#GenderNeutralStandards

The US Army’s shift away from the controversial medicine ball throw, and its adoption of the rebranded Army Fitness Test (AFT), signals a broader move toward gender-neutral, role-specific fitness standards. Starting June 2025, active-duty troops, the Army Reserve, and the National Guard will replace the Standing Power Throw with a more holistic assessment. The new framework lowers the total maximum score from 600 to 500 but raises the bar for combat arms to achieve at least 60 points per event, with a 350-point minimum overall. Medical exemptions permit 70 points per cleared event, and the AFT places greater emphasis on practical, job-related fitness rather than isolated feats. These changes, reported by Military.com, highlight a trend toward inclusive, rigorous testing in modern military training.

The US Army is ringing in a new era for soldier fitness by scrapping its much-ridiculed medicine ball throw—widely known as the “ball yeet”—and tightening physical standards for combat troops. According to an exclusive report by Military.com, starting June 2025, service members across the active duty, Army Reserve, and National Guard will pivot to the rebranded Army Fitness Test (AFT), abandoning the controversial Standing Power Throw event and ushering in higher, gender-neutral benchmarks for demanding combat roles Military.com.