Pentagon codifies fitness standards across branches

The Pentagon issued a department-wide fitness policy requiring active-duty personnel to complete two fitness assessments each year, while Guard and Reserve members take one. More than 80 combat-arms occupations will use sex-neutral, male-based standards with an average score threshold of 70 percent, alongside a waist-to-height ratio below 0.55. The policy also provides at least twelve months of postpartum exemption and directs commanders to support regular exercise. Services must align implementation and begin standardized reporting, with department-level data due by June 1, 2027, across the services.