Airmen run during a physical fitness assessment at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., on Oct. 29, 2024. A screenshot purporting to show upcoming changes to the Air Force fitness test program was published on social media. (Tiffany Del Oso/U.S. Air Force)
The Air Force is preparing major changes to its physical fitness assessments, according to its top enlisted member.
An internal message posted on social media Monday from Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force David Flosi says the service is “likely going to” implement biannual testing for all airmen, bring back waist measurements to assess body composition and replace the 1.5-mile run with a 2-mile version.
The authenticity of the message was confirmed by a Flosi representative, but officials declined to say whether the specific changes it mentions will in fact be implemented.
The service is finalizing updates to its physical training policies as part of efforts to “revive warrior ethos,” an Air Force spokesperson said in response to questions.
The current fitness assessment includes a cardiovascular component — either a 1.5-mile run or a 20-meter shuttle run introduced in 2022 — along with pushups and situps or approved alternatives.
Airmen who score 90 or higher out of a possible 100 points are currently allowed to test just once per year, a policy introduced in 2010 as an incentive for high performers. That exemption is expected to be eliminated under the new guidance.
The updates also aim to correct pandemic-era policies that did not adequately prepare airmen for operational demands, according to the spokesperson.
An airman measures his waist in Sioux City, Iowa, on Jan. 11, 2024. Reintroduction of the waist measurement component is one of the likely changes to the Air Force's physical training standards listed in a leaked memo from Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force David Flosi. (Tylon Chapman/U.S. Air Force)
In 2020, amid COVID-19 restrictions, the Air Force removed waist circumference as a scored component of the fitness test and moved it to a standalone body composition program. At the time, officials said the change was permanent.
Since then, airmen have been required to schedule a separate waist measurement during their birth month in addition to completing their fitness assessments.
The measurement will likely be reintegrated into the fitness test and scored using a height-to-waist ratio chart, replacing the pre-2020 version, which did not account for height, according to Flosi’s message.
The overhaul follows a March 12 directive from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth calling for a rapid reassessment of physical training standards across the military.
Hegseth told the undersecretary for personnel and readiness to gather information on military standards “pertaining to physical fitness, body composition and grooming” and review changes to the standards since 2015.
Flosi’s message is not dated, but it was sent to senior enlisted leaders on Thursday.
In February, the Air Force briefly updated its official fitness assessment scorecard to include waist circumference as a scored element but removed the category just days later without explanation.
In April, Stars and Stripes obtained an internal email summarizing fitness assessment changes planned for Air Force recruits in both basic and technical training. Air Education and Training Command, which oversees both programs, declined to provide further information.
The Air Force has not formally updated its fitness assessment guidance since 2022. Officials say new instructions will be released once finalized.
