an alternate aerobic event. In addition, the Army will establish an ACFT governance body to continue to assess testing data and provide a comprehensive analysis, with any recommended future modifications to the ACFT, in April 2023.

The new scoring standards were developed from historic performance rates and more accurately assess individual physical fitness goals reflective of age and gender categories.

The shift to an age and gender performance-normed scoring scale was based on thorough analysis of all data, Soldier feedback, and analysis from the RAND independent study. The adjustment in scoring scales more accurately reflect a distribution of performance across all elements of the Army and ensure a fair transition to a new fitness test of record. The resulting ACFT scoring scales are still rigorous and will enable the Army to promote a culture of physical fitness and readiness.

The new age and gender performance-normed scoring scales were developed using the data from the nearly 630,000 ACFT scores, historic performance rates from the APFT, and scoring scales from other branches of the U.S. military.

The maximum (100 points) was set at the 96th percentile of performance within each age group and for each event. Similarly, the minimum passing score (60 points) for the MDL, SPT, HRP, and SDC was set at the 5th percentile. The remainder of the scales were set using an even distribution of observed Soldier performance. The Army used data from the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy to set the baseline for the plank scale. The two-mile run minimum score was initially set at the 3rd percentile, however, based on observed data, it was adjusted to ensure that no subgroup will be required to complete the ACFT two-mile run faster than the old APFT run standard.

The Army has commissioned additional analytic support from RAND and established a six-month delay before commencing record testing to further reduce any remaining risk to our Soldiers. Additionally, the Army has established a governance structure with oversight by Army Senior Leaders to continue analysis and closely monitor the ACFT. The Army expects Soldiers to pass the ACFT at rates similar to the APFT and will reassess standards over time.

Based on analysis of observed test data, the Army determined that the plank simply provides a more accurate measure of core strength for all Soldiers. The RAND independent study observed that the leg tuck was not an accurate predictor of core strength for all Soldiers, as it requires a minimum pre-requisite upper body strength that made it impossible to measure core strength across all Soldiers commensurately. In response, we are using the plank as the sole exercise to assess core strength, using recognized standards from the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy as a baseline and modifying the scales based on Army requirements.

Moving to the plank as the sole core assessment allows the Army to verify that the ACFT properly measures all Soldiers’ core strength consistently and equally. In addition, it ensures Soldiers have a similar testing experience and opportunity to succeed during every event of the ACFT. Incorporating the plank in a time-phased, deliberate manner will ensure that all Soldiers can adjust to the plank prior to the ACFT being implemented for personnel actions.

The 2.5-mile walk was added as an alternative aerobic endurance exercise to support those locations unable to provide the equipment or facilities needed for the row, bike, or swim alternate events. Additionally, the walk is now an option for Soldiers whose medical providers determine it the most appropriate alternate aerobic event for them due to their physical limitations. Nearly 630,000 ACFT scores were entered into the Digital Training Management System over the study period and were used by Army Senior Leaders when making a decision on full implementation of the ACFT. Those entries provided sufficient data for the Army to evaluate the alternate aerobic events and provide adjustments. We will continue to monitor data on the ACFT and recommend changes if necessary.

The Army determined that a general fitness test best supports the Army’s efforts to sustain a fit and ready force, foster a fitness culture, and ensure fairness across the force. As a general fitness test, an age and gender performance-normed scale more accurately assesses individual physical fitness. Age and gender neutral standards fail to account for physiological differences between people of varied ages and genders. Norming for age and gender provides a more tailored assessment of an individual’s general level of physical fitness. Implementing the ACFT as a general physical fitness assessment also allows all Soldiers the ability to fairly compete for advancement in the Army. We will continue to evaluate ACFT data and recommend changes when necessary to ensure the Army is a physically fit force. The change to a general fitness test does not preclude certain Army schools, such as Ranger, Sapper, or Special Forces Assessment and Selection, from requiring higher standards of physical fitness.

