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 your family member and their 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 family member's application they 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 the recruits' advantage to be of a good standard of medical and dental health when they attend the examination.

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







Existing Medical ConditionsTo be enlisted into the Australian Army recruits need to be both medically and physically fit. A doctor at their Recruiting Centre will determine this. It is important that recruits advise the medical officer of all existing medical conditions to allow a judgement to be made on the relevance of that condition. If they are in doubt about an injury that might affect their training, tehy should consult the doctor at the pre-enlistment Medical Board. Failure to disclose an existing injury or medical condition may result in their 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 the recruits' suitability for a particular job, but more importantly, their 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.

The recruits' BMI will be calculated based on the information provided by them. This calculation will be confirmed by trained medical staff as part of their assessment process and the outcome will determine their current eligibility for continuing with their 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 them unsuitable for entry into the ADF:

  • if their health or ability to work is dependent upon any medication, special diet or specialist medical care;
  • if they have a condition which may deteriorate without warning;
  • if their blood or body fluids carry an infectious disease;
  • if they have any condition which limits the vaccines they can receive before being sent to an operational area or war zone (such as deficiencies of the immune system); or
  • if they 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 a recruit unsuitable to commence training. If any of the following apply to your family member, the examining medical officer will need to be informed about their 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 they suffer any irregularities with their eyesight which requires the use of spectacles or contact lenses;
  • any condition which requires regular visits to their doctor, or any health problem for which they take regular medication;
  • skin disorders including severe acne; or
  • migraines.

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