How to Fill Out and Submit the OPAT Scorecard (DA Form 7888)

DA Form 7888 is the Army’s Occupational Physical Assessment Test (OPAT) scorecard. A grader fills in most of it during the test, the soldier signs to confirm the scores, and the grader signs to certify them. Once both signatures are in place, the scores get entered into the Army Recruiting Information Support System (ARISS) and the form becomes part of the soldier’s record.¹ A blank copy is available from the Army Publishing Directorate at armypubs.army.mil or through the U.S. Army Recruiting Command forms portal.

What Gets Recorded on the Form

Page one carries the identifying information and the event scores. The header fields are:

Name (Last, First, MI)
ID Number (marked optional on the form)
Unit/Location — the testing site or the soldier’s assigned unit
Date in DDMMYYYY format
Gender

Below the header, the grader records the raw score for each of the four events as the test runs. Page two is used entirely to track the Interval Aerobic Run shuttle by shuttle. After that event finishes, the grader transfers the final level, shuttle number, and total shuttle count back to page one.¹

The Four Events the Grader Scores

Each score field on the form corresponds to one event.

Standing Long Jump. Feet shoulder-width apart behind a line, jump forward as far as possible. The grader records the distance. This measures lower-body explosive power.
Seated Power Throw. Seated with your back against a wall, chest-pass a 4.4-pound (2-kilogram) medicine ball as far as you can. The grader records the distance the ball travels. This measures upper-body power.
Strength Deadlift. Using a hex bar, lift progressively heavier loads. The grader records the maximum weight lifted with proper form. This measures total-body strength.
Interval Aerobic Run (beep test). Run between two lines 20 meters apart in time with recorded beeps that get closer together. On page two the grader marks “P” for each shuttle completed before the beep and “F” for each miss. The test ends when the soldier stops or misses the line on three consecutive shuttles.¹

Color Categories the Grader Marks

After each event, the grader compares the raw score to the threshold table and marks a color category. There are four:²

Black (Heavy) — the most physically demanding MOSs, such as 11B Infantryman, 12B Combat Engineer, and 13B Cannon Crewmember.
Gray (Significant) — mid-demand jobs such as 31B Military Police and 42A Human Resources Specialist.
Gold (Moderate) — the minimum qualifying tier, covering lighter-demand roles such as 17C Cyber Operations Specialist and 25B Information Technology Specialist.
White (Unqualified) — any event below the Gold minimum. A White result disqualifies the soldier from every MOS until a successful retest.

The minimum scores are the same for male and female soldiers:

Black: Standing Long Jump 5 ft 3 in; Seated Power Throw 14 ft 9 in; Strength Deadlift 160 lbs; Interval Aerobic Run 43 shuttles.
Gray: Standing Long Jump 4 ft 7 in; Seated Power Throw 13 ft 1 in; Strength Deadlift 140 lbs; Interval Aerobic Run 40 shuttles.
Gold: Standing Long Jump 3 ft 11 in; Seated Power Throw 11 ft 6 in; Strength Deadlift 120 lbs; Interval Aerobic Run 36 shuttles.

How the Overall Category Is Determined

The composite category equals the weakest single event. Three Black scores and one Gray score produce an overall Gray. A soldier targeting a Heavy/Black MOS cannot let any event fall short of the Black threshold.³ The grader marks the overall category on the front of the scorecard once all four events are complete.

Signatures That Make the Scorecard Valid

Two signatures close out DA Form 7888. The soldier signs first, confirming the recorded event scores are correct. The grader signs next, certifying both the scores and the resulting MOS qualification level.¹ Without both signatures the scorecard is not a valid record. If you see an error before signing, raise it with the grader or the officer or noncommissioned officer in charge at the site.

Where the Signed Form Goes

Once both signatures are in place, the recruiter or the OIC/NCOIC keeps the scorecard and enters the scores into ARISS.¹ For soldiers reclassifying into a new MOS, battalion- or brigade-level career counselors handle the paperwork.² Keep a personal copy. If a data-entry error shows up later, the signed hard copy is the quickest way to fix it.

If You Don’t Qualify

A White result, or a color below what the chosen MOS requires, is not the end of the process. Recruits can request a retest. If repeated attempts still fall short of the needed category, the enlistment contract can be renegotiated for an MOS with a lower physical demand rating, with Gold as the minimum qualifying tier.²

When a Serving Soldier Needs a New OPAT

Soldiers already in service take the OPAT again only when reclassifying to an MOS in a higher physical demand category. A move from a Significant-rated MOS to a Heavy-rated MOS triggers a new test. A lateral move within the same category, or a move to a lighter one, does not. The soldier’s commander is responsible for making sure the OPAT is administered before the reclassification is approved.² Confirm the target MOS’s category on the Recruiting Command’s Enlisted OPAT Physical Demands Categories list before scheduling.⁴

1
Department of the Army. ATP 7-22.01 – Holistic Health and Fitness Testing
2
The United States Army. Army implements new fitness standards for recruits and MOS transfers
3
Defense Technical Information Center. Association of Performance on the Occupational Physical Assessment Test
4
U.S. Army Recruiting Command. Enlisted OPAT Physical Demands Categories