A week after the Department of the Air Force announced its new “Culture of Fitness” initiative to help transform the way United States Air Force airmen and U.S. Space Force guardians approach physical fitness, the Space Force has released the first “Space Force Manual 36-2905, Human Performance and Readiness” manual. The sixth and newest branch of the United States military has sought to establish clear, mission-focused standards further to optimize the fitness and readiness of its guardians.
All U.S. Space Force service members will be required to complete a “Human Performance Assessment” (HPA) annually if enrolled via the Continuous Fitness Assessment Personalized Readiness Integrated Through Monitoring and Engagement study and twice per year if they are not. According to the U.S. Space Force, the HPA can measure “muscular strength, muscular endurance, and cardiorespiratory fitness on an 80-point scale. Guardians must earn a composite score of 60 or higher to be considered physically ready.”
In addition, guardians must complete a two-mile run.
Under the leadership of Secretary Pete Hegseth, all branches of the U.S. military have undertaken a greater focus on fitness. Although the services have revised these efforts in recent years, they have also put greater attention on nutrition and mental readiness.
“The Space Force human performance standards are mission-driven and tailored to the unique physical and cognitive demands of our guardians,” explained Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman. “The manual reflects our commitment to investing in Guardian health, resilience, and long-term performance, and ensures we’re ready to thrive and win in the most demanding operational environments.”
Manual Implementation
In the case of the United States Space Force, it does not have organic combat arms or space forces units in the traditional sense, unlike the other services. However, the new HPA is still meant to ensure that guardians remain fit and ready for the demands of their respective jobs.
To help implement the manual, the Space Force has further announced it will establish Unit Fitness Cells (UFCs), which will be staffed by Guardian Resilience Teams (GRT), multidisciplinary units composed of experts in fields such as mental health, nutrition, physical therapy, and strength and conditioning. The GRT will be embedded directly within units to promote a Total Force Fitness and Holistic Health approach to readiness and well-being for service members.
Unit commands and UFCs will oversee that guardians complete their initial HPA between January 1 and June 30, 2026. However, fitness testing won’t be required before the beginning of next year, to allow time for the UFCs to be adequately established and for Space Force personnel to prepare.
Holistic Health Approach
The new manual was produced to incorporate human performance standards within the Space Force’s Holistic Health Approach, a science-based model that emphasizes Total Force Fitness across eight key domains: physical, financial, spiritual, preventive care, environmental, nutritional, psychological, and social.
“The Human Performance and Readiness Manual directly supports our commitment to emphasize the guardian Experience and to execute our mission to deter threats and control the space domain,” Chief Master Sgt. of the Space Force John Bentivegna.
“Our ability to maintain space superiority hinges on the readiness and resilience of our Guardians, who are our most valuable advantage … our Human Weapon System,” added Bentivegna. “This manual equips them with the standards and resources necessary to meet the unique physical and cognitive demands of modern space warfare, ensuring they are always prepared to safeguard our nation’s interests.”
The initiative further supports the Secretary of the Air Force’s Culture of Fitness initiative and aligns with the Under Secretary of the Air Force’s efforts to enhance fitness and readiness.
