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Having made the decision to increase rigor and standardization, the U.S. Air Force has eliminated alternate physical fitness events for its newest recruits, requiring them to pass a traditional test of pushups, sit-ups, and a 1.5-mile run. This decision, which took effect in April 2025, strips away the flexibility previously allowed on re-tests and signals a broader cultural shift towards a more robust force a sentiment echoed in recent directives from the Department of Defense.
The change for trainees arrives as the entire service anticipates a fitness overhaul. Leaked messages from Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force David Flosi suggest the wider force may soon face a more demanding two-mile run and biannual testing. "Fitness is a readiness issue and it makes a difference if 'today is the day,'" Flosi stated in a message to enlisted leaders, confirming that changes are imminent.
This recalibration in the Air Force invites a fresh comparison with the physical readiness standards of its sister services, each of which has forged a distinct path in defining combat fitness. The difficulty of these tests reflects each branch's unique operational demands and cultural identity.
The Army - A Data-Driven Combat Test
The Army has undergone the most significant recent transformation with its Army Fitness Test (AFT), officially replacing the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) as of June 2025. This five-event test - comprising a three-repetition maximum deadlift, hand-release push-ups, a sprint-drag-carry, a plank, and a two-mile run - is a direct attempt to measure combat-readiness and reduce injuries. Its most notable feature is the implementation of sex-neutral standards for the 21 combat-arms military occupational specialties. To pass, both men and women in these roles must meet the same higher scoring benchmark, a data-driven standard designed to ensure that any soldier on the front line possesses the requisite physical strength and endurance for combat tasks.
The Marine Corps - The Dual-Test Gauntlet
The Marine Corps arguably maintains the most demanding and holistic approach to physical fitness, requiring every Marine to pass two distinct annual tests. The traditional Physical Fitness Test (PFT) is a grueling assessment of endurance, featuring a three-mile run, pull-ups (with push-ups as a lesser-scoring alternative), and a plank. This is supplemented by the Combat Fitness Test (CFT), a trial conducted in boots and utility uniform that simulates the exertions of battle. The CFT includes an 880-yard "movement to contact" sprint, ammunition can lifts, and a 300-yard "maneuver under fire" course involving crawls, casualty drags and carries. This dual-test system solidifies the ethos that every Marine is fundamentally a rifleman, and their fitness must reflect readiness for the chaos of close combat.
The Navy - A Focus on General Health and Flexibility
The Navy's Physical Readiness Test (PRT) most closely resembles the Air Force's traditional model, centered on push-ups, a forearm plank, and a 1.5-mile run. However, the Navy offers the most flexibility, providing alternative cardio events like a 2,000-meter row or a 500-yard swim. This approach reflects a focus on maintaining broad cardiovascular health and muscular endurance across a force with diverse and often ship-based duties, rather than simulating specific land-based combat scenarios.
By eliminating alternatives for its trainees, the Air Force is taking a firm step toward the more rigorous standards of the Army and Marine Corps. While still distinct from the heavy-lifting and combat-simulation focus of the ground branches, the move signals a clear intent: to forge a force where foundational physical readiness is not a flexible goal, but a non-negotiable standard.
