In an effort to reduce exposure to airmen and to continue to slow the spread of COVID-19, Air Force officials announced May 22 all official fitness testing is suspended until Oct. 1.

The change, which is an update from the original June 1 resume date, is effective immediately.

Lt. Gen. Brian Kelly, deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services, said in a signed memo, "Airmen remain our top priority, and we will ensure their health and safety as we maintain our force readiness posture."

"When testing resumes, the Air Force will take a systematic approach to reintegrating official physical fitness assessments," Kelly said in the memo. "All policies and procedures should reinforce physical distancing, use of personal protective equipment, airmen health and personal hygiene, and cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting work spaces and common areas."

In March, officials canceled fitness assessments until June 1. Airmen who were scheduled to test in March, April and May received new test dates that were delayed by six months.

The latest change, which is subject to local health conditions and states, "Commanders shall begin assessing airmen's fitness on Oct. 1, 2020, contingent upon base fitness centers being reopened and local state/country travel and movement restrictions being lifted."

Additionally:

• If fitness centers remain closed and local movement restrictions remain in place, commanders may choose to delay physical fitness assessment resumption beyond Oct. 1, 2020, until safe conditions are available.

• An airmen's next scheduled fitness assessment will be based on the date of their last official assessment and fitness category.

• In order to maintain the health and safety of the force as testing resumes, the abdominal circumference component will be temporarily suspended through Oct. 1, 2021, or until further notice. During this period, all airmen will receive a temporary, one-year abdominal circumference component exemption, and the next scheduled test date will be based on the overall fitness score. This one-year temporary abdominal circumference exemption will take precedence over any other shorter term temporary abdominal circumference exemptions.

• The annual height and weight measurements taken in conjunction with the fitness assessment will be temporarily suspended until further notice in order to preserve the health and safety of the force.

• Physical training leaders augmenting the Fitness Assessment Cell may test members from within their same unit to help provide commanders with capacity options.

• Commanders should use the four-month delay to purchase appropriate equipment (e.g., toe bars) to aid in physical distancing and administration of official physical fitness assessments in a safe and healthy environment.

For more information, airmen should visit MyPers and/or contact their chain of command.