Development of New Gender-Free Physical Fitness Standards for the Army

摘要

This action was in response to the arbitrary closure to women of many military occupational specialties (MOS) presumed to be too physically demanding. With the need to utilize increasing numbers of women in nontraditional MOSs as well as to respond to affirmative action policies, it became apparent that the Army must qualify and assign new entrants by matching individual qualifications with specific MOS physical requirements, regardless of gender. Arbitrarily barring all women from a physically demanding MOS, because it is beyond the capacity of the average woman, is wasteful of manpower, if not, unjustifiable. Thus, in July 1977, the Army Vice Chief of Staff directed that research begin to establish gender-free occupationally related physical fitness standards which could be used for MOS selection and assignment. This paper presents the process by which this has been accomplished.