Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael R. Weimer has acknowledged that he overpromised when he announced back in 2024 that the service was coming out with a new and redesigned physical training uniform for soldiers.
The delay, according to other Army leaders who joined Weimer during the virtual town hall at Fort Drum, New York, may be for the simple reason that the service intends to focus on other things, such as getting new and better weapons systems or addressing perennial issues, like the barracks.
“Changing the PT uniform was put on pause,” Weimer said during Monday’s town hall.“I got out over my skis a little too far on that one.”
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Weimer also said that he is “still pretty passionate” about the PT uniform issue, adding, “If we talk about being fit and disciplined, then I think we ought to have some options for that.”
In October 2024, Weimer said the service’s fitness uniform does not “represent who we are as warfighters,” and the Army would roll out new PT gear starting the following year.
“It’s coming, because if we’re going to be fit, we’re also going to look good at the same time and rep the Army brand,” Weimer said at the time.
But within days, Weimer’s spokesperson clarified that the service was not replacing the current Army Physical Fitness Uniform. Instead, the Army would offer soldiers more optional PT gear items.
Soldiers compete for the Steel Eagle Cup on Fort Bragg, North Carolina, on Nov. 21, 2025. Army photo by Sgt. Austin Robertson.
During Monday’s town hall, Weimer received a question about whether there had been any movement in issuing new PT gear to soldiers. The questioner also noted Weimer’s previous comments about soldiers not liking the current physical fitness uniform.
Wemer, who said 2024 “seems like forever ago now,” responded that the Army has researched the issue, and the service has “viable courses of action” to pursue, but he did not elaborate further on what those possibilities might be.
“It’s not dead, as the chief reminds me,” Weimer said. “It’s not dead, but we had other priorities in ‘24 going into ‘25 as you’re now fully aware of. So, maybe more to come. I don’t know yet.”
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll added that the service is working on fixing several problems, so it has to “triage” which issues it tackles first.
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Each year, the Army has to consider “how much change is reasonable” and then focus its efforts on the most pressing matters, Driscoll said.
“It’s not that we don’t all think the Army PT uniform is stupid, and it’s not that I am not incredibly grateful that I never have to wear one,” Driscoll said. “But it’s just, we think we need to do other things first to keep you safe.”
The main challenge to replacing the Army’s physical fitness gear is “money,” said Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George.
“It gets down into, what do you spend your money on?” George said. “And it comes down to fixing the barracks, buying drones, giving 10th Mountain [Infantry Squad Vehicles]. So that’s kind of where we’re at.”
Army officials have discussed making a greater variety of gear available for soldiers to purchase to take into account soldiers’ different body types, George said.
George also joked “we’ll stick a can out there in back” for soldiers to donate toward a new PT uniform.
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Jeff Schogol is the senior Pentagon reporter for Task & Purpose. He has covered the military for nearly 20 years. Email him at schogol@taskandpurpose.com or direct message @JSchogol73030 on Twitter.
