U.S. Army Body Composition Standards (2026)
The Army 2026 body-composition program explained: the WHtR gate, body-fat limits by age and sex, high-performer allowances, and the official source.
By The VivMetric Editorial Team · independent editorial research project
The 2026 screen
The Army uses a one-site abdominal circumference tape test at the navel (adopted 2023) scored against an age/sex body-fat table. In 2026 the Army is transitioning toward the DoD WHtR < 0.55 screen (Army Directive 2026-13); confirm the current implementation with your command. Soldiers who score 540+ on the ACFT (minimum 80 points per event) are exempt from the circumference assessment.
WHtR gate
The initial pass line is below 0.55. On December 18, 2025, the U.
Body-fat limits by age and sex
Age 17–20: max 20% body fat (men), 30% (women). Age 21–27: max 22% body fat (men), 32% (women). Age 28–39: max 24% body fat (men), 34% (women). Age 40+: max 26% body fat (men), 36% (women).
High-performer allowance
ACFT 540+ (80 pts/event) exempts the tape test. Accession (enlistment) standards are ~4 points more lenient for men.
Source
AR 600-9, Table B-2 (Army.mil ABCP) — https://www.army.mil/. Data retrieved 2026-08-19.
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Related pages
- Standards detail → /standards
- Standards detail → /standards/army
- WHtR detail → /whtr
- Tool page → /tools/body-composition-check