The Air Force has announced changes to its Physical Fitness Assessment and a new fitness program in tandem with its recently unveiled Culture of Fitness initiative.

The new assessment will see all airmen evaluated in four categories, which will include cardio respiratory fitness, waist-to-height ratios, muscle strength and muscle core endurance. It also introduces a two-mile run.

The PFA will be mandatory every six months. The transition period to the new assessment will start Jan. 1, 2026, with official scored testing set to begin in September 2026. The interim period will give airmen time to adjust to the new standards.

The new measures will also allow installation commanders to conduct mass PFA testing twice a year. The service has also released a guide called “The Warfighter’s F

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