The Army's New Combat Field Test: What Soldiers Need to Know for April 2026

The Army announced the Combat Field Test (CFT) on April 17, 2026 — a new pass/fail assessment for Soldiers in 24 designated combat MOSs. It does not replace the Army Fitness Test. It is a second test that combat-MOS Soldiers must pass in addition to their standard AFT to remain MOS-qualified.

If you're in Infantry, Armor, Special Forces, Combat Engineers, Field Artillery, EOD, or you're a Diver, this affects you. Here's what's tested, how the diagnostic year works, and what to do now.

What the CFT actually is

Seven events, performed in a single continuous sequence, completed in 30 minutes or less, wearing ACU top and bottom, combat boots, and a brown T-shirt. No headgear. No age- or gender-based scoring — the standard is identical for everyone who has to take it.

The events, in order:

1. 1-Mile Run (entry) — sets the baseline fatigue for everything that follows.
2. 30 Dead-Stop Push-Ups — chest to the ground, both hands lifted off, knees off the ground for each rep.
3. 100-Meter Sprint — maximum anaerobic effort under prior fatigue.
4. 16 Sandbag Lifts — 16 separate 40 lb sandbags lifted from the ground onto a 65-inch platform, any method. All 16 must stay on the platform.
5. 50-Meter Water Can Carry — two 40 lb cans (80 lbs total) for 50 meters.
6. 50-Meter Movement Drill — 25m of high crawl plus 25m of 3-to-5-second rushes.
7. 1-Mile Run (finish) — final mile under cumulative load and fatigue.

The order is deliberate. Two 1-mile runs bookend a deliberately fatiguing middle that replicates the load and tempo of ground combat — sprint, lift, carry, move under fire, then run again. You can't specialize your way through it.

Who has to take it

Twenty-four MOSs and AOCs across four branch groupings:

• Infantry: 11A, 11B, 11C, 11Z
• Armor: 19A, 19C, 19D, 19K, 19Z
• Special Forces: 18A, 180A, 18B, 18C, 18D, 18E, 18F, 18Z
• Engineers and Others: 12A, 12B, 12D (Diver), 13A, 13F, 89D (EOD Specialist), 89E (EOD Officer)

The full list with titles is on the CFT MOS list page. If your MOS or AOC is not on that list, the CFT does not apply to you. You still take the AFT.

How often you'll take it

Combat-MOS Active Duty Soldiers take the CFT annually, in addition to the AFT. There's a minimum 4-month gap between a record AFT and a record CFT so back-to-back testing doesn't degrade either result.

Reserve and National Guard combat-MOS Soldiers alternate years between AFT and CFT, with at least 8 months between record events.

The diagnostic year is real, but it's not a free pass

From April 2026 to April 2027, the CFT is in a diagnostic period. Per Army Directive 2026-07, no administrative action is taken solely because of a failed CFT during this window. Failures are tagged with a non-punitive IPPS-A code so units can see who does not yet meet the standard. The Army built this in to give units time to train, equip lanes, and field the test.

Starting April 17, 2027, a record CFT failure results in a flag (Code C) and reconditioning, with a retest within 90 days (180 days for Reserve Component Soldiers not on AGR or 365+ day orders). Two consecutive failures without a waiver trigger mandatory reclassification out of the combat MOS (or an involuntary branch transfer for officers).

The diagnostic year is not optional. Every Soldier in scope must take a diagnostic CFT and have the scorecard entered in ATIS within 6 months of the directive (about mid-October 2026). Record testing starts April 17, 2027.

Voluntary reclassification and waivers

During the diagnostic year, enlisted Soldiers (PVT–SSG with under 18 years of service) who do not meet the standard on a diagnostic CFT can request voluntary reclassification into up to three priority specialties. Officers can request a branch transfer through VTIP.

Soldiers whose permanent profile prevents any primary AFT event are ineligible for the CFT and are evaluated for reclassification. A waiver can come from the GCMCA or the first General Officer in the chain of command (non-delegable, valid 12 months).

How the CFT relates to the AFT

The two tests measure different things and answer different questions. The AFT asks: is this Soldier physically fit by general Army standards? The CFT asks: can this Soldier still function in combat after fatigue, with load, in the uniform they actually fight in?

That's why the CFT is age- and gender-neutral and the AFT (for non-combat MOSs) is normed. The AFT is a fitness assessment; the CFT is a job test. Score the fitness test on the AFT calculator. We've built a side-by-side comparison at /combat-field-test/vs-aft covering scoring, frequency, uniform, and consequences in detail.

What to do now

If you're in scope, three things matter more than anything else:

1. Train the bookends. Two 1-mile runs in ACUs and boots, with five hard events stuffed between them. If your aerobic base is weak, you will hit the second mile with nothing left. Build a base now so the second mile isn't a wall.
2. Train loaded carries. The water cans (80 lbs, bilateral) and the 16 sandbag lifts to a 65-inch platform punish Soldiers who only train barbell strength. Add unilateral carries, suitcase carries, and overhead presses to your week.
3. Practice the sequence. Single-event PRs don't tell you anything about your CFT. Once a month, run the full sequence — even at scaled load — and time it. The 30-minute clock is unforgiving once fatigue stacks.

For the broader picture — events, timeline, failure policy, official Army Directive PDFs — see the full CFT guide. The official source materials are available on the downloads page.

Quick FAQ

Does the CFT replace the AFT? No. Combat-MOS Soldiers take both.

Are there age or gender adjustments? No. The 30-minute standard applies to everyone in scope.

What happens during the diagnostic year if I fail? No administrative action solely for the failure; you get a non-punitive IPPS-A code.

What happens after April 17, 2027 if I fail? A flag, reconditioning, and a retest within 90 days. Two consecutive failures mean mandatory reclassification.

Can I voluntarily reclassify out of a combat MOS? Yes — during the diagnostic year only.

What uniform? ACU top and bottom, belt, brown T-shirt, AR 670-1 approved boots. No headgear.