The U.S. Army has updated its annual physical fitness test for soldiers in combat roles, such as infantry and artillery.
Starting this month, the troops — regardless of age or sex — will be required to complete seven tasks in 30 minutes or less, with the clock running, while wearing a uniform, combat boots and a brown T-shirt, the Army announced in a statement Wednesday.
The soldiers have a one-year grace period to pass the test without penalty. During that time, they can request reassignment to noncombat roles if they determine they cannot meet the standard.
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“The Combat Field Test is a critical step forward in ensuring our Soldiers serving in the most physically demanding specialties have the specific fitness required to dominate on the modern battlefield,” Dan Driscoll, the secretary of the Army, said in a statement.
“This is about readiness, lethality, and the well-being of our Soldiers.”
The seven events are:
16 lifts of a 40-pound sandbag onto a 65-inch platform.
A 50-meter carry of two five-gallon Army water cans weighing 40 pounds each.
A 50-meter movement drill consisting of a 25-meter high crawl and a 25-meter 3-5 second rush.
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