The Marine Corps is implementing changes to its physical fitness test and body composition standards in accordance with the secretary of war's military fitness standards memorandum issued Sept. 30. These changes, announced in MARADMIN 613/25, will take effect Jan. 1, 2026.
The Marine Corps will institute sex-neutral scoring for the physical fitness test for Marines with a combat arms primary military occupational specialty. The PFT will require those Marines to achieve a minimum score of 210 points, 70% of the total possible points, using the male, age-normed scoring standard outlined in Marine Corps Order 6100.13A.
The PFT will continue to be administered annually, from Jan. 1 to June 30. Noncombat arms Marines will continue to follow existing sex- and age-normed standards.
The new PFT standards reflect the unique physical demands of combat arms roles, ensuring Marines are prepared for the sustained physical performance required in direct combat. Those who do not meet the 210-point requirement by the end of the reporting period will be assigned to remedial physical training and may be subject to reclassification and/or promotion restriction.
"Our combat arms MOSs require rigorous physical readiness for direct ground combat," said Marine Corps Col. James Derrick, director of the Training Standards Division at the Marine Corps Training and Education Command. "These changes ensure all combat arms Marines meet the same high sex-neutral standards."
The Marine Corps is also revising its body composition evaluation process. The current height and weight standards, along with the tape test, will be replaced by a new waist-to-height ratio method. The Marine Corps will publish service-specific standards upon receipt of additional War Department guidance.
In the interim, the current height/weight and tape tests will continue, with body composition analysis used for additional assessments when necessary.
Although the new PFT standards will begin Jan. 1, 2026, updates to Manpower Information Systems are expected to take six to eight months, with full implementation projected within a year. The Marine Corps is committed to ensuring a smooth transition and will continue to coordinate with stakeholders to support these changes.
Units are required to follow interim administrative guidance until full implementation of the system and policy revisions as outlined in MARADMIN 613/25 are complete.
These changes ensure that the Marine Corps' physical fitness standards continue to support operational effectiveness and combat readiness. The Marine Corps will continue to assess guidance and execution to ensure compliance with higher headquarters.