CFT Pace Card
Log Your Splits
Enter each station’s duration in minutes and seconds. Include all transitions once: the official clock runs continuously.
Army Combat Field Test: seven events performed continuously, with a 30:00 time limit regardless of age or sex. Changing the training target does not change the official limit. Split totals are a training estimate, not an official test result; every event must be completed to standard.
Army Directive 2026-07 · Army announcement, April 22, 2026 · Sources reviewed October 1, 2026.
By ArmyCalc Editorial · Policy last verified: October 11, 2026 · Report an error
About The Army Combat Field Test
The Army Combat Field Test is a seven-event assessment with one continuous clock. The passing standard is 30 minutes or less for the complete test, regardless of age or sex. All required events must be completed correctly.
The CFT applies to Soldiers in 24 designated combat specialties. Army Directive 2026-07 was signed on April 17, 2026. The Army began phased implementation that day. Soldiers in the designated specialties take diagnostic tests, and no adverse administrative action results from a failed attempt before April 16, 2027. The Army’s implementation order allows CFT testing for record beginning April 17, 2027. During the implementation period, use this calculator to review diagnostic results and practice sessions. See the official Army CFT guidance and HQDA EXORD 103-26 for the governing requirements.
Your calculator result is a training estimate. It cannot verify movement standards, grader decisions, or an official Army record.
The CFT is separate from the Army Fitness Test. Use the AFT calculator for the five-event points-based assessment, and keep its score separate from your CFT time.
How To Use The Army CFT Calculator
- Start with a complete practice test. Record the seven Combat Field Test stations in the published order with one continuous clock.
- Record each station in order. The calculator uses seven inputs: the first one-mile run, dead-stop push-ups, 100-meter sprint, sandbag lifts, water-can carry, movement drill, and final one-mile run.
- Enter each split as minutes and seconds. Use 08:12 for eight minutes and 12 seconds. Do not enter 8.12 as a decimal minute value.
- Calculate the cumulative time. The calculator adds the seven durations and compares the result with the 30:00 official CFT time standard.
- Read the margin, not just pass or fail. A 28:45 result gives you more room than a 29:58 result when you are planning for a record test.
- Save your splits for training. A split-time log shows whether the problem is pacing, a transition, loaded movement, or the final run.
The calculator needs a duration for every station. Do not invent a split when you did not time an event. For a practice session, mark the missing station and repeat the test when you can collect a complete set of data.
What Is The Army Combat Field Test?
The Army Combat Field Test, usually shortened to Army CFT or combat field test, is a continuous, combat-focused fitness assessment for Soldiers in designated combat specialties. It was established by Army Directive 2026-07 and implemented through HQDA EXORD 103-26. The seven events are performed in sequence, and the clock runs until the second one-mile run is complete.
The Army describes the CFT as a mission-based assessment of the physical demands of combat. See the official Army Combat Field Test announcement for its purpose and Army Directive 2026-07 for the governing policy. Looking for the Marine Corps Combat Fitness Test instead? It is a different, points-based test, so use the USMC CFT calculator.
Army CFT Standards At A Glance
| Requirement | Current Army CFT rule |
|---|---|
| Events | Seven, completed in the published order |
| Scoring method | One continuous clock; no event points |
| Official passing time | 30:00 or faster for all seven events |
| Age or sex tables | None; one mission-based time standard |
| Eligible personnel | Soldiers in 24 designated combat MOSs/AOCs |
| Uniform | Army Combat Uniform, combat boots, brown T-shirt, no cover |
| Calculator output | Cumulative training time and comparison with a target |
The official CFT time standard is the Army CFT time standard for the total duration of the complete sequence. A 30 minute limit does not mean that every station has a separate 30-minute limit, and it does not create a separate pass score for each event. A slow station can be offset by a faster station as long as the full test is completed in 30:00 or less and the event requirements are met.
