--- title: "These are the military’s combat arms jobs that have a new fitness test" description: "More than 80 military jobs are now designated as combat arms and must complete an additional branch-specific fitness test." date: "2026-09-09" modified: "2026-09-09" authors: - name: "Austin Campbell" job_title: "Contributing reporter" link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/austin-campbell.md" url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/military-combat-jobs-new-fitness-test/" categories: - "News" --- # These are the military’s combat arms jobs that have a new fitness test ![A U.S. Soldier assigned to the 36th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division, carries water canisters during the expert physical fitness assessment at Novo Selo Training Area, Bulgaria, on Aug. 31, 2026. The Expert Infantry Badge and the Expert Soldier Badge challenges Soldiers through a series of individual events designed to assess physical readiness, technical proficiency and the ability to perform under pressure. Each event tests different skills and capabilities, contributing to the development of confident, capable Soldiers and a ready force. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Sgt. Alexandria Romanack)]() *Soldiers carry water canisters during an expert physical fitness assessment at Novo Selo Training Area, Bulgaria, Aug. 31, 2026. Army Reserve photo by Sgt. Alexandria Romanack.* More than 80 military occupations are now designated as combat arms and require a combat field test be completed in addition to their standard service fitness test. The Department of Defense’s [physical fitness and body composition policy, which was updated on Aug. 31](), lists Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force jobs that fall under the new requirements. They include soldiers in infantry and Army Special Forces, Navy SEALs, Marine Raiders, Air Force pararescuemen and dozens of other occupations. Under the policy, troops in combat arms occupations must complete a combat field test using standards set by their individual service branch. The tests must be able to be conducted “in any environment, at any time, with combat equipment,” according to the instruction. The Army’s 23 listed occupations span infantry, combat engineers, diving, field artillery and fire support, Special Forces, armor and cavalry, and explosive ordnance disposal. The Navy’s 19 designators cover four main communities: SEALs, special warfare combat crewmen, explosive ordnance disposal personnel and divers. The list includes officers, warrant officers, enlisted sailors and candidates within those fields. The Marine Corps has the largest list, with 32 occupations spanning infantry, reconnaissance, Marine Raiders, field artillery and fires, combat engineers, amphibious vehicle crews and explosive ordnance disposal personnel. The Air Force lists eight occupations, including special tactics officers, tactical air control party officers and airmen, combat rescue officers, pararescuemen, combat controllers, special reconnaissance airmen and explosive ordnance disposal personnel. The Space Force, perhaps unsurprisingly, has no occupations designated as combat arms. Combat arms troops will also face different standards on their regular service fitness tests. Under the policy, their tests must use sex-neutral, simplified age-normed and male-standard requirements, while troops outside combat arms will continue to be evaluated using sex- and age-normed standards. It wasn’t immediately clear what the difference was between the “simplified” age-normed requirements and the non-simplified age-normed requirements. The Defense Department referred Task & Purpose to the individual services for more information. The Army's Combat Field Test, which Task & Purpose [reported]() on in April, is a seven-event, pass-fail assessment that includes two one-mile runs, dead-stop pushups, sandbag lifts, a water-can carry, and combat movement drills. Soldiers have 30 minutes to complete the test, and beginning in spring 2027, soldiers in designated combat jobs who repeatedly fail could be forced to reclassify or leave the Army. The Navy's version, rolled out [earlier this year]() for SEALs, special warfare combat crewmen, explosive ordnance disposal technicians and fleet divers, includes an 800-meter swim followed by pushups, pullups and a one-mile run while wearing a 20-pound weighted vest for the latter events. Service members who fail to meet fitness standards will be placed in remedial fitness programs. Continued failure can lead to administrative action, including separation, while failing to meet fitness standards can also result in unfavorable personnel actions, such as being passed over for promotion. The combat field tests stem from a September 2025 directive from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who ordered the services to develop sex-neutral physical standards for combat arms troops. Hegseth said the requirements could result in fewer women qualifying for some combat jobs. The changes come amid a push by Hegseth to reassess military standards after all combat occupations were opened to women in 2015. Women who served in combat arms [previously told]() Task & Purpose that they were already held to gender-neutral, job-specific standards and pushed back on suggestions that standards had been lowered for them. The policy also requires the services to provide data allowing the department to evaluate fitness outcomes by sex, age, race, ethnicity, rank and military occupation. ## Author Austin Campbell is an investigative reporter covering the U.S. military, national security, foreign policy and federal accountability. His reporting has uncovered previously unreleased military death data, documented nearly $1.8 million in questionable Air Force procurement spending, and exposed institutional failures across the military and federal government. His investigations have been cited multiple times by members of Congress and prompted congressional oversight of federal agencies. His work has appeared in The Intercept, Military.com, and Responsible Statecraft. A former U.S. Air Force aircraft armament specialist, Campbell holds a master's degree from UNC Chapel Hill's Hussman School of Journalism and Media.