See more FAQs. Want to change your PES? See the up-PES guide.
PES (Physical Employment Standard) is a medical grading from your pre-enlistment screening. It reflects your medical condition and helps decide your combat fitness and which vocations you can be posted to. No grade is "good" or "bad", they just point to different service paths.
Grades at a glance
- PES A, B1: Fully combat fit. Eligible for frontline and combat vocations
- PES B2–B4: Combat fit with some limits. Some combat roles plus support vocations
- PES BP: Obesity track. You do Obese BMT/BRT and get reclassified after a BMI review, not a permanent grade
- PES C2, C9: Lower combat fitness. Combat support and service support (admin, store, clerk, transport)
- PES D: Temporary. More tests or time are needed before a final PES is given (usually ~2–3 months)
- PES E1, E9: Service and administrative support roles, no combat
- PES F: Medically unfit for any form of service
How PES is decided
TLDR; it's your "medical" fitness, not overall fitness. It's possible for a couch potato to be PES A. It's possible for someone who lives in the gym to PES E.
PES comes out of your CMPB medical screening (height, weight, urine, blood, and review of any conditions). See what happens during the CMPB screening. Bring any specialist letters for pre-existing conditions, the MO and the monthly medical board decide your grade based on these.
Only an MO can confirm your PES. No one online can tell you for sure what you will get.
Which vocation will I get?
PES is only one factor (IPPT, aptitude, and luck also matter). Roughly:
- PES A/B (combat fit): expect a combat vocation like infantry, but can also be transport, clerk, or storeman
- PES C–E: usually admin (ASA/SA), support, or transport roles
Can I change my PES?
Yes, you can apply to up-PES (or down-PES) through your MO with a specialist memo. See the full guide on up-PESing.
Is a low PES bad?
No. No one cares about your PES unless you want to sign on as a regular. It does not affect your civilian career.
Disclaimer
The PES system is periodically reviewed and the details above can change over time. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, check the CMPB website.