ACFT Army Combat Fitness Test For Dummies
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The six events in the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) all count toward your score. If you fail one event, you fail the whole ACFT. (No pressure, though.) You have to complete all six events, in order, on the same day, and the test can’t take more than 90 minutes. That includes the Preparation Drill and the following:
  • 3 Repetition Maximum Deadlift, or MDL
  • Standing Power Throw, or SPT
  • Hand Release Push-Up—Arm Extension, or HRP
  • Sprint-Drag-Carry, or SDC
  • Leg Tuck, or LTK
  • Two-Mile Run, or 2MR
If you fail one of the events, you can’t stop taking the ACFT. You have to complete the remaining events to the best of your ability.

ACFT two-mile run © wavebreakmedia / Shutterstock.com

Each event is worth 100 points, so a perfect score is 600. Every MOS falls into one of three physical demand categories: Heavy, Significant, and Moderate. Each soldier in that MOS must meet at least the minimum score for his or her physical demand category to pass. You need a minimum of 60 points in each event for the Moderate category, 65 points for the Significant category, and 70 points for the Heavy category. The following table shows the absolute minimum scores you must get in each event for each physical demand category.

Minimum ACFT Physical Demand Requirements
Category MDL SPT HRP SDC LTK 2MR
Moderate (Gold) 140 pounds 4.5 meters 10 3:00 1 21:00
Significant (Gray) 180 pounds 6.5 meters 20 2:30 3 19:00
Heavy (Black) 200 pounds 8.0 meters 30 2:10 5 18:00

During fiscal year 2021, soldiers only need to meet the Gold standard, regardless of MOS. The normal standards will kick in when FY22 starts; that’s when you’ll have to pass the standards for your physical demand category.

Before you dive into the test, you need to know the protocols and why the Army uses them. First, you have to attempt all six events unless you have a physical profile. Soldiers rotate through each lane in groups of four, but groups of fewer than four are authorized. The test has only one programmed rest period, and it’s between the Leg Tuck event and the Two-Mile Run. If only one or two soldiers are testing, the Army requires the OIC and NCOIC—the commissioned and noncommissioned officers in charge—to provide those soldiers with a five-minute rest period between each event (which they’d get anyway if more soldiers were testing).

You get no restarts on the ACFT. If you perform a repetition incorrectly, it doesn’t count—and your grader doesn’t send you to the back of the line to retest. You sign your scorecard at the test site, and your signature says you agree with the scores your grader recorded. The OIC or NCOIC resolve any discrepancies within the test’s 90-minute time limit. And although the Army allows video recording of the test, that video can be used only for training purposes. You can’t use it to argue that you performed a rep correctly or that your grader made a counting mistake.

The ACFT’s Scoring Scale

The Army scores the ACFT the same for every service member, regardless of gender or age. Whether you’re an enlisted soldier, a warrant officer, or a commissioned officer doesn’t matter, either. Everyone takes the same ACFT, and everyone has to meet or exceed the standard.

Perusing Physical Demand Categories

Every military occupational specialty falls into one of three Physical Demand Categories: Moderate (Gold), Significant (Gray), or Heavy (Black). The Physical Demand Categories (PDCs) are all outlined in DA PAM 611-21, and they’re subject to change over time. Check out the following tables to see which PDC applies to your MOS. All warrant officers, with the exception of MOS 180A, fall into the Moderate (Gold) category.

Jobs that don’t require a lot of heavy lifting, such as public affairs, dentistry, and logistics, typically fall under the Moderate (Gold) category. Soldiers in these MOSs have to get 60 points in each event.

Soldiers with jobs that require regular use of physical strength, like military police, combat medics, and aircrew members, usually fall into the Significant (Gray) category. If you’re in a Gray MOS, you have to earn at least 65 points in each event.

Infantry and other combat arms jobs always fall into the Heavy (Black) category. Soldiers in these jobs need to score at least 70 points on every event.

