The problem of consuming alcohol and cigarettes in the military is known,but there are rare studies that have established the connection between consumption and physical readiness measures with privates. The main aim of the research was to establish the correlation between the consumption of psychoactive substances (alcohol and cigarettes) with changes in body readiness measures for volunteering Croatian privates during basic military training. The sample of respondents in this paper was made by volunteers of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia (OSRH) (n = 462, 43 women, 21.2years) who successfully participated in voluntary military training in2015. By voluntary military training, privates acquire military knowledge and skills in performing military duties in the professional composition of the OSRH and require the knowledge and skills to serve in the reserve system. The training lasts eight weeks and is carried out in the barracks for the service of the "123rd Brigade of the Croatian Army" in Požega and the military range "Gašinci". During the training, privates are trained in program areas: Operating with personal arms, Movement, Communicating,Security, Reactions, Military Service, Physical Exercise and Psychological Preparation of privates. A sample of the variables in the survey were socio-demographic data on subjects, anthropometric measurements, psychoactive substance variables (predictors) and physical readiness measures (criterion variables).Data on socio-demographic characteristics, alcohol consumption and cigarettes were collected by previous validated questionnaires. *Questionnaire of Substance Use*, and *Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test* (AUDIT). Physical readiness measures included three standard physical readiness tests that were measured at the beginning and end of the private training: push-ups (the repetitive force of the arm and the shoulder band), sit-ups (the repetitive force of the abdomen) and running at 3200 meters (aerobic endurance measure). The results point to a series of correlations between consuming substances and physical readiness measures that are specific to men and women. The most important findings are related to the relationship between the initial status of substance consumption and change (progress) in physical readiness measures. So smoking is identified as a factor influencing the development of physical readiness measures in men. Weak progress in aerobic endurance of 3200 meters was observed in those who consumed cigarettes and had higher body weight (Rsq = 3%; smoking: β = 0.12 with p = 0.03; weight: β = 10 0.16 with p < 0.01.).With female privates alcohol consumption is recognized as a factor of negative influence on the development of physical readiness. Therefore, the female data subjects that had the highest score on the AUDIT scale had less progress in repetitive power measures such as: push-ups Rsq = 23%; AUDIT: β= -0.33 with p<0,05). Smoking has been shown to be a factor associated with weaker achievements in physical readiness measures with volunteering male and female privates of the OSRH. Alcohol consumption is directly associated with weaker progress in physical measures with female privates. Given the results of the research, it remains to conclude that it is necessary to undertake preventive measures to reduce the consumption of substances in OSRH, which should include education programs on this topic where the results obtained in this study are clearly presented. In this way, avoiding colloquial neglect of this problem and frequent misinterpretation of the influence of substance consumption on the physical capacity of soldiers.