The Seven Army CFT Events In Order
The CFT event order is fixed. Use the same order when you train and when you enter a CFT split in the calculator. The event requirements below are published in HQDA EXORD 103-26, paragraph 3.B.1 and in Army Directive 2026-07, paragraph 4.a.(3).
| No. | Event | Requirement to log |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | First 1-mile run | Time to complete one mile |
| 2 | 30 dead-stop push-ups | Time to complete 30 valid repetitions |
| 3 | 100-meter sprint | Time for the sprint |
| 4 | 16 sandbag lifts | Time for 16 lifts of a 40-pound sandbag onto a 65-inch platform |
| 5 | 50-meter water-can carry | Time to carry two five-gallon Army water cans weighing 40 pounds each |
| 6 | 50-meter movement drill | Time for a 25-meter high crawl and 25 meters using 3–5-second rushes |
| 7 | Final 1-mile run | Time to complete the second mile |
1. First 1-Mile Run
The first CFT 1 mile run starts the clock. It is tempting to treat it like a standalone race, but the goal is to run hard enough to protect your total time without exhausting the legs needed for the six stations that follow. Log the complete station time, including the course and timing method used in practice.
2. Thirty Dead-Stop Push-Ups
The second station is 30 dead-stop push-ups. Each repetition must meet the prescribed Army movement standard and begin from the required bottom position. Practice with a grader or training partner who can identify invalid repetitions; the calculator can add time, but it cannot decide whether a push-up counted.
3. 100-Meter Sprint
The 100-meter sprint follows the run and push-ups. Mark the start and finish clearly and use the same surface whenever you compare sessions. A sprint time is a split for the cumulative-time calculator, not a separate point score.
4. Sixteen Sandbag Lifts
The sandbag event requires 16 lifts of a 40-pound sandbag onto a 65-inch platform. Train the exact load and platform height when possible. A lighter bag or lower target can be useful for conditioning, but it does not reproduce the official CFT requirement.
5. Fifty-Meter Water-Can Carry
For the water-can carry, move two five-gallon Army water cans weighing 40 pounds each over 50 meters. Grip, posture, breathing, and turning technique matter more as fatigue builds. Record the full station duration and note whether the cans, lane, and surface matched the test setup.
6. Fifty-Meter Movement Drill
The movement drill covers 50 meters: a 25-meter high crawl followed by 25 meters using 3–5-second rushes. The three-to-five-second description refers to the rush technique, not the time allowed to complete the entire movement drill. It is often described as the crawl-and-rush station. Practice the transition so the rush begins under control rather than after an unnecessary pause.
7. Final 1-Mile Run
The final one-mile run is the last CFT event and the point at which the cumulative clock stops. The second mile is not a fresh run: it follows the push-ups, sprint, sandbag lifts, loaded carry, and movement drill. Your CFT training plan should include this fatigued run instead of preparing only with rested mile repeats.
How The CFT Time Calculation Works
The Army CFT calculator uses a simple sum:
CFT cumulative time = split 1 + split 2 + split 3 + split 4 + split 5 + split 6 + split 7.
For example, these practice splits total 28:40:
| Station | Split |
|---|---|
| First mile | 9:00 |
| Dead-stop push-ups | 1:30 |
| 100-meter sprint | 0:20 |
| Sandbag lifts | 2:00 |
| Water-can carry | 1:10 |
| Movement drill | 1:40 |
| Final mile | 13:00 |
| Cumulative time | 28:40 |
These hypothetical splits total 28:40, leaving a margin of 1:20 below the official 30:00 standard. They are an example, not official station targets. A second practice set totaling 30:18 is over the standard, even if six individual stations look strong. The useful next step is to find the largest avoidable split or transition delay, then retest the full sequence.
The CFT is not scored with points. The calculator may show a target margin, such as 29:00, so you can build a buffer, but that personal target is not an Army pass-fail rule. The official result comes from an authorized test conducted under the current Army protocol.
If your stopwatch records cumulative checkpoints, subtract the previous checkpoint to find each split. For example, a 10:30 checkpoint after push-ups minus a 9:00 first-mile checkpoint gives a push-up split of 1:30. Do not add cumulative checkpoints together. Include every transition so that the sum of your splits equals the continuously timed test.
Who Has To Take The Army CFT?
