The new Army Fitness Test comes after Pete Hegseth, the defense secretary, ordered the elimination of lower fitness standards for women in combat roles.

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.

Starting this summer, the Army will require female soldiers in combat roles to pass the same “sex-neutral” fitness test as their male counterparts, the service announced Monday. The new Army