Medical ExaminationMEDICAL AND FITNESS STANDARDS

Service in the Australian Defence Force (ADF) requires particular personal qualities, a high level of physical fitness and freedom from some disabilities and ailments that may seem insignificant in civilian life.

Unlike civilian employees, members of the ADF are required to carry out a wide range of arduous military duties (often in isolated and stressful circumstances) as well as the duties of their specialist role. In an operational area or a war zone there are no guarantees that anything other than the most basic medical care and first aid will be available.

Consequently, medical and physical standards for entry into the ADF are high and applicants who have medical conditions, which prevent them from offering unrestricted operational service, cannot be selected for enlistment.

These high standards are set not just for the benefit of the ADF, but also to protect you and your future health and to avoid problems with any previous condition that may be aggravated by intense physical activities.



  • Medical Examination
  • Existing Medical Conditions
  • Vision
  • Body Mass Index
  • Suitability
  • Medical Disabilities


As part of your application you will be required to complete a detailed Medical History Questionnaire and undergo a full medical examination by a qualified medical officer at the Recruiting Unit. It is to your advantage to be of a good standard of medical and dental health when you attend the examination.

A chaperone can be made available should you wish. There may also be a requirement to refer you to a specialist for further investigation of some medical conditions.







Existing Medical ConditionsTo be enlisted into the Australian Army you need to be both medically and physically fit. A doctor at your Recruiting Centre will determine this. It is important that you advise the medical officer of all existing medical conditions to allow a judgement to be made on the relevance of that condition. If you are in doubt about an injury that might affect your training, consult the doctor at the pre-enlistment Medical Board. Failure to disclose an existing injury or medical condition may result in your removal from the course, and/or discharge from the Army.

The Australian Army will provide full medical cover during training, except for pre-existing conditions which were not declared at recruiting. Prescribed medication is available on an as required basis.







VisionThe ADF requires a high level of visual correctness to meet the unique nature of the military environment. There are some instances where visual shortcomings are acceptable; however, in these cases vision must be able to be restored to a pre-determined military standard with the use of spectacles or contact lenses.

As part of the recruiting process, your visual standard will be examined and the outcome will determine not only your suitability for a particular job, but also more importantly, your suitability for service with the ADF.




The National Health and Medical Research Council has endorsed the Body Mass Index (BMI) approach to determine an acceptable weight for height range for the population. BMI is calculated by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in metres squared.

Your BMI will be calculated based on the information provided by you. This calculation will be confirmed by trained medical staff as part of your assessment process and the outcome will determine your current eligibility for continuing with your application for entry into the ADF.




The minimum height requirement for entry into the ADF, without shoes, is 152 cm.

Generally, the following guidelines are applied to decide whether a medical condition or disability will make you unsuitable for entry into the ADF:

  • if your health or ability to work is dependent upon any medication, special diet or specialist medical care;
  • if you have a condition which may deteriorate without warning;
  • if your blood or body fluids carry an infectious disease;
  • if you have any condition which limits the vaccines you can receive before being sent to an operational area or war zone (such as deficiencies of the immune system); or
  • if you have any condition which is likely to be aggravated by strenuous activities, possible geographic isolation or extreme climatic conditions.







The following conditions are known to cause problems with arduous physical training or operational service in isolated areas. Although they are not necessarily automatic grounds for the rejection of your application, they may make you unsuitable to commence training. If any of the following apply to you, the examining medical officer will need to be informed about your case in detail.

  • asthma or other breathing problems;
  • diabetes;
  • epilepsy or other seizures;
  • recurrent back pain;
  • broken bones in the last two years;
  • any pins, plates or screws in legs or feet;
  • previous history of having dislocated a joint;
  • any operation or admission to hospital in the last two years;
  • if you suffer any irregularities with your eyesight which requires the use of spectacles or contact lenses;
  • any condition which requires regular visits to your doctor, or any health problem for which you take regular medication;
  • skin disorders including severe acne; or
  • migraines.

Any reports which you can bring from your own doctor will help the medical officer to make a fair and timely decision. You should consult ADF medical staff through your local Recruiting Unit if you wish to obtain advice about any of these conditions and how it may affect you, or should you have any other questions regarding medical requirements.