#MilitaryReform

The U.S. Army has unveiled sweeping changes to its fitness testing protocol, marking the end of the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) and ushering in a new era with the Army Fitness Test (AFT) beginning in June 2025. The announcement signals a significant shift in how the largest branch of the U.S. military assesses its soldiers’ physical readiness, with reforms designed to bolster overall fitness, enhance warfighting capabilities, and address ongoing debates over test fairness and military effectiveness (USA Today).

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.