Boost Combat Power: Optimize Health and Fitness

US Defense Department’s New Fitness Review

On March 12, 2025, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced the commencement of a rapid cross-force examination of changes in physical fitness and body composition standards since Jan. 1, 2015. This was followed by a memorandum on April 24, 2025, directing a 30-day review of medical conditions that disqualify individuals from military service. Hegseth emphasized the need for service members to be physically and mentally prepared to perform under the most severe conditions, a message that was shared across the Department of Defense’s social media channels.

Military Health System’s Advice on Fitness

As the Defense Department scrutinizes these requirements, the focus on member fitness is gaining momentum. Experts from the Military Health System are offering advice on potential resolutions. Dr. Donald Shell, director of the Disease Prevention, Disease Management, and Population Health Policy and Oversight program, highlighted the importance of linking standards to substantiated health standards, common tasks, or military occupational specialty (MOS)-specific task criteria.

Understanding Fitness Policies and Health Risks

The term “overweight” does not always mean “overfat,” as two people with similar weight and height may vary in terms of mass and physical performance. This distinction, along with the potential health risks associated with obesity, was discussed in depth by Dr. Shell at a federal health symposium in spring 2025.

Physical Readiness Standards

These standards are founded on scientific research and establish both health-based criteria and operational physical performance-based criteria. They encourage readiness by accentuating necessary physical abilities, reducing injuries, and meeting military service-specific operational mission needs. For instance, having a higher muscle mass and better performance is preferable over poor nutrition and unhealthy habits.

Updating Army Fitness Test

The U.S. Army revamped its fitness test on April 25, 2025, to bolster readiness and lethality. The new scoring standards for active duty soldiers in 21 combat military occupational specialties took effect on January 1, 2026, with the five-event test being “sex-neutral and age-normed”.

Impact of Injuries on Military Missions

Musculoskeletal injuries such as sprained knees or torn ligaments can affect military readiness, unit cohesion, and rank progression. These injuries remain the top reason why service members are prevented from missions or incur permanent disability. The DOD Instruction 1308.03 on physical fitness and body composition, implemented in March 2022, allowed injury monitoring across the military, thereby providing the DOD a means to measure and correlate injuries with failure and pass rates for body composition and physical fitness.

The Obesity Problem in the Military

Similar to the civilian world, the obesity epidemic, according to Dr. Shell, correlates with increased muscle and bone-injury rates. Obesity-related conditions cost the U.S. healthcare system nearly $173 billion a year, as per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates. For the DOD, the average annual increase in obesity-related costs is projected at $540 per person.

Nutrition and Exercise: The Foundation of Fitness

Dr. Marc Alaric Franzos, a cardiologist at the Uniformed Services University, emphasizes the importance of regular physical activity and a heart-healthy Mediterranean-style diet for optimal fitness and heart health. Eating healthy and exercising regularly not only helps maintain physical performance, but prevents obesity and related health conditions.