The Coast Guard is the only military arm that has not required a physical fitness test, or PFT for all their members. There has been some debate for decades, especially after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the United States, on if the Coast Guard needs a PFT. That debate has finally ended. On Tuesday, September 2, the Coast Guard announced that starting in 2026, all military personnel will be required to take a mandatory physical fitness test.
While the PFT has not been required for all members, some Coast Guard members were required to meet a physical standard. For example, personnel are required to pass a physical test during boot camp or officer training. But after initial training, the only members who were required to meet physical standards were those who had physically demanding mission. Those career fields included boat crews, rescue swimmers, law enforcement personnel, and specialty units.
The announcement was made in a service wide message from Deputy Commandant for Personnel Rear Admiral Charles Fosse. The message said all members must complete an initial physical fitness assessment by December 31. The fitness assessment will be based on the Coast Guard’s boat crew physical fitness standard. The Coast Guard is planning to base their initial test on the boat crew standard.
Physical fitness assessment
To complete the initial physical fitness assessment, commanders will conduct unit wide physical fitness assessments. The boat crew standards, which were updated in May 2025, include planks, pushups, and a 1.5-mile run. Members can substitute a 2,000-meter row or 12-minute swim instead of a run. Standards are set for various age groups and gender.
The most challenge standard is for those under 30. Males must complete 29 push-ups and hold a plank for 1:18 seconds. In addition, males must run 1.5 miles in under 12:29 or swim 500 yards in under 12 mins or complete the 2,000-meter row in less than 9:20. Females must complete 15 push-ups and hold a plank for 1:09 seconds. In addition, females must run 1.5 miles in under 15:05 or swim 400 yards in under 12 mins or complete the 2,000-meter row in less than 10:40. Resources for service-wide PFT standards are available on the Coast Guard’s internal website under “Physical Fitness Assessment CY 25.”
New Way to Track Health
With years of debate delaying creating a PFT which included cost worries, impact on retention and recruiting, lack of medical support, personnel always ended the discussion. But the announcement to implement a PFT came from the Force Design 2028. FD 28 is a plan to overhaul the Coast Guard with focus areas in organization, contacting and acquisitions, people and technology. The plan also calls for increasing the size of the Coast Guard by 15,000 active members, along with the goal of creating a service secretary under the Department of Homeland Security.
The Coast Guard has been using the tape test to monitor members’ health. For those who failed the tape test, they were given the option of an abdominal assessment or taking the boat crew PFT. If members also failed the abdominal assessment, they were then given the opportunity to take the boat crew PFT.
Preparing for the PFT in 2026
Units will require all members who are not physically restricted to participate in a body composition pre-screening to take the PFT. Members who are concerned about participating should consult their primary care manager or medical officer. The results will be tracked and recorded by leadership for a unit level assessment. Individual information will not be tracked. But the Coast Guard encourages members to know their individual results so they can be prepared to meet PFT standards in 2026.
Lt Commander Steve Roth, the service chief of media relations, shared an email Wednesday, September 3, highlighting the importance of this change for the Coast Guard. He said, “As members of the joint force, overall readiness starts with personal readiness. Our Coast Guard men and women have always been, and will always be, our greatest asset. This assessment, along with an increased emphasis on physical fitness, is an investment in their well-being and their ability to effectively execute our vital missions and remain ready to meet the evolving challenges of the 21st century.”
