Army Won't Commit to April Rollout of Troubled Fitness Test

Just weeks before the Army's controversial new fitness test was supposed to become official, a complete rethinking of a requirement that can be the difference between promotion and separation for service members, the force won't commit to moving ahead with the test on time.

Troops, who may need entirely different fitness equipment and substantial changes to their training, have been left in limbo, unsure whether the version of the test that was trialed in recent years will take effect or if the service is going to produce a meaningfully different set of standards.

"It would be nice to know what this test is actually going to be so we can start planning for that," one infantry command sergeant major told Military.com on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press about the Army's Combat Fitness Test, or ACFT. "We'll keep doing PT; that won't change. Some of this is good stuff. The ACFT … probably motivated more soldiers to do more [workouts] like kettlebell swings."