Enlisted Physical Demand Categories
MOS Physical Demand Category MOS Physical Demand Category
09L Moderate 35Q Moderate
09W Moderate 35S Moderate
11B Heavy 35T Moderate
11C Heavy 35V Moderate
12B Heavy 35X Moderate
12C Heavy 35Y Moderate
12D Heavy 35Z Moderate
12G Significant 36B Moderate
12K Moderate 37F Significant
12M Heavy 38B Significant
12N Moderate 42A Moderate
12P Moderate 42R Moderate
12Q Moderate 42S Moderate
12R Moderate 46Q Moderate
12T Moderate 46R Moderate
12V Significant 46S Moderate
12W Moderate 46Z Moderate
12X Moderate 51C Moderate
12Y Moderate 56M Moderate
12Z Moderate 68A Moderate
13B Heavy 68B Moderate
13F Heavy 68C Moderate
13J Heavy 68D Moderate
13M Heavy 68E Moderate
13R Heavy 68F Moderate
13X Moderate 68G Moderate
13Z Moderate 68H Moderate
14E Moderate 68J Moderate
14G Moderate 68K Moderate
14H Moderate 68L Moderate
14P Significant 68M Moderate
14S Significant 68N Moderate
14T Moderate 68P Moderate
14X Moderate 68Q Moderate
14Z Moderate 68R Moderate
15B Moderate 68S Moderate
15C Moderate 68T Moderate
15D Moderate 68U Moderate
15E Moderate 68V Moderate
15F Moderate 68W Significant
15G Moderate 68X Moderate
15H Moderate 68Y Moderate
15J Significant 68Z Moderate
15K Moderate 74D Moderate
15L Moderate 79R Moderate
15M Moderate 79S Moderate
15N Moderate 79T Moderate
15P Moderate 79V Moderate
15Q Moderate 88H Heavy
15R Moderate 88K Heavy
15S Significant 88L Significant
15T Moderate 88M Heavy
15U Moderate 88N Significant
15W Moderate 88U Moderate
15Y Moderate 88Z Moderate
15Z Moderate 89A Moderate
17C Moderate 89B Significant
17E Moderate 89D Heavy
18B Heavy 91A Moderate
18C Heavy 91B Moderate
18D Heavy 91C Moderate
18E Heavy 91D Moderate
18F Heavy 91E Moderate
18Z Moderate 91F Moderate
19D Heavy 91G Moderate
19K Heavy 91H Moderate
19Z Moderate 91J Moderate
25B Moderate 91L Moderate
25C Moderate 91M Moderate
25D Moderate 91P Moderate
25E Moderate 91S Moderate
25L Significant 91X Moderate
25M Moderate 91Z Moderate
25N Moderate 92A Significant
25P Moderate 92F Significant
25Q Moderate 92G Significant
25R Significant 92L Moderate
25S Moderate 92M Heavy
25T Moderate 92R Significant
25U Moderate 92S Significant
25V Moderate 92W Significant
25W Moderate 92Y Moderate
25X Moderate 92Z Moderate
25Z Moderate 94A Moderate
27D Moderate 94D Moderate
29E Moderate 94E Moderate
31B Significant 94F Moderate
31D Moderate 94H Moderate
31E Moderate 94M Moderate
31K Significant 94P Moderate
35F Moderate 94R Moderate
35G Moderate 94S Moderate
35L Moderate 94T Moderate
35M Moderate 94W Moderate
35N Moderate 94Y Moderate
35P Moderate 94Z Moderate
Officer Physical Demand Categories
MOS Grade Band PDC MOS Grade Band PDC
11A O1-O6 Heavy 61G O1-O6 Moderate
12A O1-O6 Heavy 61H O1-O6 Moderate
13A O1-O2 Heavy 61J O1-O6 Moderate
13A O3-O6 Moderate 61K O1-O6 Moderate
14A O1-O2 Significant 61L O1-O6 Moderate
14A O3-O6 Moderate 61M O1-O6 Moderate
15A O1-O2 Moderate 61N O1-O6 Moderate
15B O3-O6 Moderate 61P O1-O6 Moderate
15C O3-O6 Moderate 61Q O1-O6 Moderate
15D O3-O6 Moderate 61R O1-O6 Moderate
17A O1-O6 Moderate 61U O1-O6 Moderate
17B O1-O6 Moderate 61W O1-O6 Moderate
18A O1-O6 Heavy 61Z O1-O6 Moderate
