Initial Fitness Test
IFT Standards
The Initial Fitness Test (IFT) is the fitness assessment every Air Force Special Warfare applicant must pass. It measures strength, muscular endurance, aerobic capacity and water confidence, and the events and minimums depend on the career field you are applying for.
The minimums below follow AETC Form 1035 (1 Oct 2025). They are the floor, not the goal: selection is competitive, only perfect-form repetitions count, and candidates who arrive well above the minimums are far more likely to finish the pipeline.
Enlisted Operators
Pararescue (PJ), Combat Control (CCT), Special Reconnaissance (SR), Tactical Air Control Party (TACP)
| Event | Minimum |
|---|---|
| Pull-ups (2 min) | 8 reps |
| Sit-ups (2 min) | 50 reps |
| Push-ups (2 min) | 40 reps |
| 1.5-mile run | 10:20 |
| 25m underwater swim | 2 x 25m (pass/fail) |
| Surface swim | 500m in 12:30 |
Enlisted Combat Support
Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE), Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD)
| Event | Minimum |
|---|---|
| Pull-ups (2 min) | SERE 8 · EOD 6 |
| Sit-ups (2 min) | SERE 48 · EOD 40 |
| Push-ups (2 min) | 40 reps |
| 1.5-mile run | 11:00 |
No water events for SERE or EOD.
Officers
Special Tactics Officer (STO), Combat Rescue Officer (CRO), TACP Officer (TACPO)
| Event | Minimum |
|---|---|
| Pull-ups (1 min) | 12 reps |
| Sit-ups (2 min) | 75 reps |
| Push-ups (2 min) | 64 reps |
| 3-mile run | 22:00 |
| 25m underwater swim | 2 x 25m (pass/fail) |
| Surface swim — STO & CRO | 1,500m in 32:00 |
| Surface swim — TACPO | 500m in 12:30 |
Officers get 1 minute for pull-ups instead of 2, run 3 miles instead of 1.5, and STO and CRO swim 1,500m instead of 500m.
Test Order and Rest Periods
- Pull-ups, then a 2-minute rest
- Sit-ups, then a 2-minute rest
- Push-ups, then a 10-minute rest
- Run (1.5 miles, or 3 miles for officers), then a 30-minute rest
- Two 25m underwater swims, each on a 3-minute cycle (operators and officers only)
- Surface swim (operators and officers only)
Every event has to be passed in one uninterrupted test; failing any single event fails the whole IFT.
How Each Event Is Graded
- Pull-ups: start from a dead hang, palms facing away, and get your chin above the bar. No kicking. Letting go of the bar or resting on the ground ends the event.
- Sit-ups: fingers stay interlocked behind your head and your buttocks stay down. There is no rest position, so stopping ends the event.
- Push-ups: elbows to 90 degrees or lower, body straight. The up position is the only rest position; a knee touching the ground ends the event.
- Underwater swims: breaking the surface at any point during the 25m is a failure, and both cycles must be passed.
- Surface swim: freestyle, breaststroke or sidestroke, continuously. Stopping to rest on the wall or touching the bottom is a failure.
When to Test
Enlisted candidates must pass an IFT within 60 calendar days before entering active duty or initial skills training. For an officer application, the IFT should be completed within three months of the Phase I due date.
How Do You Compare?
Passing the minimums gets an application considered. To see how your scores stack up against a recent officer applicant pool, try the ranking calculator.
Standards change. Always confirm current requirements with an Air Force recruiter or your detachment before testing. See the disclaimer.