The Air Force announced that changes to the service’s physical fitness test will go into effect on Oct. 21—nearly a month later than had been planned due to the federal government’s partial shutdown. They include extending waist measurement testing; realigning the process of appealing fitness results back to wing commanders; adjusting passing standards for airmen who can only test on one component of the assessment; and simplifying the walk test, states an Oct. 18 service release. “We have a tremendous program that has fundamentally changed the Air Force’s overall fitness level over the past few years,” said Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh. “The PFT itself is not going to change, but even the best program can be improved upon, so we are making changes . . . to enhance the overall program,” he said.
Army Building Up New Space Operations Branch
Oct. 15, 2026
The Army has long been dependent on space capabilities to navigate terrain, communicate in hard-to-reach areas, and identify and strike targets. Now, the service wants to deepen its space operations expertise and is making plans to expand its own cadre of operators in the coming years.