The Combat Field Test (CFT) is a new, mandatory fitness test for U.S. Army soldiers serving in specific combat-related roles.
It is designed to be a more accurate assessment of the physical demands required in combat, aiming to improve readiness, enhance lethality and reinforce the warrior ethos.
Purpose
This directive establishes the Combat Field Test (CFT) as an Army fitness requirement and updates the Army Fitness Test (AFT) to align with Secretary of War intent in reference 1a.
Applicability
The provisions of this directive apply to the Regular Army (RA) and U.S. Army National Guard/Army National Guard of the United States and U.S. Army Reserve (referred to collectively as the Reserve Components, or RC).
CFT Combat MOS List
Combat Specialties Required to Take the CFT
Effective immediately, the CFT is required for all Soldiers serving in combat specialties below:
11C — Indirect Fire Infantry Soldier
180A — Special Forces Warrant Officer
18B — Special Forces Weapons Sergeant
18C — Special Forces Engineer Sergeant
18D — Special Forces Medical Sergeant
18E — Special Forces Communications Sergeant
18F — Special Forces Assistant Operations and Intelligence Sergeant
18Z — Special Forces Team Sergeant
19C — Bradley Fighting Vehicle Crewman
89D — Explosive Ordnance Disposal Specialist
89E — Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer
Annual Testing Requirements
RA, Active Guard Reserve (AGR), and RC Soldiers on active-duty orders for 365 days or more will now take 1 CFT and 1 AFT record test annually.
All other RC Soldiers in combat specialties will take one fitness test per calendar year alternating between the AFT and CFT, taking a record AFT one calendar year and a record CFT the next calendar year.
CFT Scoring and Standards
The CFT is designed as a pass or fail test (no points).
The CFT is a continuous event where no individual event is timed; instead, the cumulative time to complete all events in succession is used to determine whether a Soldier passes or fails.
What is the passing standard for the CFT? All seven events must be completed in 30 minutes or less. The test is graded on a simple pass/fail basis and age and sex-neutral.
The Deputy Chief of Staff (DCS), G-3/5/7 will publish the time standard to implement this directive.
CFT Events
The CFT is a continuous sequence of seven events, performed in the Army Combat Uniform, combat boots and a brown T-shirt, with no cover.
The CFT consists of 7 events that are performed in sequence:
(a) Event 1
1-mile run
(b) Event 2
30 dead-stop pushups
(c) Event 3
100-meter sprint
(d) Event 4
16 forty-pound sandbag lifts onto a 65-inch platform
(e) Event 5
50-meter carry of two 5-gallon army water cans (each weighing 40 pounds)
(f) Event 6
50-meter movement drill consisting of a high crawl for 25 meters and a 25-meter, 3–5 second rush
(g) Event 7
A second 1-mile run
CFT Uniform and Event Completion Requirements
The uniform for the CFT is the Army Combat Uniform (top and bottom), including brown t-shirt and combat boots but no headgear.
All personnel taking the test must complete each event before moving to the next.
Individuals unable to complete an event will be terminated from the test, and the test will be recorded as a failure.
Relationship Between the CFT and AFT
The CFT is not a substitute for the AFT.
Testing Frequency and Timing Requirements
There is no prerequisite to take or pass the AFT prior to or after the CFT.
The minimum time between a record CFT and AFT is 4 months for Soldiers in combat specialties, listed in enclosure 2, who serve in the Regular Army, AGR, and RC on active-duty orders for 365 days or more.
For all other RC combat specialty Soldiers, the minimum time between a record fitness test, either CFT or AFT, is 8 months.
RC Soldiers in combat specialties who are not on AGR orders on or active-duty orders for 365 days or more may take an additional record AFT within 8 months of a previous CFT or AFT for promotion or schooling.
Soldiers on Permanent Profiles
(a) Eligibility and Reclassification Requirements
Soldiers in combat specialties with permanent profiles that prevent them from performing any primary event on the AFT are ineligible to complete the CFT and will be evaluated for military occupational specialty (MOS)/area of concentration (AOC) reclassification pursuant to references 1j and 1n.
(b) Waiver Authority and Appeals
Waiver authority for reclassification resides with the general court-martial convening authority (GCMCA) or the first general officer (GO) in the chain of command, who will evaluate occupational requirements outlined in Department of the Army Pamphlet 611–21 (Smartbook) as well as Soldier performance, chain of command recommendations, and the Soldier’s ability to meet MOS/AOC requirements.
Waivers for existing permanent profiles or those assigned during the diagnostic/implementation period for this policy may be requested.
Soldiers may appeal waiver denials to the next higher commander in their chain of command.
If there is no such commander below the Headquarters, Department of the Army, the appeal will be referred to the DCS, G-1.
(c) Requirements for Approved Waivers
Soldiers granted a waiver for a permanent profile will remain subject to the annual 2-AFT requirement (1 AFT annually for RC Soldiers not on AGR orders or on active-duty orders for 365 days or more).
(d) Annual Waiver Review
The GCMCA or first GO in the chain of command will review all profiles and annually reassess waiver applicability for every Soldier under their waiver authority.
Soldiers on Temporary Profiles
Soldiers serving in combat specialties with temporary profiles preventing completion of the CFT, including pregnancy and postpartum profiles, will adhere to their profiles and the guidance for AFTs in Field Manual 7-22 (Holistic Health and Fitness) until such time that they can take a CFT.
Test/event modifications are not available for Soldiers on profiles.
Implementation Period
The implementation period provides a one-year transition, when no administrative action will be taken solely because of a failed CFT or a permanent profile that prevents a Soldier from taking the CFT.
