How do you feel about the army reducing physical fitness standards for females and older soldiers?

This is nothing more than Army leadership failing to acknowledge sunk costs on what was always a highly flawed test since inception. Instead of pulling the plug, like what happens in hundreds of failed RDT&E projects, Big Army doubles down on the program to avoid embarrassment. Now they don’t even claim it is an assessment of “combat readiness”, which was the whole point of the new test in the first place.

I see it as the Army finally saw some common sense in that not every single Soldier is made the same. Some great at running...others not so much. Others are great at push ups...others not so much. And while the standards may be "lowered," it is still up to the Soldier to pass the events. Having done the 3 event test for years.....and now the ACFT, I can say that the new test....while with newer/updated standards....will kick your six.

It's kind of a no-brainer. If physical fitness standards are part of promotion evaluation, and one group biologically will always score lower than another, then you have just disadvantaged one group and opened up a class action lawsuit.

The Army either had to get rid of PT standards in promotions or make them more fair. Some of the standard are the same for women and men, and some are not. Anyone who expects the majority of women to deadlift 340 pounds is ridiculous, especially when you consider how many younger females in the Army weigh under 150 pounds. If a woman who weighs 100 pounds deadlifts 180, while a guy who weighs 200 deadlifts 300, by most athletic standards the woman has outlifted the man by body weight percentage.

As for this being a combat test, how many people who have successfully deployed as an Intel, commo, HR, transportation, supply person have had to drag a 200 pound person or deadlift 300 pound? Very, very few. Not enough that the promotions of every support MOS should be heavily influenced by it.

Also, I would like to point out that the male standards really did not drop with age. Once you hit about 50, sure the max drops. But when you're 50 your PT score is not a factor for promotion between you and your other 50 year old peers.

Sir,

If over 90% of troops in a given category (Female, over 40, National Guard, etc.) can pass the existing fitness standard and less than 60% in that same category can pass the new standard, chances are pretty good that the problem isn't the troops, it is the standard.

Now, you can argue whether the problem is that the existing standard is too "soft" or the new standard is too hard. But either way, the problem is the standard not the troops. We have told these Soldiers - and our Recruiters, Drill Sergeants, and IET Commanders - what "fit" is. If previously "fit" Soldiers become "unfit" overnight - in mass quantities - then something is rotten in the state of Denmark.

Damn Sir, they have always had scoring on a scale based on age.

And an excerpt from the Daily Mail article @ link. And —> an interesting/troubling read.

“... Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth, the first woman to lead the armed forces branch, said during her confirmation hearing that she planned to revamp the fitness test with an eye to closing the gender gap...”

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10645629/Woke-army-introduces-new-easier-combat-fitness-test-women-armed-forces.html

I assume they are having trouble with retention and Covid didn’t help. I suppose you have to do something to keep the numbers up. But as an offshoot it could affect morale good and bad.

Am I missing something? While the pass and 100 percent standard for women changed drastically, it just looks like the eliminated the categories on the Men's side. Didn't see a lot of difference in the scoring until you hit the above 40 group.
I never had a problem with the gender scoring systems of the APFT. I did have a problem with the Army having a separate PT Standard and claiming the female soldiers are the physical equal of the male soldiers.

Not trying to make light of the situation here, but being physically fit in the military is not just to look good in uniform, it is essential in being able to carry your weight and be a working part of the combat unit. My belief is that all should remain as physically fit as possible, so they can carry their load. Thank you.

Where were all these so called experts in 1981. I guess no one cared about our welfare. Hey by the way it did us good. Lowering the standard brings less qualified people in my opinion. I thought when someone joined the military they were to adapt to the standards not the other way around