U.S. soldiers conduct the Sprint-Drag-Carry exercise of the Army Combat Fitness Test at Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, Romania
Photo by Andrew Mendoza/U.S. Army
The Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) became the U.S. Army's physical fitness test of record in October 2022. The test is substantially different from the previous test and consists of six events intended to measure a more expansive set of capabilities: muscular strength and endurance, power, speed, agility, aerobic endurance, balance, flexibility, coordination, and reaction time.
RAND researchers have conducted independent assessments of the test. Research teams examined aspects of the test including how the Army can reduce preventable injuries, how the Army can successfully set higher minimum fitness standards for soldiers, how well the test predicts combat task performance, and more.