Full implementation begins 365 days from the date of this directive, when failure to pass the CFT will result in administrative actions, including flagging and potential reclassification.
Administrative Procedures
(a) Failed CFT Procedures
Soldiers in combat specialties failing the CFT will be flagged and enrolled in reconditioning training pursuant to unit standing operating procedures detailed in FM 7-22 (Holistic Health and Fitness).
(b) Retest Requirements
Soldiers must then retake the test within 90 days after the test failure (180 days for RC Soldiers who are not AGR or on active-duty orders for 365 days or more).
(c) Failure to Take a Record CFT
All Soldiers serving in combat specialties listed in enclosure 2 who fail to take a record CFT within 12 months of full implementation will be flagged unless taking the CFT is prohibitive due to a temporary profile.
(d) Reclassification and Utilization Actions
The unit commander (or other authorized initiating official) will initiate reclassification or utilization actions for Soldiers who fail the CFT retest pursuant to references 1j and 1n unless the Soldier has an approved waiver.
(e) Evaluation Report Requirements
Soldiers in combat specialties listed in enclosure 2 are required to include CFT pass/fail or waiver on evaluations with a thru date 18 months after publication of this directive or later.
(f) Enlisted Soldier Separation Provisions
Enlisted Soldiers in combat specialties listed in enclosure 2 who fail two consecutive CFTs, or who have an AFT-limiting permanent profile and are denied a waiver, are subject to involuntary separation pursuant to Army Regulation (AR) 635–200, chapter 13 (RA enlisted), and AR 135–178, chapter 9 (RC enlisted), if they refuse to extend or reenlist to facilitate reclassification or are otherwise ineligible to reclassify their MOS.
(g) Officer Elimination Provisions
Officers in combat specialties listed in enclosure 2 who fail two consecutive CFTs, or who have an AFT-limiting permanent profile and are denied a waiver, are subject to elimination pursuant to AR 600–8–24, paragraph 4–2(a) (RA officer), and AR 135–175, paragraph 2–12 (non-active duty officer), if they refuse or are otherwise ineligible for an involuntary branch transfer and/or mandatory assignment utilization.
Changes to the AFT.
Effective immediately, where the provisions of this policy conflict with another Army regulation or directive, this directive is controlling.
This includes AR 350–1 and AD 2025-06.
(1) Evaluation Report Changes
All evaluation reports will reflect both pass/fail and actual points earned for the record AFT.
(2) Additional Combat Specialty Designations
AOCs/MOSs 12D, 89D, and 89E are hereby designated as combat specialties, and Soldiers assigned to them are required to meet the AFT combat standard in AR 350–1, paragraph C–5.
Proponent.
The DCS, G-3/5/7 will track policy proponent incorporation of the provisions of this directive into related Army regulations within 2 years of the date of this directive.
The proponents of other related regulations will incorporate the provisions of this directive into all identified references within 2 years of the date of this directive.
Duration.
This directive is rescinded on publication of the revised regulations.
DISTRIBUTION
- Principal Officials of Headquarters, Department of the Army
- Commander
- U.S. Army Western Hemisphere Command
- U.S. Army Forces Command
- U.S. Army Transformation and Training Command
- U.S. Army Materiel Command
- U.S. Army Pacific
- U.S. Army Europe and Africa
- U.S. Army Central
- U.S. Army North
- U.S. Army South
- U.S. Army Special Operations Command
- U.S. Army Transportation Command
- U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Strategic Command
- U.S. Army Cyber Command
- U.S. Army Medical Command
- U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- U.S. Army Audit Agency
- U.S. Army Military District of Washington
- U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command
- U.S. Army Human Resources Command (CONT)
DISTRIBUTION: (CONT)
- U.S. Army Corrections Command
- U.S. Army Reserve Command
- Superintendent, U.S. Military Academy
- Director, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division
- Director, U.S. Army Civilian Human Resources Agency
- Executive Director, Military Postal Service Agency
- Director, U.S. Army Joint Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office
- Superintendent, Arlington National Cemetery
- Director, U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center
CF
- Commander, Eighth Army
References
a. Secretary of War memorandum (Military Fitness Standards), 30 September 2025
b. Secretary of the Army memorandum (Mission Focus of Army Training), 31 July 2025
c. Army Directive 2025-06 (Army Fitness Test), 17 April 2025 (hereby superseded, in part)
d. Army Regulation (AR) 40–501 (Standards of Medical Fitness), 27 June 2019
e. AR 40–502 (Medical Readiness), 27 June 2019
f. AR 135–175 (Separation of Officers), 29 May 2025
g. AR 135–178 (Army National Guard and Reserve Enlisted Administrative Separations), 6 June 2025
h. AR 140–111 (U.S. Army Reserve Reenlistment Program), 2 March 2018
i. AR 350–1 (Army Training and Leader Development), 1 June 2025
j. AR 600–8–24 (Officer Transfers and Discharges), 8 February 2020
k. AR 601–280 (Army Retention Program), 14 April 2023
l. AR 614–100 (Officer Assignment Policies and Procedures), 8 May 2024
m. AR 635–200 (Active Duty Enlisted Administrative Separations), 30 June 2025
n. Department of the Army Pamphlet 611–21 (Military Occupational Classification and Structure), 20 December 2022
o. Headquarters, Department of the Army Field Manual 7-22 (Holistic Health and Fitness), October 2020, incorporating Change 2, effective 1 August 2025
p. Army Techniques Publication 7-22.01 (Holistic Health and Fitness Testing), 1 October 2020
q. U.S. Army Infantry School Pamphlet 350-6 (Expert Infantryman Badge), 21 April 2025