Women are failing the U.S. Army’s new fitness test at higher rates than men, according to a viral Facebook post that was confirmed by the military Tuesday.
The Facebook page “U.S Army W.T.F! Moments” posted several slides claiming 84% of female candidates were failing the new Army Combat Fitness Test, compared to 30 percent of males, according to Military.com. Army officials said the slides were not official documents, but they did not deny their accuracy. The slides reportedly show results from 11 battalions, including 2,849 men and 357 women. (RELATED: Pentagon Implements Transgender Troop Policy Enforcing Gender Birth Service)
Female Marine Corps recruits listen to instruction during hand-to-hand combat training at the United States Marine Corps recruit depot. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Maj. Gen. Lonnie Hibbard, the commander for the Center for Initial Military Training, has also confirmed the military was seeing differing results, but he credited the difference to lack of training.
“We have to learn how to train for this test,” he told reporters at a press conference, according to Military.com. “As we look at the new Army Combat Fitness Test, it is more of a functional fitness test,” he said. “And we have to change the way we do [physical training].” (RELATED: US Army Invests In Studying ‘Hyperfit’ Women Who Pass Its Hardest Tests)
The Daily Caller has previously reported on the U.S. Military lowering its standards for women in Ranger training, and sought to prevent that truth from getting out. Since the Pentagon lifted its ban on combat roles for women, 35 women have reached Army Ranger status.
In 2016, retired female army Col. Ellen Haring complained about the Marines’ fitness standards being too high, citing that no women had managed to pass.
The current requirement for infantry officers in the Marine Corps is that they carry a load of up to 152 pounds for 9.3 miles, while completing the hike in an appropriate time. Haring argued that there were very few times a Marine infantry officer would have to carry that much weight, so the standard should be lowered to match the Combat Endurance Test, which women have passed.