Physical fitness is an important component of individual and unit readiness. We must make sure that all Soldiers, regardless of MOS, are physically and mentally prepared to deploy, fight, win, and return home. The ACFT provides the Army an assessment of all Soldiers’ muscular strength, muscle endurance, power, speed, agility, coordination, flexibility, balance, reaction time, and aerobic capacity. We owe it to our Soldiers to equip them with the tools to succeed and maximize their physical fitness potential.

The Army is implementing the new version of the ACFT based on data collection of nearly 630,000 tests, independent reviews, and Soldier feedback. The Army has requested additional analytic support from RAND to assess the implementation of the current test, which will continue throughout the diagnostic period.

The Army is committed to making ACFT the best measure of a Soldier’s physical readiness and has requested RAND analytical support to provide any potential additional recommendations based on the new changes. The Army has established a governance body with oversight by Army Senior Leaders, to continue analysis and closely monitor ACFT scores, pass rates, injuries and environmental considerations, and report those findings with any recommended changes to Army Senior Leaders on a semi-annual basis.

The ACFT is a far better assessment of Soldiers overall physical fitness levels than the legacy APFT. Soldiers must possess muscular strength, muscular endurance, power, speed, agility, coordination, flexibility, balance, reaction time, and aerobic capacity. The ACFT assesses these components of physical fitness and is transforming the culture of fitness in the Army, with the goal of reducing preventable injuries and attrition while increasing individual Soldier readiness.

Overall, professional studies show increased physical fitness leads to a decreased risk of muscular skeleton injuries, faster injury recovery times, and better performance. The ACFT is designed to increase Soldier’s overall physical fitness levels and early indications suggest the ACFT may decrease injuries. Further study is needed to determine to what extent the ACFT is reducing injuries. The Army is establishing a governance structure to provide oversight of the full implementation of the ACFT and will assess ACFT scores, pass rates, injuries, and environmental considerations and report those findings, along with any recommended changes, to Army Senior Leaders.

Soldiers are exempt from taking a record physical fitness test while pregnant and for 365 days after the conclusion of pregnancy, including Soldiers who experience perinatal loss.

Soldiers are also exempt from other regular unit physical readiness training requirements (such as diagnostic physical fitness tests, timed distance runs, timed distance ruck marches, and order of merit list (OML)-generating physical requirements) outside the Pregnancy Postpartum Physical Training (P3T) program for 180 days after the conclusion of pregnancy. After 180 days, Soldiers will return to regular unit fitness training. Modified activities within a Soldier’s limits, and as noted on the Soldier’s profile, are encouraged within the 180 days.

Soldiers may elect an early release from the P3T program and return to their regular unit physical readiness training. Soldiers can volunteer to take any record physical fitness requirement within their exemption period without ending the exemption early.

From more information, see Army Directive 2022-06 (Parenthood, Pregnancy, and Postpartum).

The independent RAND study had four top-level recommendations for full ACFT implementation:

• Address shortfalls in the ACFT evidence base
• Consider ways to mitigate impacts on the workforce
• Take steps to further support training improvements over time
• Institutionalize a formal senior-level management structure to guide and oversee ACFT implementation

To address shortfalls in the ACFT evidence base, the Army decided to implement the ACFT as a general physical fitness assessment and provide a time-phased process for implementation. This will allow Soldiers to train for six months or longer before test scores are used for personnel actions, to further reduce any remaining risk to our Soldiers. The Army has also commissioned analytic support from RAND to assess data from the revised ACFT following implementation in April 2022, which will inform the Army’s implementation and oversight of the ACFT in the future.

The Army will mitigate impacts to the workforce through the new scoring scales and by incorporating the ACFT into personnel policy in a time-phased, deliberate manner, to ensure all Soldiers can test and adjust to the new scoring scale. We expect with these changes, the ACFT will have no greater impact on recruiting and retention than the previous Army Physical Fitness Test. Moreover, the Army will establish an ACFT governance body to continue to assess test data, impacts to elements of the force, and issue a comprehensive assessment to the Secretary of the Army in April 2023.

