Your MOS puts you on one of two scoring tracks. General standard Soldiers pass at 300 points. Combat standard Soldiers pass at 350. Same five events, different finish line. That 50 point gap changes how you train, how you pace each event, and what happens if you fall short. Twenty-one combat MOSs add another layer: sex neutral scoring, where age still matters but sex does not. Picking the wrong standard to train against wastes months. This breakdown lines up both tracks side by side: the point floors, the per-event minimums, and the MOS tiers that decide which table applies to you. No ranking, no opinion, just the numbers the Army published for each standard. Check your MOS against the categories below before you plan your next cycle.
The 2025 Army Fitness Test Transition
The Army finalized the switch on June 1, 2025. On that date, the AFT became the official test of record, replacing the ACFT. This was not a minor update. The Army cut one event and split scoring into two standards based on your MOS.
Official Implementation Timeline
The rollout happened in stages. The Army published the directive on April 23, 2025. An execution order followed on May 1, 2025, with guidance for units. Then the AFT became record on June 1, 2025. Here is the full sequence:
Check your component's date before you plan a record test. Active Component Soldiers face the combat standard earlier than the Guard and Reserve.
Removal of the Standing Power Throw
The Army dropped the Standing Power Throw. RAND analysis backed the call. The event carried a high injury risk and demanded technical coaching that slowed down testing. Dropping it simplified the lane setup for graders and cut down on event-specific training time Soldiers spent chasing a throw technique instead of general strength and conditioning.
The Five Core Events
Five events remain: MDL, HRP, SDC, PLK, and 2MR. Each one targets a different fitness domain.
- MDL (3 Repetition Maximum Deadlift): tests lower body and grip strength. You get two attempts.
- HRP (Hand Release Push-up): tests upper body muscular endurance. You extend to a T position at the bottom of each rep.
- SDC (Sprint-Drag-Carry): tests anaerobic power across five 50-meter shuttles. You drag a 90-pound sled and carry two 40-pound kettlebells.
- PLK (Plank): tests core strength. It replaced the Leg Tuck entirely.
- 2MR (Two-Mile Run): tests aerobic endurance on improved surfaces.
Scoring for each event still runs on age and sex, and now splits further by your standard. Check the current scoring tables to see where your numbers land before your next record test.
Military Occupational Specialty Tiers and Demands
Your MOS sets the physical bar before you ever step on the test field. The Army sorts every job into a demand category based on lifting weight and frequency. That category decides what the test field expects from you, separate from your combat or general scoring track.
Physical Demand Category Definitions
The Army uses three tiers, according to Chapter 9 of the Enlisted Classification System. Moderately (MO) positions require frequent or constant lifting up to 40 lbs. Significant (SG) positions require frequent or constant lifting from 41 lbs to 99 lbs, with occasional tasks up to 100 lbs. Heavy (HV) positions require frequent or constant lifting of 41 lbs and above, or occasional tasks over 100 lbs. Frequency matters here. Occasional means 1 to 19 percent of the time. Frequent means 20 to 80 percent. Constant means 81 to 100 percent. Your MOS gets rated against these bands, and that rating follows you onto the test field.
Heavy Demand Combat Roles
Heavy demand jobs carry the load, literally and in testing terms. According to the Army Fitness Test page at army.mil, 21 specific MOSs fall under the combat standard. That list includes 11B, 12B, and 19K, among others. These roles sit at the intersection of heavy physical demand and the higher scoring requirement. A Soldier in one of these 21 MOSs trains and tests against the combat standard regardless of current duty assignment.
The Update Frequency for MOS Tiers
Physical demand categories don't sit static on a shelf. Chapter 9 of the Enlisted Classification System ties these tiers to HQDA EXORD 202-16, the directive that established the Moderately, Significant, and Heavy categories. Reviews check whether the lifting and frequency data for each MOS still match the job on the ground. Check your MOS classification against current regulation before you assume your tier. Confirm whether your MOS sits on the 21 MOS combat list. Track any updates to your demand category through official Army channels.
