Advance Notification of Changes to the Marine Corps Physical Fitness Test and Body Composition Evaluation Process

1.  The purpose of this message is to announce the
Marine Corps' compliance with the Secretary of War's (SECWAR)
requirements outlined in references (a) and (b), and to afford
Marines time to prepare for the forthcoming changes.
2.  Background.  On 30 September 2025, SECWAR issued a memorandum
requiring immediate actions from all the services to ensure every
servicemember meets the physical demands of combat and leads by
example.  
3.  Beginning 1 January 2026, the service will institute sex-neutral
Physical Fitness Test (PFT) standards for Marines with a combat arms
Primary Military Occupational Special (PMOS).
4.  Physical Fitness Test (PFT).  All Marines will continue to
conduct a PFT during the semiannual period of 1 January to 30 June.
4.a.  Marines with a Non-Combat Arms PMOS.  PFT scores will continue
to be assessed using the current sex- and age-normed standards
outlined in reference (c).
4.b.  Combat Arms PMOS Scoring.  PFT scores for Marines in combat
arms PMOSs, listed in paragraph 4.d., will be assessed using the
male, age-normed scoring standard outlined in reference (c).
4.c.  Combat Arms Standard.  Marines with a combat arms PMOS must
achieve a minimum total score of 210 points (i.e., 70 percent of
total possible points) on the PFT.  Marines in combat arms PMOSs who
pass but do not achieve 210 points on the PFT by the end of the
reporting period will be placed on the remedial physical training
program and may be subject to PMOS reclassification and / or
promotion restriction.  Until further guidance is published,
no adverse or punitive actions will be administered.
4.d.  In accordance with reference (a), the following PMOSs are
considered combat arms:
0302 Infantry Officer 
0306 Infantry Weapons Officer 
0311 Rifleman 
0313 Light-Armored Reconnaissance Marine 
0321 Reconnaissance Marine 
0331 Machine Gunner 
0341 Mortarman 
0352 Antitank Missile Gunner 
0363 Light-Armored Reconnaissance Unit Leader 
0369 Infantry Unit Leader 
0370 Marine Raider Officer 
0372 Marine Raider 
0393 Light-Armored Reconnaissance Operations Chief 
0399 Operations Chief 
0802 Field Artillery Officer 
0803 Target Acquisition Officer 
0811 Field Artillery Cannoneer 
0842 Field Artillery Radar Operator 
0844 Field Artillery Fire Control Marine 
0847 Field Artillery Sensor Support Marine 
0848 Field Artillery Operations Chief 
0861 Fire Support Marine 
0869 Artillery Unit Leader 
0871 Joint Fires and Effects Integrator 
1302 Combat Engineer Officer 
1371 Combat Engineer 
1803 Assault Amphibian Officer 
1833 Assault Amphibious Vehicle Crewmember 
1834 Amphibious Combat Vehicle Crewmember 
2305 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer 
2336 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician 
2339 Marine Explosive Ordnance Disposal Diver
4.e.  Administrative Guidance.  The following interim guidance is
provided until system and policy revisions are codified:
4.e.1.  Units will verbally inform all Marines with a combat arms
PMOS of the minimum sex-neutral standard for each event and the
210-point requirement prior to the execution of a PFT. 
4.e.2.  In addition to recording Marines' PFT performance in the
Marine Corps Training Information Management System (MCTIMS) in
accordance with reference (c), units with Marines assigned the
combat arms PMOS will also manually compute and record PFT
scores on a NAVMC 11622 using the sex-neutral and age-normed scoring
standard outlined in paragraph 4.b.  Units will locally retain the
NAVMC 11622s for all Marines with combat arms PMOSs until
further guidance is published. 
4.e.3.  Units will ensure Marines with combat arms PMOSs are
notified of their sex-neutral score.
5.  Body Composition.  Pending additional guidance from Office of
the Under Secretary of War for Personnel and Readiness, units will
continue conducting and recording body composition evaluations
(i.e., height, weight, tape test, bioelectrical impedance analysis)
in accordance with references (d) and (e).  Once additional guidance
is received, the current height, weight, and tape test for body
composition assessments will be replaced with a waist-to-height
ratio (WHtR) methodology as described in reference (a).
Implementation guidance for the WHtR standard and procedures will
be published via separate correspondence.
5.a.  Physical Performance Consideration.  The current body fat
performance exemption and the one percent body fat allowance per
reference (d) will remain in effect until the updated body
composition assessment policy is implemented.
6.  This MARADMIN is applicable to the Total Force.  Commanders
will ensure all Marines are aware of the forthcoming changes. 
7.  Release authorized by LtGen Benjamin T. Watson, Deputy
Commandant for Training and Education.