Battle Creek defender challenges self, earns German Armed Forces proficiency badge

Photo By Staff Sgt. Bethany Rizor | Senior Airman Christine Trafelet, 110th Security Forces Squadron, checks identification at a entry control point, Battle Creek Air National Guard Base, Mich., Oct. 16, 2018.  

BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, UNITED STATES

10.17.2018

Story by Staff Sgt. Bethany Rizor 

110th Wing

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. – Not many U.S. military personnel can say they’ve earned a foreign military award. In fact, the German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency is one of the few even authorized to be worn on a U.S. service member’s uniform. Senior Airman Christine Trafelet, 110th Security Forces Squadron, took initiative to participate in the German Armed Forces Proficiency competition at Rosecrans Air National Guard Base, St. Joseph, Missouri, Sept. 4, 2018.

She is now able to wear the German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency in Gold (Grade III).

Trafelet takes joy in performing at the highest level of physical fitness. When her leadership offered her the opportunity to do a “swimming, shooting, and running” competition, she challenged herself to complete.

The German Armed Forces have one year to complete all of these events, whereas the competition combines them all in just two days.

Day one consists of three physical fitness events followed by one marksmanship event. The most difficult event is the running competition. Competitors start in a prone position, then jump up into a sprint. The full test consists of five laps around a cone, and then back to the prone position, as quickly as possible.

The chin-up test is measured by how long the competitor can hang in a flexed-arm position. The longer the hang, the more points acquired. There is also a 1000m run, which needed to be completed in as short amount of time as possible.

Trafelet is part of the 110th Security Forces Squadron, Battle Creek Air National Guard Base, Mich. As a force protection specialist, shooting is like second nature. The marksmanship event required competitors to shoot 5 out of 5 of a 50m target with an M-9 pistol.

Competitors had the option of which physical event they could begin with. Each event had its specific minimum requirements. Failure would mean not moving on to day two.

Swimming is not among the common physical fitness requirements for Air Force personnel, but Trafelet nonetheless excelled at the challenge. Day two consisted of a 100m swim in uniform. The catch was that the competitor had to remove the uniform and throw it onto the deck without touching the edges of the pool. If the uniform sunk to the bottom, the competitors had to retrieve it before exiting.

Trafelet had this advice for those considering competing: “Train for the swimming event; you may think you can swim well, but with a uniform on it is much more difficult!"

The competition always culminates with a ruck march. An excellent time for the ruck is considered to be 12 km in under 120 minutes. Trafelet said she felt the greatest sense of accomplishment when she completed the ruck march in under 90 minutes.

“It was hard for sure, but it was so fun,” said Trafelet, a grin on her face.

Trafelet's exceptional effort scored her a gold badge, the highest level of achievement in the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge competition. Needless to say, her peers and leadership are very proud of her accomplishment.

“Senior Airman Trafelet is highly motivated, extremely professional, and dedicated,” said Tech Sgt. Jay Sherman, Trafelet’s supervisor. "Her outstanding performance at the German Armed Forces Proficiency competition is not a surprise, but a validation of her day-in, day-out effort.”

The competition is open to all branches and ranks. Trafelet stated that in the beginning, everyone is in physical training gear, so rank is unknown.

"In reality, you are not competing against anyone but yourself, but with others there, it was great to meet new people and push each other to do our best," she said. "I hope to compete again next year."

In the meantime, Trafelet is challenging her comrades from the 110th to join her in hopes of going to the competition as a team.

• Date Taken: 10.17.2018
• Date Posted: 10.17.2018 11:05
• Story ID: 296727
• Location: BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, US