Army AFT Standards: Events, Scoring, and What Changed from the ACFT

On June 1, 2025, the Army officially retired the Army Combat Fitness Test and replaced it with the Army Fitness Test, or AFT. If you are preparing to enlist, getting ready for a record test, or coaching soldiers through their next assessment, the standards you trained under two years ago are not the standards you will be graded on now. This guide breaks down the five AFT events, the scoring rules for both the general and combat standards, and the smartest way to structure your training.

What Is the Army Fitness Test?

The AFT is the Army's physical assessment of record for all soldiers. It keeps most of the structure of the ACFT but makes one major cut: the Standing Power Throw is gone. The Army removed the event over long-running concerns about its relevance and consistency, which trims the test from six events to five.

The bigger story is the scoring. The AFT introduces a sex-neutral standard for soldiers in 21 combat military occupational specialties, while everyone else tests under a general standard that remains normed by age and sex. Combat MOS soldiers in the active component had to meet the new standard beginning January 1, 2026, and Reserve and National Guard soldiers must meet it by June 1, 2026.

The Five AFT Events

1. Three-Repetition Maximum Deadlift (MDL)

Using a 60-pound hex bar and plates, you lift the heaviest weight you can manage for three clean repetitions. This event rewards raw posterior chain strength: glutes, hamstrings, and a braced core. It is the event where dedicated strength work pays off fastest.

2. Hand-Release Push-Up (HRP)

Two minutes, as many reps as possible. Each rep finishes with your chest on the ground and hands lifted before you press back up. Strict standards punish sloppy reps, so train the full movement, not just regular push-ups.

3. Sprint-Drag-Carry (SDC)

Five 50-meter shuttles for time: sprint, sled drag with a 90-pound sled, lateral shuffle, a carry with two 40-pound kettlebells, and a final sprint. It is the most metabolically brutal event on the test and the one that separates gym strength from work capacity.

4. Plank (PLK)

Hold a proper front-leaning plank position as long as possible. The plank replaced the leg tuck permanently in the ACFT era and carries over unchanged in spirit: it tests midline endurance under fatigue.

5. Two-Mile Run (2MR)

A timed two-mile run on a flat outdoor course. It comes last, when your legs are already smoked from the SDC and deadlift, so train your running in a fatigued state at least once per week.

AFT Scoring: General vs Combat Standards

Every soldier must score at least 60 points in every event. Fail one event and you fail the test, regardless of your total.

The general standard requires a minimum total of 300 points across the five events, scored on age and sex normed tables. The combat standard, which applies to the 21 designated combat specialties such as infantry, armor, cavalry, artillery, and Special Forces, requires a minimum of 350 points on a sex-neutral, age-normed scale.

Want to know exactly where you stand? Run your numbers through the free Army fitness test calculator, or compare your scores across branches with the full set of military PT calculators.

What Changed from the ACFT

The differences come down to four things. First, the Standing Power Throw is eliminated, so the test is five events instead of six. Second, the name changed from Army Combat Fitness Test to Army Fitness Test. Third, combat MOS soldiers now test against a single sex-neutral standard with a higher 350-point floor. Fourth, implementation is phased, with the active component leading and the Reserve and Guard following in mid-2026.

If you built your training around the ACFT, most of your work still transfers. You can keep the strength and conditioning base from our 8-week ACFT training plan and simply drop the power throw work, or follow the event-by-event strategies in our complete guide to maxing the Army fitness test.

How to Train for the AFT

Structure your week around three priorities. Priority one is the deadlift, because the MDL is the most trainable event and heavy pulls also improve your SDC sled drag. Two heavy lower-body sessions per week with progressive overload is enough for most soldiers. Priority two is work capacity: sled drags, kettlebell carries, shuttle repeats, and interval running that mimics the SDC and two-mile run. Priority three is midline endurance for the plank, trained with weighted planks and long unbroken holds.

A quick note on bracing: the fastest way to leak strength on a max-effort deadlift is a soft midsection. Learning to breathe into your belt and brace hard against it can add real weight to your 3-rep max, which is exactly why we built a belt for hybrid training.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When did the AFT replace the ACFT?

June 1, 2025. From that date the AFT became the Army's test of record, and the ACFT name and six-event format were retired.

What is the minimum passing score on the AFT?

Soldiers under the general standard need at least 60 points per event and 300 points total. Soldiers in the 21 combat specialties need at least 60 points per event and 350 points total on the sex-neutral scale.

Is the AFT harder than the ACFT?

For most soldiers the test feels similar, since four of the five events are unchanged. For combat MOS soldiers the bar is objectively higher because the 350-point floor is scored sex-neutral.

How do I know my score before test day?

Use the free Battle Bunker military PT calculators to score a practice test. Retest every four to six weeks and let the weakest event drive your next training block.

Curious how the Army's standards stack up against the other branches? Read our side-by-side military fitness test comparison.