The phased implementation also provides Soldiers time to improve performance on individual events prior to taking the test for record. We are confident Soldiers’ performance on the ACFT will increase with time, training, and under “for record” test conditions. The 2.5 mile walk was added as an alternate aerobic exercise to support Soldiers who are physically unable to perform the other alternate events and for those in locations without the equipment or facilities needed for the alternate row, bike, or swim events.

The Army has also expanded access to ACFT training equipment across all Army components, issuing over 40,000 sets of equipment across all components, an average of 1 set per every 25 Soldiers. Multiple training plans, which include equipment-free options, are available through Army doctrine and the Army’s ACFT microsite.

Finally, the Army will establish a governance structure to provide oversight of the full implementation of the ACFT. This structure will assess ACFT scores, pass rates, injuries, and environmental considerations and report those findings along with any recommended changes to Army Senior Leaders regularly. The first comprehensive report will be provided in April 2023.

RAND identified that if implemented as a gender-neutral test, the ACFT could negatively affect recruiting and retention of some occupational specialties. The new age and gender performance-normed scoring scale will mitigate impacts to the workforce, as will incorporating the ACFT into personnel policy in a time-phased, deliberate manner to ensure that all Soldiers can test and adjust to the new scoring scale. We expect with these changes, the ACFT will have the same impact on recruiting and retention as the previous Army Physical Fitness Test. The Army will establish an ACFT governance body to continue to assess test data, monitor impacts, and deliver an assessment to the Secretary of the Army in April 2023.

The RAND study showed higher elevation and temperature had a slightly negative impact on performance on the two-mile run for both men and women, though RAND acknowledged there are several factors that might have impacted the results. Commanders are expected to comply with current policies and guidance that already address testing in various environmental conditions, including weather, and testing locations, such as deployments and remote assignments. The Army has directed commanders to develop procedures that ensure all assigned Soldiers have sufficient time to properly acclimate to a duty station prior to taking an ACFT. Commanders will consider, at the very least, weather cycles, temperatures, altitude, and lengthy field exercises or deployments in developing local policy. We will continuously monitor data on the ACFT and recommend changes when necessary.

The ACFT will be incorporated into personnel policy in a time-phased, deliberate manner, beginning April 1, 2022, to ensure all Soldiers have the opportunity to test and familiarize themselves with the new event and scoring scale.

Regular Army and Active Guard Reserve (AGR) Soldiers will take a diagnostic ACFT between April 1, 2022 and Sept. 30, 2022. Soldiers who pass the ACFT during the diagnostic period can use their test for record any time after Oct. 1, 2022.

Reserve Component Soldiers will take a diagnostic ACFT between April 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023 and will have the same option to use their diagnostic test for record after April 1, 2023.

All Regular Army and AGR Soldiers are required to take a record ACFT beginning Oct. 1, 2022, with Regular Army and AGR Soldiers taking their first record test prior to April 1, 2023 and Reserve Component Soldiers taking their first record test prior to April 1, 2024. Record ACFT scores will be used for RA & USAR AGR administrative actions starting Oct. 1, 2022, while the Reserve Component will use ACFT beginning Apr. 1, 2023 for personnel actions, to include retention and evaluations. The ACFT will be a requirement for all Professional Military Education starting on or after Oct. 1, 2022, regardless of component.

For Regular Army/U.S. Army Reserve (Active Guard Reserve), the first opportunity to enter “For Record” data is Oct. 1, 2022. Reserve Components’ (less USAR (AGR)) opportunity begins on April 1, 2023.

As stated in FRAGO 1 to HQDA EXORD 153-22, Army Combat Fitness Test, any Active Duty or AGR Soldier with a passing diagnostic ACFT score taken between April 1, 2022 and Sept. 30, 2022 can elect to re-characterize the test as “for record.” Reserve Component Soldiers can elect to re-characterize any passing ACFT taken between April 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023.

Operators should not delete the Diagnostic data currently in DTMS. Instead, they will have to enter the performance data as a “New Record ACFT” using the same data and date as the original diagnostic ACFT. Users should note that any diagnostic scores will not transmit to HRC/AHRC unless they are re-characterized to “For Record.”

