How to Run an AFT
Last updated: 16 October 2026
Key takeaways
- Run the five events in the order on army.mil/aft: deadlift, hand-release push-up, sprint-drag-carry, plank, two-mile run.
- A grader on the lane records raw marks. Point conversion happens after the raw score is on the card.
- The prescribed card is DA Form 705-AFT, not the score chart.
- Pass and fail of the total live on AFT standards: 60 points in every event, then 300 or 350.
Grader sequence on test morning
How to run an AFT means a grader scores five events in Army order and writes raw marks on DA Form 705-AFT before anyone opens a point chart.
Any test administered on or after 1 June 2025 is the Army Fitness Test, not the retired six-event ACFT. That date is on army.mil/aft. The testing publication is ATP 7-22.01, dated 12 March 2026 on the Army Publishing Directorate record, and it prescribes DA Form 705-AFT.
- Confirm the test of record is the five-event AFT.
- Put a grader where that grader can see the start line and the turn line.
- Record raw weight, reps, or time. Convert points only after the raw block is filled.
- Have the Soldier sign the card. Return signed cards to the officer or NCO running the test.
Who controls the lane
The grader scores events to standard: count, time, and correct the performance. The officer in charge or the NCO in charge supervises the site. A Soldier on the 25-meter line can watch a turn when the grader at the start line cannot see both lines. The Army page says the grader may position that battle buddy for the sprint-drag-carry.
Weekly programming for the Soldier is a different job. Use the AFT training plan after the diagnostic, not as a substitute for the lane brief.
Score the five raw marks in the calculator once the card has numbers. The calculator does not replace the grader.
Five events in Army order
Event execution for each movement sits on the five-event guides. The grader cues below are the ones army.mil/aft prints in the event instructions.
| Order | Event | What the grader enforces |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3-repetition maximum deadlift | Three continuous reps. Maximum of two attempts. A failed set may drop to a lower weight. A successful set may rise to a higher weight. |
| 2 | Hand-release push-up | As many correct reps as possible in two minutes. |
| 3 | Sprint-drag-carry | Missed hand-and-foot touch: call the Soldier back. The whole sled must cross the line. A dropped 40-pound kettlebell resumes where it landed. Crossed feet on the lateral get a correction. |
| 4 | Plank | Commands are GET READY, GET SET, GO. One verbal warning for a broken line or a sliding hand or foot. A second failure ends the hold. Shaking is allowed when the line holds. |
| 5 | Two-mile run | Record the finish time. Alternate aerobic events replace this run only on an authorized profile. |
Raw marks on the score card
The score card and the score chart answer different questions. Fill DA Form 705 with raw marks and grader initials. Read points on the AFT score chart. The official blank is the APD file for DA Form 705-AFT.
The e-file blocks a grader actually initials are: deadlift first attempt and second attempt, hand-release push-up repetitions, sprint-drag-carry time, plank time, two-mile time, and the alternate block for a 5,000-meter row, 1,000-meter swim, 12,000-meter bike, or 2.5-mile walk. The alternate block is GO or NO-GO and 60 or 0 points. The Soldier signs. The grader initials the total.
A fail, a profile, or a second test
One event under 60 points fails the test. The total does not average that event away. The rule is on AFT standards.
After a first record failure to meet the new standard, army.mil/aft states the retest window: 90 days for active-duty, Active Guard Reserve, and Reserve Soldiers on 60-day orders; 180 days for National Guard and Reserve Soldiers outside that group.
Soldiers with a permanent profile in an affected specialty must average 70 points on the events they can take and pass the alternate aerobic event when the profile requires it. Alternate distances and the 60-point GO standard are on the alternate aerobic events page. A temporary profile still follows profile guidance. The Army FAQ says that policy did not change with the name of the test.
Commanders may set the 350-point combat goal in training guidance. They may not use it as the pass or fail rule for Soldiers outside the designated combat specialties. The MOS list is on the combat standard page.
FAQ
What order does a grader run the Army Fitness Test?
The Army Fitness Test page lists the events in this order: three-repetition maximum deadlift, hand-release push-up, sprint-drag-carry, plank, then the two-mile run. army.mil/aft is the live overview.
Who grades the Army Fitness Test?
A grader scores the lane. The officer or NCO in charge of the test supervises the site. ATP 7-22.01 is the testing publication that prescribes DA Form 705-AFT.
What does the grader write on DA Form 705-AFT?
The prescribed card has raw attempts, points, grader initials, and the Soldier’s signature. Deadlift has two attempt blocks. The alternate aerobic block is a GO or NO-GO at 60 or 0 points.
What happens after a first record failure on the new standard?
The Army Fitness Test FAQ states that active-duty, Active Guard Reserve, and Reserve Soldiers on 60-day orders retest within 90 days. National Guard and other Reserve Soldiers retest within 180 days.
Is the score card the same document as the score chart?
No. The score card is DA Form 705-AFT. The score chart is the point table. The calculator applies the table to marks you type.
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