The new assessment will see all airmen evaluated in four categories, which will include cardio respiratory fitness, waist-to-height ratios, muscle strength and muscle core endurance. It also introduces a two-mile run.
The PFA will be mandatory every six months. The transition period to the new assessment will start Jan. 1, 2026, with official scored testing set to begin in September 2026. The interim period will give airmen time to adjust to the new standards.
The new measures will also allow installation commanders to conduct mass PFA testing twice a year. The service has also released a guide called “The Warfighter’s Fitness Playbook,” which outlines tips for meeting the new standards. The guide includes steps for exercises and a sleep diary, among other resources.
“Your physical fitness, health, nutrition, and sleep are all critical components of your performance and effectiveness as an Airman or Guardian. Maintaining overall fitness isn’t a temporary goal — it’s a year-round commitment,” the guide states.
The new PFA and program will apply to Total Force Airmen, and will therefore include Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units.
The new standards follow a study released in April which revealed that more than two-thirds of Guard and Reserve troops are overweight. A story published by Military Times on the study was shared by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in a post made on X.
“Completely unacceptable. This is what happens when standards are IGNORED — and this is what we are changing,” he wrote in the post. “REAL fitness & weight standards are here. We will be FIT, not FAT.”
The service’s new Culture of Fitness initiative, also announced this week, will also include proactive health management, greater emphasis on physical conditioning and the increased promotion of health and nutrition in addition to the new fitness standards.
Zita Ballinger Fletcher previously served as editor of Military History Quarterly and Vietnam magazines and as the historian of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. She holds an M.A. with distinction in military history.
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