The Army CFT applies to these 24 combat specialties. The list includes MOSs and officer areas of concentration (AOCs), with the titles printed in Enclosure 2 of Army Directive 2026-07. The Army’s CFT FAQ on army.mil/aft uses shorter titles for some of the same codes.
| MOS/AOC | Specialty |
|---|---|
| 11A | Infantry Officer |
| 11B | Infantry Soldier |
| 11C | Indirect Fire Infantry Soldier |
| 11Z | Senior Infantry Leader |
| 12A | Engineer Officer |
| 12B | Combat Engineer |
| 12D | Army Diver |
| 13A | Field Artillery Officer |
| 13F | Fire Support Specialist |
| 18A | Special Forces Officer |
| 180A | Special Forces Warrant Officer |
| 18B | Special Forces Weapons Sergeant |
| 18C | Special Forces Engineer Sergeant |
| 18D | Special Forces Medical Sergeant |
| 18E | Special Forces Communications Sergeant |
| 18F | Special Forces Assistant Operations and Intelligence Sergeant |
| 18Z | Special Forces Team Sergeant |
| 19A | Armor Officer |
| 19C | Bradley Fighting Vehicle Crewman |
| 19D | Cavalry Scout |
| 19K | M1 Armor Crewman |
| 19Z | Armor Senior Sergeant |
| 89D | Explosive Ordnance Disposal Specialist |
| 89E | Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer |
The CFT eligibility list is based on the designated MOS or AOC, not simply on the unit where a Soldier works. Army Directive 2026-07, paragraph 4.b.(2), designated 12D, 89D, and 89E as combat specialties. Confirm your exact code and current orders with your chain of command before treating a calculator result as a requirement. The same designated list decides which Soldiers use the combat scoring column on the Army AFT calculator.
AFT Vs. CFT: What Is The Difference?
The AFT and CFT serve different purposes and use different result formats. Soldiers in a designated combat specialty may owe both.
| Feature | Army AFT | Army CFT |
|---|---|---|
| Who takes it | Army-wide, subject to current policy | 24 designated combat MOSs/AOCs |
| Events | Five events | Seven events |
| Scoring | Points for each event, then a total | One continuous total time |
| Pass rule | Event minimums plus general or combat total | Complete all events in 30:00 or less |
| Age/sex tables | Applicable AFT scoring categories | One mission-based time standard |
| Uniform | AFT test uniform under Army guidance | ACU, combat boots, brown T-shirt, no cover |
Passing the AFT does not automatically pass the CFT, and the CFT time never becomes AFT points. For the five-event points calculation, use the Army AFT calculator. This calculator handles only the seven-event cumulative time.
CFT Test Frequency And Implementation Timeline
Test frequency depends on component and duty status. HQDA EXORD 103-26, paragraphs 3.D.3–3.D.4 specifies the following schedules:
- Regular Army, AGR, and Reserve Component Soldiers on active-duty orders for 365 days or more: one record AFT and one record CFT each calendar year, with at least four months between passing record tests.
- Other Reserve Component Soldiers in designated combat specialties: one record fitness test per calendar year, alternating between the AFT and CFT, with at least eight months between passing record tests unless an additional test is required for promotion or schooling.
The Army announced phased implementation in April 2026. During the initial diagnostic period, designated combat-specialty Soldiers take a diagnostic CFT, with no administrative action solely because of a failed CFT. The Army implementation order allows testing for record beginning April 17, 2027. Under Army Directive 2026-07, paragraph 4.a.(10), a failed record test after full implementation leads to flagging, reconditioning, and retesting within 90 days, or 180 days for Reserve Component Soldiers who are neither AGR nor on active-duty orders for 365 days or more. Confirm your component’s current instructions with your unit.
What Army Directive 2026-07 Says About Failures, Evaluations, And Separation
This section summarizes the directive’s administrative provisions so you can read the primary source with context. It is not legal or career advice. Your chain of command and personnel office apply the policy to individual cases.
- Event not completed. A Soldier who cannot complete an event is terminated from the test, and the test is recorded as a failure (paragraph 4.a.(4)).