19A O1-O2 Heavy 62A O1-O6 Moderate
19A O3-O6 Moderate 62B O1-O6 Moderate
25A O1-O2 Significant 63A O1-O6 Moderate
25A O1-O6 Moderate 63B O1-O6 Moderate
25G O1-O2 Significant 63D O1-O6 Moderate
25G O3-O5 Moderate 63E O1-O6 Moderate
25Z O6 Moderate 63F O1-O6 Moderate
26A O1-O5 Moderate 63H O1-O6 Moderate
26B O1-O5 Moderate 63K O1-O6 Moderate
26Z O6 Moderate 63M O1-O6 Moderate
27A O1-O6 Moderate 63N O1-O6 Moderate
27B O1-O6 Moderate 63P O1-O6 Moderate
30A O3-O6 Moderate 63R O1-O6 Moderate
31A O1-O2 Significant 64A O1-O3 Moderate
31A O3-O6 Moderate 64B O3-O6 Moderate
34A O3-O6 Moderate 64C O3-O6 Moderate
35A O1-O6 Moderate 64D O3-O6 Moderate
35B O3-O6 Moderate 64E O3-O6 Moderate
35D O1-O6 Moderate 64F O3-O6 Moderate
35E O1-O6 Moderate 64Z O3-O6 Moderate
35F O1-O6 Moderate 65A O1-O6 Moderate
35G O1-O6 Significant 65B O1-O6 Moderate
36A O1-O6 Moderate 65C O1-O6 Moderate
37A O3-O6 Moderate 65D O1-O6 Moderate
37X O1-O6 Moderate 65X O3-O6 Moderate
38A O3-O6 Moderate 66B O1-O6 Moderate
38G O3-O6 Moderate 66C O1-O6 Moderate
38X O1-O6 Moderate 66E O1-O6 Moderate
40A O3-O6 Moderate 66F O1-O6 Moderate
40C O3-O6 Moderate 66G O1-O6 Moderate
42B O1-O3 Moderate 66H O1-O6 Moderate
42C O1-O6 Moderate 66N O1-O6 Moderate
42H O4-O6 Moderate 66P O1-O6 Moderate
46A O1-O6 Moderate 66R O1-O6 Moderate
46X O3-O4 Moderate 66S O1-O6 Moderate
47 O5-O6 Moderate 66T O1-O6 Moderate
48 O3-O6 Moderate 66W O1-O6 Moderate
49 O3-O6 Moderate 67A O1-O6 Moderate
50A O3-O6 Moderate 67B O1-O6 Moderate
51 O3-O6 Moderate 67C O1-O6 Moderate
52B O1-O6 Moderate 67D O1-O6 Moderate
56A O1-O6 Moderate 67E O1-O6 Moderate
56D O1-O6 Moderate 67F O1-O6 Moderate
56X O1-O6 Moderate 67G O1-O6 Moderate
57A O3-O6 Moderate 67J O1-O2 Significant
59A O3-O6 Moderate 67J O3-O6 Moderate
60A O1-O6 Moderate 70A O1-O6 Moderate
60B O1-O6 Moderate 70B O1-O6 Moderate
60C O1-O6 Moderate 70C O1-O6 Moderate
60D O1-O6 Moderate 70D O1-O6 Moderate
60F O1-O6 Moderate 70E O1-O6 Moderate
60G O1-O6 Moderate 70F O1-O6 Moderate
60H O1-O6 Moderate 70H O1-O6 Moderate
60J O1-O6 Moderate 70K O1-O6 Moderate
60K O1-O6 Moderate 71A O1-O6 Moderate
60L O1-O6 Moderate 71B O1-O6 Moderate
60M O1-O6 Moderate 71E O1-O6 Moderate
60N O1-O6 Moderate 71F O1-O6 Moderate
60P O1-O6 Moderate 72A O1-O6 Moderate
60Q O1-O6 Moderate 72B O1-O6 Moderate
60R O1-O6 Moderate 72C O1-O6 Moderate
60S O1-O6 Moderate 72D O1-O6 Moderate
60T O1-O6 Moderate 73A O1-O6 Moderate
60U O1-O6 Moderate 74A O1-O6 Moderate
60V O1-O6 Moderate 88A O1-O2 Heavy
60W O1-O6 Moderate 88A O3 Moderate
61A O1-O6 Moderate 89E O1-O3 Heavy
61B O1-O6 Moderate 89E O4-O6 Moderate
61C O1-O6 Moderate 90A O3-O6 Moderate
61D O1-O6 Moderate 91A O1-O3 Moderate
61E O1-O6 Moderate 92A O1-O2 Heavy
61F O1-O6 Moderate 92A O3 Moderate
Many officers’ requirements differ based on pay grade. For example, second and first lieutenants in the Quartermaster field fall into the Heavy (Black) physical demand category, while their captain counterparts fall into the Moderate (Gray) category. That’s because the jobs these officers perform typically depend on their pay grades, with higher-ranking officers generally being less responsible for heavy lifting than their juniors are.