Scoring Thresholds for Combat and General Standards
General and combat jobs do not share a finish line. The general standard sets the bar at 300 points total. The combat standard sets it at 350. That 50 point gap applies across your whole test, not one event.
Point Minimums Per Event
Under the general standard, you need 60 points on each of the five events, per goarmy.com. Combat MOS Soldiers face a higher floor on every event: 60 points minimum under the combat standard, with the total built to reach 350 instead of 300, according to army.mil. Miss the floor on one event and you fail the test, regardless of your total score. Check each event score against the table before you add anything up. For a refresher on how the five current events replaced the old six event lineup, see this breakdown of the AFT event changes.
Cumulative Score Targets
General specialty Soldiers pass at 300 points total. Combat specialty Soldiers pass at 350. Here is the comparison:
The 21 designated combat MOSs, including 11B, 18B, and 19K, hold to the 350 mark regardless of unit assignment, per army.mil. A combat-MOS Soldier serving in a non-combat unit still answers to the 350 standard.
Age and Sex Norming Rules
The general standard runs on tables normed by both age and sex, per army.mil. Your raw score requirement shifts based on your age bracket and whether you are male or female. The combat standard drops sex as a variable. Combat tables stay age-normed but apply one standard regardless of sex, consistent with Executive Order 14168 as cited by army.mil. Know which table applies to your MOS before you train to a number.
Event by Event Performance Shifts
The 60 point mark sets the general floor. The 70 point mark sets the practical combat target for most events. Each event moves differently. You cannot assume a flat 10 percent jump across the board.
Deadlift and Push Up Delta
The MDL floor for 60 points is 140 pounds, according to the West Point Modern War Institute analysis of Army fitness standards. That number sets your baseline for the general standard. Combat MOS Soldiers need more raw poundage to clear 70 points. Budget strength training cycles around progressive overload, not a single max attempt. The HRP floor for 60 points is 10 repetitions in two minutes, per the same analysis. Moving to a combat score means adding reps under fatigue, not just adding reps in isolation. Train HRP late in a workout, after your legs and grip are already taxed.
Sprint Drag Carry Pacing
The SDC rewards short bursts of max effort followed by forced recovery. At the 60 point general floor, the pace demand is manageable for most Soldiers with baseline conditioning. Combat MOS Soldiers need a faster time to clear 70 points. That means training the transitions: sprint to drag, drag to carry, carry to final sprint. Each transition costs time if you are not drilled on it. Run the event in sequence weekly, not just the individual movements separately.
The Aerobic Gap in the Two Mile Run
The 60 point 2MR ceiling is 22 minutes, an 11 minute per mile pace, according to the Modern War Institute review. That pace is forgiving for a general score. A combat 70 point target demands a tighter pace across both miles, not just a faster first mile. Build this through interval work: repeated 800 meter efforts at goal race pace, with short rest. Track your split at the one mile mark every time you test. A slow first mile forces an unsustainable second mile.
Sex Neutral Standards in Combat Units
Twenty-one combat MOSs face a different rule than the rest of the force. The standard does not shift based on sex. Every Soldier in these jobs hits the same bar.
Gender Neutrality in 21 MOSs
The Army applies one physical standard to men and women in these roles. Infantry, Armor, and Special Forces fall under this rule. So do Cavalry Scouts and Field Artillery officers. The 350 point total and 60 point per event floor apply the same way to every Soldier in these MOSs. Age norming still applies. Sex norming does not.
Regulatory Basis for Standards
The Army defines these standards as sex neutral under Executive Order 14168. The order addresses biological categories in federal policy. The AFT combat standard applies that definition directly to scoring. A male and female Soldier in the same MOS and age bracket work from the identical scoring table. Review the full scoring breakdown by age and event if you need exact point values for your bracket.
Impact on Career Assignments
Your MOS decides your standard. Your unit assignment does not. A combat MOS Soldier serving in a non combat unit still tests to the 350 point combat standard. A staff job, a schoolhouse post, or a training command does not lower the bar. The MOS on your record sets the requirement. Soldiers should verify their MOS classification before assuming a lower standard applies based on current duty location.
Administrative Outcomes for Testing Failure
Scoring below the standard carries consequences. The Army ties each outcome to your MOS, your rank, and the number of failures on record. Know these rules before your next record test.