- No modifications on profiles. Test and event modifications are not available for Soldiers on profiles (paragraph 4.a.(8)).
- One-year transition. The directive provides a one-year implementation period in which no administrative action is taken solely because of a failed CFT or a permanent profile that prevents testing. Full implementation begins 365 days after the date of the directive (paragraph 4.a.(9)).
- Missing the record test. After full implementation, Soldiers in designated combat specialties who do not take a record CFT within 12 months are flagged, unless a temporary profile makes testing prohibitive (paragraph 4.a.(10)(c)).
- Evaluations. CFT pass/fail status or a waiver must appear on evaluations with a thru date 18 months or more after publication of the directive (paragraph 4.a.(10)(e)).
- Two consecutive failures. Enlisted Soldiers who fail two consecutive CFTs, or who have an AFT-limiting permanent profile and are denied a waiver, are subject to involuntary separation under AR 635-200, chapter 13 (Regular Army) or AR 135-178, chapter 9 (Reserve Component), if they refuse to extend or reenlist to facilitate reclassification or are otherwise ineligible to reclassify. Officers in the same situation are subject to elimination under AR 600-8-24, paragraph 4-2(a), or AR 135-175, paragraph 2-12, if they refuse or are ineligible for an involuntary branch transfer or assignment (paragraph 4.a.(10)(f) and (g)).
CFT Uniform And Test Setup
The Army’s published CFT uniform requirement is:
- Army Combat Uniform top and bottom
- Brown T-shirt
- Combat boots
- No cover or headgear
The seven events are completed in the listed order. Set the lane, platform, sandbag, water cans, measuring marks, and timing method before beginning a practice test. If your practice setup differs from the official equipment or surface, label the result as a training comparison rather than an official-equivalent score.
Profiles, Waivers, And Alternate Events
A temporary profile prevents a Soldier from taking a record CFT until the Soldier is able to complete the test under the applicable Army guidance. A Soldier in a designated combat specialty with a permanent profile that limits an AFT event must be able to perform all AFT events without an alternate event to remain eligible for the CFT; the order provides for consideration of reclassification in that situation. See HQDA EXORD 103-26, paragraph 3.D.5 and the Army’s CFT profile FAQ.
Do not use the calculator to approve a waiver, replace a medical decision, or select an alternate CFT event. A profile, pregnancy or postpartum status, or other medical restriction must be handled through the current medical and command process. Ask the test administrator which result should be recorded before entering a modified practice session.
How To Train With CFT Split Times
Use the calculator as a CFT time tracker or CFT training calculator, not just as a final-score display:
- Record a complete baseline test, including every transition.
- Identify the largest split and the transition immediately before it.
- Train the limiting quality: mile pacing, push-up endurance, sprint recovery, sandbag power, loaded carry grip, crawl mechanics, or fatigued running.
- Retest the full seven-event sequence periodically. An isolated station improvement is useful only if it survives the transitions.
- Set a personal target below 30:00. A small buffer helps account for course, timing, and equipment variation, but it is not a substitute for the official standard.
Avoid making every session a maximal CFT. Combine technique work, strength and power training, aerobic conditioning, and recovery according to your unit or H2F guidance. Stop a session and seek appropriate help if pain, dizziness, or another concerning symptom develops.
Common Army CFT Calculation Mistakes
- Using a points table. The Combat Field Test uses a single elapsed time rather than event points.
- Treating 30 minutes as a station limit. It is the total time for all seven events.
- Entering decimal minutes. A 7:50 push-up block typed as 7.50 is read as 7 minutes and 30 seconds.
- Changing the event order. The first mile and final mile are not interchangeable with another station.
- Ignoring equipment differences. A light sandbag, empty water can, or low platform changes the training result.
- Adding CFT time to an AFT point total. The tests remain separate.
- Assuming age or sex changes the 30-minute standard. The Army describes one age- and sex-neutral CFT time standard.