So, what about O7s and above? General officers are all categorized as Moderate (Gold), regardless of MOS. If that’s not a great reason to work toward promotion, I don’t know what is.

When an MOS’s duties or tasks change, PDCs can change with them.

Weighing your score on the scale

When you complete an ACFT event, you get a raw score. That raw score translates into points. Your grader writes both scores on your scorecard. (I discuss the scorecard in the following section.) The table below shows the number of points you receive for each raw score. The table stops at 60 points, because a score below 60 is an ACFT failure. If you fail one event, you fail the whole test. The ACFT has no extended scale, so the highest score you can achieve on the test is 600. The lowest score you can get and still pass is 360.
ACFT Scoring Scale
Points MDL SPT HRP SDC LTK 2MR
100 340 12.5 60 1:33 20 13:30
99 12.4 59 1:36 13:39
98 12.2 58 1:39 19 13:48
97 330 12.1 57 1:41 13:57
96 11.9 56 1:43 18 14:06
95 11.8 55 1:45 14:15
94 320 11.6 54 1:46 17 14:24
93 11.5 53 1:47 14:33
92 310 11.3 52 1:48 16 14:42
91 11.2 51 1:49 14:51
90 300 11.0 50 1:50 15 15:00
89 10.9 49 1:51 15:09
88 290 10.7 48 1:52 14 15:18
87 10.6 47 1:53 15:27
86 280 10.4 46 1:54 13 15:36
85 10.3 45 1:55 15:45
84 270 10.1 44 1:56 12 15:54
83 10.0 43 1:57 16:03
82 260 9.8 42 1:58 11 16:12
81 9.7 41 1:59 16:21
80 250 9.5 40 2:00 10 16:30
79 9.4 39 2:01 16:39
78 240 9.2 38 2:02 9 16:48
77 9.1 37 2:03 16:57
76 230 8.9 36 2:04 8 17:06
75 8.8 35 2:05 17:15
74 220 8.6 34 2:06 7 17:24
73 8.5 33 2:07 17:33
72 210 8.3 32 2:08 6 17:42
71 8.2 31 2:09 17:51
70 (Heavy) 200 8.0 30 2:10 5 18:00
69 7.8 28 2:14 18:12
68 190 7.5 26 2:18 4 18:24
67 7.1 24 2:22 18:36
66 6.8 22 2:26 18:48
65 (Significant) 180 6.5 20 2:30 3 19:00
64 170 6.2 18 2:35 19:24
63 160 5.8 16 2:40 19:48
62 150 5.4 14 2:45 2 20:12
61 4.9 12 2:50 20:36
60 (Moderate) 140 4.5 10 3:00 1 21:00

Tallying up your score on the new ACFT scorecard

You fill in the identifying information on your scorecard before you begin the ACFT, like your name, your unit and location, the date, your pay grade, and your MOS. You also include your age and gender, but they don’t affect the scores you need to pass.

Army Regulation 600-9 requires your height and weight to be measured every 6 months (at minimum) and also encourages commanders to allow at least seven days between a physical fitness test and a weigh-in so that soldiers don’t try to drop weight and negatively impact their performance on the test. If you need to be taped—that is, if the Army needs to measure your body composition—your body fat percentage is written on your scorecard and marked “Go” or “No Go.”

The Army Combat Fitness Test scorecard. The Army Combat Fitness Test scorecard

Your grader fills in your raw scores and your scaled scores. Your raw scores are those that reflect your time, distance, or weight lifted on the PT field. Your scaled scores are the raw scores translated into points. For example, if you throw your 10-pound medicine ball 9.5 meters, that’s your raw score. Your 9.5-meter raw score translates into 80 points earned toward your overall score.

You sign your scorecard before you leave the PT field. When you sign it, you’re saying that you agree with your scores.

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