Because Army men are “irritated” about the different physical fitness standards for men and women, the Army will toughen the women’s fitness tests.
An Army investigation panel surveyed 30,000 troops over eight months and found only half the men believed women pull their weight. One of the panel’s leaders, Gen. Evelyn Foote, said that the push-up and sit-up requirements especially bothered men, who “cannot accept the fact that because of gender there should be different standards.”
Currently, a 25-year-old woman must do 16 push-ups, 45 sit-ups amd run two miles in 19 minutes and 36 seconds, while men must do 40 pushups, 47 sit-ups, and run the distance in 16 minutes and 36 seconds. The Army said the changes for women would be an increased number of push-ups and less time to run.