- Calling a diagnostic result an official record. A diagnostic attempt before April 17, 2027 is not a record test, and a calculator cannot verify a grader’s decision, a profile, or the Army record system.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Army CFT is the Combat Field Test, a seven-event continuous fitness assessment for Soldiers in 24 designated combat MOSs and AOCs. It is completed in ACU trousers and top, a brown T-shirt, combat boots, and no cover, then judged by total time.
The official CFT pass time is 30 minutes or less for the complete seven-event sequence. It is often called the CFT 30 minute standard or CFT passing time. The same limit applies regardless of age or sex.
No. The Army CFT is pass or fail by cumulative time. A CFT score calculator therefore adds the seven splits and compares them with 30:00. The official Army CFT passing-standard FAQ confirms the age- and sex-neutral pass/fail rule.
The order is: first one-mile run; 30 dead-stop push-ups; 100-meter sprint; 16 40-pound sandbag lifts to a 65-inch platform; 50-meter carry of two 40-pound five-gallon Army water cans; 50-meter movement drill with a 25-meter high crawl and 25-meter rush; and a final one-mile run.
Soldiers in the 24 designated combat specialties listed in the Army guidance take the CFT. The list covers infantry, engineer, field artillery, Special Forces, armor and cavalry, and explosive ordnance disposal roles. Your MOS or AOC, component, and orders status determine how the requirement applies.
No. The CFT is not a substitute for the AFT. A combat-specialty Soldier may need both tests, and the AFT points cannot be combined with the CFT time.
The Army CFT uses one 30-minute pass standard rather than age- or sex-specific scoring tables. This is different from the age-normed AFT scoring categories.
The Army began phased implementation on April 17, 2026. The implementation order, paragraph 3.B.3.B, allows CFT testing for record beginning April 17, 2027, after the initial transition period. Failed attempts before April 16, 2027 carry no adverse administrative action. Follow your unit’s current schedule for diagnostic and record testing.
A temporary profile prevents a record CFT until the Soldier is able to take it under current guidance. A permanent profile that limits an AFT event can make a Soldier in a designated combat specialty ineligible for the CFT and may trigger a reclassification review. Test and event modifications are not available for Soldiers on profiles. The medical and command process controls the decision; the calculator cannot grant a waiver or substitute an event.
During the initial diagnostic period, no administrative action is taken solely because of a failed CFT. After full implementation, a failed record CFT leads to flagging and reconditioning. Army Directive 2026-07, paragraph 4.a.(10) specifies a retest within 90 days, or 180 days for Reserve Component Soldiers who are neither AGR nor on active-duty orders for 365 days or more. Two consecutive failures can lead to the separation or elimination provisions summarized above.
No. This is a free Army CFT time calculator and training tracker built to help you add practice splits and compare them with the published standard. Use your unit’s administered test and official record systems for promotion, retention, schooling, or other personnel decisions.
Related Calculators
- Army AFT calculator — the five-event points assessment that combat-specialty Soldiers take alongside the CFT.
- USMC CFT calculator — the Marine Corps Combat Fitness Test, a different three-event test scored with points
Official Army CFT Sources
Use these official Army references to verify Combat Field Test events, equipment, eligibility, and implementation requirements:
- Army Directive 2026-07: Army Physical Fitness Standards — governing CFT policy, designated combat specialties, testing frequency, and profile provisions.
- HQDA EXORD 103-26: Combat Field Test — published event requirements, the 30-minute cumulative standard, and phased implementation guidance.
- Official Army Fitness and CFT Guidance — Army explanations and supporting fitness-test resources.
- Army Combat Field Test Announcement — introduction to the assessment and its purpose.
Split times support practice analysis; they are not separate official event scores. Confirm current testing instructions with your unit before an administered assessment.
How We Verify This Page
- Sources checked: Army Directive 2026-07 (full text), HQDA EXORD 103-26, and the Army’s Army Fitness Test and Combat Field Test page.
- Last verified: October 11, 2026
- Method: Calculator results were compared with a manual sum of the seven splits before publishing.
- Author: ArmyCalc Editorial
- Report an error: use the contact form or email contact@armycalc.net
ArmyCalc is an independent website. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the U.S. Army. See our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.