A U.S. Army Soldier assigned to 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, communicates to higher command at the National Training Center as part of Decisive Action Rotation 16-02 in Fort Irwin, Calif., Nov. 8, 2015. The Decisive Action Rotation challenges the Brigade Combat Team with complex training before deploying in December. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Daniel Parrott/Released)

A soldier assigned to 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, takes part in Decisive Action Rotation 16-02 at Fort Irwin, Calif., on Nov. 8. The Army has 17,000 fewer soldiers than it did a year ago.

Photo Credit: Pfc. Daniel Parrott, Fort Irwin Operations Group

Members of 1st Battalion, 168th Aviation Regiment, participate in a deployment ceremony, Oct. 4, 2015, for their deployment early next year to the Middle East. Hundreds of Soldiers and family members packed the Army Aviation Support Facility, where the ceremony was held on Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Members of 1st Battalion, 168th Aviation Regiment, participate in a deployment ceremony, Oct. 4, 2015, for their deployment early next year to the Middle East. Hundreds of Soldiers and family members packed the Army Aviation Support Facility, where the ceremony was held on Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Photo Credit: 122nd Public Affairs Operations

Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Staunton-based Headquarters Company, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team conduct an initial coordination meeting with Augusta County Fire and Rescue to discuss possible snow response operations Jan. 22, 2016, near Staunton, Virginia. The Guard has been authorized to bring up to 500 Soldiers, Airmen and members of the Virginia Defense Force on state active duty and has personnel staged and ready at readiness centers along the I-81 corridor between Lexington and Winchester, along the Route 29 corridor from Warrenton to Danville, as well as in the areas near Richmond, Fredericksburg and Gate City. Read more at go.usa.gov/cPqhA. (Photo by 2nd Lt. Jay Haas, Virginia Defense Force Public Information Detachment)

Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Staunton-based Headquarters Company, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team conduct an initial coordination meeting with Augusta County Fire and Rescue to discuss possible snow response operations Jan. 22, 2016, near Staunton, Virginia.

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Photo Credit: 2nd Lt. Jay Haas/National Guard

160223-N-ZZ999-112 WASHINGTON (Feb. 23, 2016) An undated file photo of Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Edward C. Byers Jr. Byers will be awarded the Medal of Honor by President Barack Obama during a White House ceremony Feb. 29. Byers is receiving the medal for his actions during a 2012 rescue operation in Afghanistan. Uniform insignia has been digitally removed from this photo for security reasons. (U.S. Navy photo/Released)

160223-N-ZZ999-112 WASHINGTON (Feb. 23, 2016) An undated file photo of Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Edward C. Byers Jr. Byers will be awarded the Medal of Honor by President Barack Obama during a White House ceremony Feb. 29. Byers is receiving the medal for his actions during a 2012 rescue operation in Afghanistan. Uniform insignia has been digitally removed from this photo for security reasons.

Photo Credit: U.S. Navy photo

Spc. Mekel Bergschneider, a Cannon, Ga., native with 702nd Brigade Support Battlion, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, is graded on her pushups during the Army Physical Fitness Test, May 15. The APFT was the first event for Bergschneider, and 12 other soldiers and noncommissed officers, during the 2013 Bayonet Soldier and NCO of the Year competition.

Women will be required to complete at least 49 pushups to join Army Special Forces under new rules. Here, Spc. Mekel Bergschneider, with 702nd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, is graded on her pushups during the 2013 Bayonet Soldier and NCO of the Year competition.

Photo Credit: Spc. Glen Shackley/Army

The Army has issued its rules for opening Special Forces to women as part of several policy revisions affecting the service's special operations career fields .

Announced March 8, the changes apply to enlisted personnel seeking assignments in three specialties: Special Forces , Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations .

An overview :

Special Forces

• SF is open to male and female soldiers. However, before attending Special Forces Assessment and Selection, known as SFAS, soldiers must complete a physical assessment test that, as a minimum, includes 49 pushups, 59 situps, a 2-mile run of 15:12 minutes or less, and six pullups.

• Female soldiers must have a negative pregnancy test within 30 days before their report date to SFAS.

• Soldiers seeking entry into Special Forces must have a valid SF physical before attending SFAS. Additionally, candidates must be able to complete a physical demonstrating they are able to endure the speeds and stress associated with a high-altitude, low-opening parachute jump. If needed, soldiers must also undergo corrective eye surgery before attending the SF qualification course.

• The minimum General Technical score for Special Forces has been increased from 107 to 110, and the Army will not accept waivers .

• The maximum age for SFAS remains 36, and soldiers must have at least 36 months of obligated service remaining when they complete the SF qualification course.

Civil Affairs

• Soldiers who qualify for reclassification to become a civil affairs specialist must successfully complete Civil Affairs Assessment and Selection and the CA qualification course.

U.S. Army Cpl. Jeff Baker, Provincial Reconstruction Team Zabul, talks with local citizens of Qalat City while on a recent patrol. As a civil affairs specialist, gathering direct atmospherics from the population is a key part of his role within the provincial reconstruction team. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Joshua Turner)

Women seeking to become civil affairs specialists in the Army must have one to four years of service, and no more than three years in grade as an E-4, to apply for the qualification course. Here, a civil affairs specialist talks with local citizens of Qalat city, Afghanistan, while on patrol in 2012.

Photo Credit: Senior Airman Joshua Turner.Air Force

• Prerequisites for reclassification include a physical profile rating of no less than 111221; a minimum GT score of 107; a secret security clearance; no criminal convictions for any offense other than minor traffic violations.

• Also, soldiers must achieve a score of 65 or higher on the Defense Language Aptitude Battery, and have a valid Test of Basic Education or measuring an applicant's abilities in reading, writing and arithmetic.

• Specialists must have one to four years of service, and no more than three years in grade as an E-4 to apply for the CA qualification course.

• Sergeants must have two to six years of service, and no more than three years in grade as an E-5 to apply for the qualification course.

• Staff sergeants must have three to eight years of service, and no more than three years in grade as an E-6 to apply for the qualification course.

• Promotable staff sergeants may apply with a waiver approved by the civil affairs commandant at the Special Operations Center of Excellence.

• CA applicants must have completed the survival, evasion, resistance and escape physical within 24 months before submitting their accessions packet.

• If not already jump-qualified, soldiers must complete basic airborne training before reporting to the CA qualification course.

• Female soldiers must have a negative pregnancy test within 30 days before their CA Assessment and Selection report date.

Psychological Operations

• Soldiers requesting reclassification into the Psychological Operations career field must have a current survival, evasion, resistance and escape Level C physical on record, and a minimum GT score of 107.

• Soldiers in the ranks of private first class through sergeant are eligible to apply for reclassification if they have at least 18 months in the service, but no more than 10 years .

• Female soldiers must have a negative pregnancy test within 30 days before their report date for the PO Assessment and Selection.

• Soldiers must successfully complete PO Assessment and Selection to attend the qualification course, which is a prerequisite for reclassification.

All soldiers

All of these changes will be reflected in a future update to Chapter 5 of AR 614-200, the Army's principal regulation governing enlisted assignments and personnel management. For detailed information about the regulation changes, soldiers should access MilPer Message 16-073 .