The U.S. Army will soon require women in combat roles to meet the same physical fitness standards as men, a policy shift effective June 1st, with full enforcement by January 2026. This follows Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's directive to eliminate gender-based scoring differences.

The U.S. Army announced a new 'sex-neutral' fitness test that will apply to all soldiers in combat roles starting this summer. The Army Fitness Test (AFT) will replace the Army Combat Fitness Test beginning June 1.