YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan – Clear blue skies and brisk morning air set the stage for a demonstration of excellence as U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Carlos Damian stepped onto the outdoor running track. He was joined by other senior enlisted leaders, all ready to lead by example. They were the first on the base to officially perform the new USAF Physical Fitness Readiness Assessment, laying the groundwork for countless Airmen soon to follow.
“We're highlighting the emphasis of physical fitness as one of our USAF resiliency pillars,” said Damian, U.S. Forces Japan command senior enlisted leader. “As senior noncommissioned officers, we are showing that we are out front and we do not shy away from hard physical activities and that our physical pillar is flourishing.”
The PFRA is part of a department-wide overhaul of physical fitness standards initiated by U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. The U.S. Army has also transitioned to updated standards by replacing the Combat Fitness Test with the new Army Fitness Test June 1, 2025, followed by the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps with new guidance for their respective tests in December 2025.
Service members across all branches of the U.S. military are now required to complete two physical fitness assessments per year. Fitness tests have also transitioned to the waist-to-height ratio methodology for body composition standards. The demand for a more physically fit force is part of the SECWAR’s priority to restore the warrior ethos while supporting operational effectiveness and combat readiness.
“My goal is unmistakable: our core fighting formations must not just meet the standard, they must embody it,” said Hegseth during an address to military leaders at Quantico, Virginia in September 2025. “Every warfighter must be held to the same rigorous expectations.”
Updated standards for the new USAF PFRA were released March 1, 2026, by the Air Force Personnel Center, allowing Airmen to begin diagnostic testing. Diagnostic assessments, or “mock tests,” offer Airmen the opportunity to discover areas for improvement in their physical fitness without fear of failing their official test. Members satisfied with their performance during a diagnostic can elect to record their results as an official fitness test score.
Airmen can now also choose between the two-mile or 20-meter high aerobic multi-shuttle run for their fitness tests every six months. Demanding a higher fitness standard, the new PFRA aims to build healthy habits for Airmen to achieve their fitness goals.
“There may be some anxiety and a little bit of trepidation about the changes,” said Senior Master Sgt. Lonnie Sapp, U.S. Forces Japan J33 current operations senior enlisted leader, after completing his diagnostic assessment. “But if we as SNCOs can do it, I hope that the Airmen understand that they can too.”
Rebalanced point distributions across cardiorespiratory fitness, body composition, muscular strength and core endurance components are intended to better reflect the importance of overall health and fitness tested during the PFRA. Scoring charts also show increased minimums based on age, updated for each component of the assessment. This aligns USAF fitness standards more closely with its sister services and the Department of War’s focus on lethality and readiness.
For more information about the new USAF PFRA and access to The Warfighter’s Fitness Playbook to perform your best, visit the AFPC website here: https://www.afpc.af.mil/Career-Management/Fitness-Program/