Soldiers will receive a flag if they fail a record ACFT after Oct. 1, 2022 for Regular Army and USAR Active Guard Reserve or after April 1, 2023 for Reserve Component (RC). However, if RC Soldiers attending professional military education for classes that start on or after Oct. 1, 2022, fail both a record test and a retest during the course, they will be removed from the course.

In accordance with the Exemption to Policy Memo for AR 600-8-2, Soldiers flagged for an Army Physical Fitness Test or ACFT failure, who pass a diagnostic ACFT, will have their flag removed. Administration of a diagnostic ACFT is limited to the time-period listed in AD 2022-05, paragraph 4d.

Regular Army and Active Guard Reserve Soldiers will retest no less than 120 days and no more than 180 days from the test failure. Reserve Component Soldiers will retest no less than 180 days and no more than 240 days from the test failure. If the commander and Soldier agree that sufficient reconditioning has occurred, the Soldier may retest in less than the prescribed time. The time a Soldier is on a temporary profile does not count toward the retesting timelines. These retesting timelines do not apply to Initial Military Training and Professional Military Education courses.

Commanders will not initiate separation or bar to continued service of any Soldier prior to April 1, 2023 for Regular Army and Active Guard Reserve Soldiers or April 1, 2024 for Reserve Component Soldiers. After those respective dates, if a Soldier has failed two consecutive record ACFTs, commanders can use discretion to either initiate separation or initiate a bar to continued service. These polices are identical to the Army’s legacy APFT policies.

Regular Army and Active Guard Reserve Soldiers will take two record ACFTs per calendar year starting Oct. 1, 2022, with no less than 4 months between record tests. Reserve Component Soldiers will take a record ACFT once per calendar year, with no less than 8 months between record tests.

All permanent profiles must be updated by the Soldier’s medical provider to reflect the ACFT events permitted or prohibited. Soldiers must test on all events within the limits of their permanent profile. The minimum number of events a Soldier must take is one aerobic event (run, stationary bike, swim, row, or walk).

Soldiers on temporary profiles will not take the ACFT. They will recover, rehabilitate, recondition, and complete the full ACFT once the temporary profile has ended and the Soldier is cleared by their medical provider to resume testing.

As per ALARACT 046/2022 Execution of Personnel Policy for the ACFT, Soldiers flagged for failing to pass the ACFT will be ineligible for promotion effective Oct. 1, 2022 for Regular Army and Active Guard Reserve and April 1, 2023 for Reserve Component Soldiers.

Beginning Oct. 1, 2022, NCO Evaluation Boards will have access to ACFT scores/data on the Enlisted Board Record Brief (all APFT information will be stricken from the Enlisted Board Record Brief).

Through March 31, 2023, the Army will continue to use a Soldiers’ last record APFT score to determine promotion points for promotion to SGT and SSG, allowing for all Soldiers to have an opportunity to complete a record ACFT within the prescribed time.

Beginning April 1, 2023, promotion points will be awarded based on ACFT scores. Soldiers with temporary profiles who are prohibited from taking a record ACFT during the initial test window (Oct. 1, 2022 through March 31, 2023) will be awarded an ACFT score for promotion point purposes as follows:

• Soldiers who have never taken a record APFT (in DTMS) will be awarded a minimum passing ACFT score (360 points) effective March 31, 2023. This temporary provision expires on March 31, 2025.
• Soldiers who have taken and passed a record APFT (in DTMS) will be awarded an ACFT score that is equal to twice the score achieved on the APFT (APFT score x2) effective march 31, 2023. This temporary provision expires on March 31, 2025.

The above temporary provisions support a continued path for promotion eligibility while Soldiers recover from temporary profiles and are otherwise physically unable to take a record ACFT. Once a Soldier is medically cleared and given an opportunity to take a record ACFT, these temporary scores will no longer apply and the Soldiers’ actual performance on a record ACFT will be used.

Beginning April 1, 2023, for the purpose of awarding promotion points for promotion to SGT and SSG, Soldiers with permanent physical profiles will be granted 60 ACFT points for each event not taken due to the profile. Soldiers will also receive 60 ACFT points for a “GO” from an alternate event.

