U.S. Air Force Promotion Fitness Exam Prep Made Simple

Updated for the 25E5 and 25E6 testing cycle according to the Weighted Airman Promotion Catalog.

Brought to you by military and educational technology experts.

Select the Rank
you need to ace

We set up your app experience by matching your rank selection to the latest Professional Fitness Exam (PFE) testable content.

Ace PDG is updated when the Air Force releases a new guide or changes AFH-1 or AFH 36-2647.

Study Mode

Study with flashcards or read testable sections of AFH1. Flash cards include the 24 Foundational Principles in AFH 36-2647 and prepare you for the Situational Judgment Test (SJT) part of the PFE.

On the road or exercising? Try our audio feature in Handbook mode.

Give it a try now!

Quiz Mode

Quiz yourself any time you finish one of the study sections. Our section quizzes cover every testable topic, including the SJT.

Want to ensure you’ll ace the PFE? Study every section and answer all 4,000+ quiz questions!

Give it a try now!

Mock Exam
Mode

Think you’ll ace it? Take the closest to actual PFE! 60 questions are sourced from AFH1 and 20 from AFH 36-2647 (SJT section). Each question is 1.25 points, totaling 100.

Take the mock exam as often as you need to feel ready. Each exam features new questions!

Give it a try now!

Ace PDG Leaderboard

Curious how you rank compared to other Airmen nationwide? Check out the Ace PDG leaderboard once you finish a mock exam.

E-5 and E-6 promotions are awarded based on how you do compared to your peers.

Visit the leaderboard to find out.

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Why Choose Us?

Use the Ace PDG mobile app to get promoted to E5 and E6, advance your career, and earn more!

  • Our content has been vetted by currently enlisted airmen!
  • Ace PDG is the only app to offer a premium Study feature for absolutely FREE!
  • We offer a 3 day free trial of all of our other premium features, which include Quiz, Mock Exam and Leaderboard.
  • Ace PDG includes everything you need to know for the PFE in one app. We include the SJT material unlike the other apps.

    • Ace your E5 or E6 promotion
    with Ace PDG!

  • Updated for the 25E5 and 25E6 testing cycle according to the Weighted Airman Promotion Catalog.
  • Brought to you by military and educational technology experts.

    • Available for iOS 8 and Android Devices From 5.5

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    FAQs

    Common
    Questions

    Find answers to frequently asked questions here to help resolve common issues and learn more about our services.

    The Promotion Fitness Examination (PFE) is a test that Airmen take as part of the Weighted Airman Promotion System (WAPS) to determine if they are eligible for promotion to Staff Sergeant (E-5) and Technical Sergeant (E-6).

    The 2025 PFE will be available to eligible Airmen on the following dates:

  • Promotion to the rank of Staff Sergeant (E-5): May 1 to June 30, 2025.
  • Promotion to the rank of Technical Sergeant (E-6): February 15 to April 15, 2025

    • The PFE consists of 80 questions, each worth 1.25 points, totaling 100 maximum points.

  • 60 questions are based on the study guides released annually by the Air Force. The Staff Sergeant (E-5) and Technical Sergeant (E-6) study guides, commonly referred to as PDG (Professional Development Guide), are entirely derived from AFH-1 (specific content is assessed for each rank).
  • 20 questions on the PFE are Situational Judgment Test (SJT) questions and are based on the 24 foundational competencies published in AFH 36-2647.

    • An SJT is a behavioral assessment that presents a candidate with a hypothetical work-related scenario and asks how they would respond. SJTs are used to measure a candidate's decision-making and thought processes and are a common tool for employers across many industries.

  • 10 unique scenarios will be included in the PFE. You will be asked two questions per scenario: What is the most effective response to the situation? What is the least effective response to the situation?
  • The SJT portion of the PFE is closely linked to the 24 Air Force foundational competencies. These competencies can be found in AFH 36-2647.

    • The Weighted Airman Promotion System (WAPS) is an Air Force program that determines promotions to the ranks of Staff Sergeant (E-5) and Technical Sergeant (E-6). Each year, The Air Force determines the number of promotions needed to fulfill mission requirements and manning goals as set forth by law and regulation. The Air Force then divides these slots by percentages across its various Air Force Specialty Codes (AFSCs), with some career fields receiving a few extra slots. The result is a system in which each candidate for promotion only competes against those in the same Air Force Specialty (AFS). The numbers of promotion slots are not disclosed until after testing.

    Eligible candidates receive points based on a number of criteria, including awards and decorations, Enlisted Performance Report (EPR) points, Promotion Fitness Examination (PFE) points, and Specialty Knowledge Test (SKT) points. Fractions of points are awarded for certain categories, resulting in scores that are not whole numbers. Candidates with the highest numbers of points, up to the promotion allowance in each career field, are promoted.

    The score of the last person promoted is known as the cutoff. The cutoff can gauge how narrowly a given candidate missed a promotion. The cutoff score varies each testing cycle because of variations in both the number of promotion slots and the number of points earned by the top candidates.

    1. OUR CONTENT HAS BEEN VETTED BY CURRENTLY ENLISTED AIRMEN!
    2. Ace PDG is the only app to offer a premium Study feature for absolutely FREE!
      • 4,000 flashcards covering every testable sentence of AFH-1 and the 24 foundational competencies in AFH 36-2647, which will prepare you for the SJT portion of the PFE.
      • A digital and audio version of all testable content from AFH-1!
    3. We offer a 3 day free trial of our premium features, which includes flash cards in Study mode as well as our Quiz, Mock Exam and Leaderboard features.
      • 4,000 questions covering all testable material. Prepare with flash cards and quizzes that provide instant feedback.
      • Mock Exam mode is the closest to actual PFE there is. 80 timed questions (60 AFH-1/20 SJT).
      • See the Ace Leaderboard to find out how high you score compared to Airmen nationwide!
    4. We give back! Top 3 ranked users (based on mock exam results) at the end of each year will qualify for a digital Amazon.com gift card! Winners will be announced on Instagram.
      • Gold: $150 gift card
      • Silver: $100 gift card
      • Bronze: $50 gift card

    Have more questions? Ask your questions here