The Reclassification Window
If you hold a combat MOS and meet the general standard but miss the 350 point combat standard, you face in service reclassification, according to the Army (army.mil/aft). A voluntary reclassification window runs from September to December 2025 for eligible Soldiers who cannot meet the combat standard. Use this window to move to a moderate demand MOS on your own terms.
Involuntary Branch Transfers for Officers
Commissioned officers in combat branches answer to the same 350 point line. Per the Army (army.mil/aft), Combat Officers from 2LT to CPT who fail to hit 350 points by December 31, 2025, face involuntary branch transfer. This applies regardless of current assignment, since combat MOS standards follow the officer, not the unit.
Separation for Repeated Failures
Failing two consecutive record AFTs may lead to involuntary separation from the Army, according to GoArmy (goarmy.com/how-to-join/requirements/fitness). Before separation, the Army offers support and training to improve your score, and you get a chance to retest. Separation becomes a risk only after that second consecutive record failure stands on your file.
Here is what to do with this information:
- Check your MOS against the list of 21 combat specialties to confirm which standard applies to you.
- If you cannot meet the 350 point combat standard, use the September to December 2025 window to request reclassification.
- Officers in combat branches should track the December 31, 2025 deadline closely.
- Treat any record failure as a signal to use the Army's retraining support before your next test.
- Never let two record failures stack up without addressing the gap in between.
Tactical Pacing to Bridge the 10 Point Gap
A 10 point gap in any event is not an abstract problem. It is a fixed number of reps, seconds, or pounds. Break it into small, trackable pieces. This section gives you a roadmap across ten specific areas to close that gap.
1. Measure the Real Gap First
Pull your last diagnostic score sheet. Find the exact rep, second, or pound value needed for the next 10 point band. Write it down before you build a plan.
2. The Marginal Effort Roadmap
Small increases in raw output drive large point swings near the middle of the scoring curve. A few more push ups or a few seconds off your 2MR time can move you a full band. Track weekly, not daily.
3. Deadlift Progression in Small Loads
Add weight to the MDL in 10 pound increments, not 25. Smaller jumps let you keep form and hit your next 3 rep max safely.
4. Push Up Volume Blocks
Build HRP capacity with sets to near failure twice a week. Add one rep per set every two weeks instead of testing max effort constantly.
5. Plank Time Under Tension
Increase PLK hold time in 10 second increments. Core endurance improves faster with frequent short sessions than with one long weekly attempt.
6. Training for Metabolic Work
The SDC is the best predictor of a Soldier's ability to perform high intensity metabolic work, according to research published by the Modern War Institute at West Point. Train it with short, repeated high intensity intervals that mimic the sled and carry demands, not steady state cardio alone.
7. Run Pace Drills for the 2MR
Cut 2MR time with interval work at faster than goal pace, followed by recovery jogs. This builds the speed reserve needed to hold pace in the later laps.
8. Sequencing Your Training Week
Rotate strength, metabolic, and endurance sessions across the week. Avoid stacking two high fatigue events back to back before a diagnostic test.
9. Recovery and Retesting Support
Recovery time matters as much as training volume. Active duty Soldiers must retest within 90 days following a record failure, per official Army guidance on the Army Fitness Test. Use that window to run a structured plan instead of repeating untracked workouts.
10. Tracking Progress Toward the Next Band
Log every diagnostic attempt against the point table for your event. Compare trends over weeks, not single sessions, to confirm you are closing the gap.
Readying for the June 2025 Standard
Know your MOS tier before you plan a single workout cycle. General standard Soldiers train to 300 points. Combat standard Soldiers train to 350, with no sex based adjustment in those 21 MOSs. The gap between those two lines is not abstract; it is measurable in pounds on the MDL bar and reps on HRP. Check the official tables yourself: "AFT Scoring Tables (Effective June 1, 2025)" - Army Fitness Test. Going forward, your next record test is less about guessing and more about closing a known point gap with tracked, weekly progress. Pull your last score sheet, confirm your demand category, and build toward the correct floor now.