If the Soldier is pregnant or enrolled into the Army Pregnancy Postpartum Physical Training Program, they will use their current (last) record physical fitness test score provided it is not more than 2 years old. If the record physical fitness test exceeds one year, the unit commander must sign a memorandum to extend their current physical fitness test prior to the expiration date to prevent the Soldier from being removed from the PRR. Units will update the record physical fitness test date and/or score prior to the current physical fitness test expiration date in DTMS. The effective date for the physical fitness test score is the date specified on the memorandum.

As per MILPER Message 22-333, effective Oct. 1, 2022, raters for Regular Army and AGR Soldiers will indicate a record ACFT status on DA Form 67-10 series OERs and DA Form 2166-9 series NCOERs with an annotated “Thru Date” of 01 October 2022 or later. For DA Form 1059 series AERs or military training courses beginning Oct. 1, 2022 or later, AERs completed will indicate a record ACFT status, when a record ACFT is required.

Reserve Component (less AGR) Soldiers will indicate a record ACFT status on DA Form 67-10 series OERs and DA Form 2166-9 series NCOERs with an annotated “Thru Date” of April 1, 2023 or later. For DA Form 1059 series AERs or military training courses beginning Oct. 1, 2022 or later, AERs completed will indicate a record ACFT status, when a record ACFT is required. RC Soldiers who maintain a record ACFT entry in DTMS due to military school or military training course requirement any time after Oct. 1, 2022 may enter the record ACFT status on rendered OERs and NCOERs having an annotated “Thru Date” of Oct. 1, 2022 or later.

As per ALARACT 046/2022, effective Oct. 1, 2022 for Active Component and April 1, 2023 for Reserve Component, Soldiers must have a passing record ACFT to reenlist. A diagnostic ACFT may be re-characterized to a Record ACFT, and thereby used for reenlistment purposes. Soldiers without a passing ACFT are authorized to extend only up to 12 months, allowing an opportunity to pass a record ACFT. However, an individual’s total extensions, including previously granted extensions, per contract will not exceed 48 months.

The Occupational Physical Assessment Test (OPAT) is the required test to assess into the Army. The ACFT has no impact on accessions.

All Soldiers from all components must have a passing record ACFT to graduate from initial military training courses ending on or after Oct. 1, 2022. The Commanding General, U.S. Training and Doctrine Command; The Surgeon General; The Judge Advocate General; and the Chief of Chaplains retain current authorities to approve waivers.

Beginning April 1, 2023 a passing record ACFT score is required for contracting Senior Reserve Officer Training Corps (SROTC) cadets and commissioning (all components).

Soldiers must pass a record ACFT to graduate from all Professional Military Education courses starting on Oct. 1, 2022 or later. Proponents of troop schools and functional training courses may require an ACFT as either an entrance or graduation requirement, regardless of course length, for any course starting on or after Oct. 1, 2022. These requirements apply to all components.

Although commanders can’t set physical standards for acceptance into or retention in a combat unit, commanders can encourage Soldiers to maximize their physical potential.

The required equipment to conduct the ACFT includes deadlift hex bars with weights and collars, nylon drag sleds with straps and plates (each weighted with two 45-pound plates), 10-pound medicine balls, 40-pound kettle bells, and a location to do the run. See ATP 7-22.01 Holistic Health and Fitness Testing, Appendix E for specific ACFT testing equipment as well as ACFT field requirements.

ACFT equipment is available through the Defense Logistics Agency at unit expense. Below are the ACFT equipment set and component National Stock Numbers (NSN) and nomenclature.

