Army unlikely to alter fitness test over concerns of gender neutrality

Army officials say the service is not expected to make additional changes to its Combat Fitness Test despite a congressional law built into last year’s defense authorization bill that would establish gender-neutral physical fitness standards.

The 2023 defense authorization bill, which passed in December, directed the service to implement the same fitness standards for both men and women by June 2023. The new standards, according to the bill, would “ensure soldiers can perform the duties of their respective military occupational specialties.”