The US Army has launched a new Combat Field Test designed to better measure the physical demands required in frontline combat specialties. Beginning this month, the assessment applies to active-duty personnel serving in 24 designated combat roles. Unlike traditional fitness tests, the new evaluation is structured as a continuous timed sequence intended to replicate battlefield exertion, movement, and load-bearing tasks. It does not replace the Army Fitness Test, meaning soldiers must complete both requirements. Reserve troops in the same occupational specialties will alternate between the two depending on duty status. The Combat Field Test includes seven uninterrupted events: a one-mile run, 30 dead-stop push-ups, and a 100-meter sprint. Soldiers must also lift a 40-pound sandbag onto a 65-inch platform 16 times, followed by carrying two five-gallon water cans weighing 40 pounds each over 50 meters. The final event consists of a 50-meter movement drill using high crawls and short rushes. All tasks must be completed within 30 minutes while wearing combat uniforms and boots. The Army has introduced a one-year transition period in which failing the test will not trigger administrative penalties. Soldiers unable to meet the standard may request reassignment to non-combat roles. After the transition phase, the assessment is expected to become a formal requirement. The Army says unit-level training and existing fitness programs will help personnel prepare as the test becomes part of broader readiness reforms.
