The Army is unlikely to modify the fitness test due to reservations about achieving gender neutrality.
Despite the existence of a congressional law embedded in last year’s defense authorization bill, which intends to establish gender-neutral physical fitness standards, Army officials have announced that they do not anticipate implementing any further adjustments to their Combat Fitness Test. This test, currently in use by the Army, is set to remain unchanged, indicating the Army’s reluctance to align with the gender-neutral provisions outlined in the law.
The decision by Army officials to maintain the status quo with regards to the Combat Fitness Test is noteworthy, considering the legislative efforts to establish gender-neutral physical fitness standards across the military. While the congressional law aims to promote equality and inclusivity in the assessment of physical readiness, the Army’s stance suggests a differing perspective on the matter, prioritizing the existing structure and requirements of their current fitness evaluation.
It remains to be seen how the divergence between the congressional law and the Army’s position on the Combat Fitness Test will be resolved. The discrepancy between the two highlights the ongoing discussions and potential challenges surrounding the implementation of gender-neutral physical fitness standards within the military and underscores the complex nature of reconciling policy mandates with existing practices and institutional norms.
In December, the 2023 defense authorization bill was enacted, containing provisions that mandated the implementation of identical fitness standards for both men and women by June 2023. The bill specifically emphasized that these new standards should guarantee that soldiers possess the ability to fulfill the responsibilities associated with their specific military occupational specialties.
Recent updates made to the Army Combat Fitness Test in October have led to the current expectation that no further changes will be implemented. The Office of the Chief of Public Affairs for the Army declined to provide any comment on this matter, leaving the decision without official clarification. This development was initially reported by Military.com.
During a Senate Armed Service Committee hearing the previous month, Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth addressed lawmakers and stated that the Army had already established gender-neutral standards. However, Wormuth did not specify which standards she was referring to in her statement.
Wormuth explained during the hearing, “The language in the bill talks about gender-neutral standards for military combat occupational specialties. We have standards in an Army policy pamphlet that lays out the requirements for all the combat jobs that are gender-neutral.”
While Wormuth’s testimony indicates that gender-neutral standards are in place according to the Army’s policy pamphlet, it remains uncertain how these standards align with the specific provisions outlined in the defense authorization bill. The lack of clarity surrounding this issue highlights the need for further examination and clarification regarding the implementation and alignment of gender-neutral standards within the Army’s physical fitness evaluations and combat occupational specialties.
The introduction of the gender-neutral test faced immediate challenges when the Army conducted a beta launch in 2019. Internal figures obtained by Military.com revealed that 44% of female soldiers were failing the test, in contrast to only 7% of their male counterparts. The leg tuck component of the test, which was later removed, proved to be particularly difficult for many female service members.
Compared to the previous fitness test, which measured push-ups, sit-ups, and a two-mile run, the new test incorporated additional elements. It included a deadlift, hand-release push-ups, a plank, and a two-mile run. Two other events involved tossing a 10-pound medicine ball for distance and performing a back-and-forth sprint while alternating between carrying 40-pound kettlebells and dragging a 90-pound sled.
In 2020, Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) successfully passed an amendment to delay the implementation of the test. Army Chief of Staff James McConville assured lawmakers in 2021 of his commitment to implementing gender-neutral testing.
However, despite the congressional law built into the 2023 defense authorization bill that directed the Army to establish gender-neutral physical fitness standards by June 2023, Army officials have recently stated that they do not anticipate making any further adjustments to the Combat Fitness Test. This decision was reported by Military.com, and as of now, the Office of the Chief of Public Affairs for the Army has not provided any comments on the matter.
During a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth mentioned that the Army already has gender-neutral standards in place. However, she did not specify which standards she was referring to during her testimony. Wormuth stated that the Army policy pamphlet contains the gender-neutral requirements for all combat jobs.
The disparity between the expectations set by the defense authorization bill and the Army’s stance on the Combat Fitness Test highlights the need for further examination and clarification regarding the implementation and alignment of gender-neutral standards within the Army. It remains to be seen how this discrepancy will be resolved and how the Army will address the issue of gender-neutral physical fitness standards moving forward.