• NSN: 6930-01-692-1671 / LANE, ARMY COMBAT FITNESS EQUIPMENT]
• NSN: 6930-01-684-6430 / BARBELL COLLAR/SPRING / QTY 1 / [2 PER SET]
• NSN: 6930-01-684-6427 / HEXAGON BARBELL / QTY 1 / [1 PER SET]
• NSN: 6930-01-684-6438 / KETTLEBELL, 40 LBS / QTY 1 / [2 PER SET]
• NSN: 6930-01-684-6410 / BUMPER PLATE, 10 LBS / QTY 1 / [4 PER SET]
• NSN: 6930-01-684-6409 / BUMPER PLATE, 15 LBS / QTY 1 / [2 PER SET]
• NSN: 6930-01-684-6415 / BUMPER PLATE, 25 LBS / QTY 1 / [2 PER SET]
• NSN: 6930-01-684-6419 / BUMPER PLATE, 35 LBS / QTY 1 / [2 PER SET]
• NSN: 6930-01-684-6420 / BUMPER PLATE, 45 LBS / QTY 1 / [8 PER SET]
• NSN: 6930-01-684-6435 / MEDICINE BALL, RUBBER, 10 LBS / QTY 1 / [1 PER SET]
• NSN: 6930-01-684-6433 / NYLON SLED W/PULL STRAP / QTY 1 / [1 PER SET]
• NSN: 6930-01-684-6431 / MEASURING TAPE / QTY 1 / [1 PER SET]

No, implementation of the ACFT accounts for various considerations arising from all components of the Army. The Army is incorporating the ACFT into personnel policies in a time-phased, deliberate manner to ensure all Soldiers can train and adjust to the new event and scoring scales before scores are used for personnel actions. Record scores for National Guard and Army Reserve Soldiers commence in April 2023, thereby giving Reserve Component Soldiers a full year to train for the revised test before any personnel actions are implemented.

The Army is committed to providing equivalent training opportunities to all Soldiers in all components and fairness in the transition to the ACFT. ACFT equipment is not required for training and the Army has released an ACFT training guide with training plans and exercises to help Soldiers successfully prepare for the test anytime, anywhere. The ACFT YouTube page has videos of exercises to help prepare for the ACFT, many of which require no equipment. Additional resources can be found on the Army Training Network and MilSuite.

Additionally, commanders are required to administer at least one diagnostic ACFT prior to record testing to ensure Soldiers are adequately prepared.

The Army equipped units with $78 million worth of ACFT equipment, with 10,829 sets of equipment going to the Active Component, compared to 15,854 sets of equipment to the National Guard, and 8,037 sets to the Army Reserve. Additionally, TRADOC ordered another 5,029 sets of equipment that were distributed to recruiting stations, ROTC detachments, and TRADOC installations. The overall ratio of equipment sets to Soldiers for the Total Army is 1:25, with more sets issued to the Reserve Components than to active duty Soldiers (1:30 active, 1:21 National Guard, and 1:23 Reserve). Leaders are strongly encouraged to use this equipment for Physical Readiness Training during their drill weekends and to help Soldiers familiarize with the test.

Reserve Component Soldiers looking for ACFT equipment to test or train on should contact their readiness NCO or chain of command, or they can coordinate with their local recruiting station or ROTC program. The National Guard is also updating the list of locations with ACFT equipment by state on the National Guard Bureau’s SharePoint site (CAC required).

Additionally, the Army added the 2.5 mile walk as an alternate aerobic event to accommodate for any lack of equipment to conduct the other alternate aerobic events.

Regular Army, National Guard, and Army Reserve units are developing tailored solutions to training for the ACFT, using FM 7-22 as a guide, and adapting to their individual situations and resources. FM 7-22 provides recommended training schedules for all phases of unit training cycles, to include the Reserve Component and remotely located Soldiers.

ACFT equipment is not required for training and the Army has released an ACFT training guide with training plans and exercises to help Soldiers successfully prepare for the test anytime, anywhere. Additionally, the ACFT YouTube page has videos of exercises to help prepare for the ACFT, many of which require no equipment. Additional resources can be found on the Army Training Network and MilSuite.

All installations and commands must self-sustain the ACFT grader and NCOIC/OIC training requirements found in FM 7-22 and ATP 7-22.01.

Yes. After you have attended training you are encouraged to conduct training at your unit to validate others to the same level you have been trained. For example, a Grader can train other Graders, and an NCOIC/OIC can train another OIC/NCOIC and Graders.

Yes. MFT is not a prerequisite for ACFT Grader and NCOIC/OIC validation.