Photo By Staff Sgt. John Todd | U.S. Army 1st Lt. Philip White, executive officer for the Combined Military Working...... read more read more
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Hohenfels, GERMANY -- 55 Soldiers began competing in the first Expert Soldier Badge (ESB) competition at Hohenfels Training Area, Germany Nov. 16-20. By the time the grueling competition was over, only 19 remained.
The ESB is a proficiency badge designed to recognize a non-infantry Soldier's lethality. Officially entering U.S. Army service in October 2019, the ESB was an opportunity for Soldiers in non-infantry occupations to demonstrate they were proficient in their warrior tasks and skills.
Sergeant First Class Caleb Duncan, cadre member and NCOIC of the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon lane, said the event allowed Soldiers to demonstrate their proficiency in basic combat skills.
“The ESB badge is an accomplishment that demonstrates Soldiers, who aren’t in the infantry, are capable in their basic warrior skills, too,” said Duncan.
All graders for the event were infantry Soldiers that previously earned the Expert Infantry Badge, who ensured the candidates kept in line with the standards.
“Other lanes, such as medical, and CBRN, had ‘augmented’ graders that were proficient in that specialty,” said Duncan. “However, an infantry Soldier monitored the assessment.”
The test itself consists of the Army Combat Fitness Test; day and night land navigation, a total of 30 individual testing stations on various warrior tasks and drills (which include topics such as react to an improvised explosive device attack, and search of an individual in a tactical environment), and a grueling 12-mile ruck march.
Sgt. Coty Surrounded, assigned to 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment and cadre member, said that the competition takes level-one warrior tasks and skills taught in basic training and reinforced what every Soldier should know.
“The competition is nothing more than a measurement of completing complex tasks,” said Surrounded. “They learn the tasks in minimal time, then execute with 100% accuracy.”
Although the tasks are standard, some competitors underestimated the critical nature of the tasks, as are taught to every Soldier during recruit training.
1st Lieutenant Philip White, executive officer for the Combined Military Working Dog Detachment and competitor, said the ESB does retrain Soldiers on all the skills they need in a real combat situation.
“Its very detailed,” said White. “I came into this thinking it was going to be easy, but now I see the competition ranks up there with any other badge you work hard to get.”
Cadre members safeguard competitors’ scores and ensured there was no fraud. This kept undeserving Soldiers from taking advantage of the opportunity that awaits those that complete the course.
Staff Sgt. Christopher Curley, assigned to 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment and cadre member, said this event is tightly controlled.
“The certificates of completion for the event aren’t even issued here,” said Curley. “Like the Ranger certification course, all the hard copies are back in Fort Benning, Ga.”
All Soldiers, regardless of job specialty, are welcome to participate in future competitions.
“Your unit has to literally just give you the time to come down and participate,” said Duncan. “All you have to do is keep your ear open.”
| Date Taken: | 11.20.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 12.04.2020 04:04 |
| Story ID: | 383537 |
| Location: | HOHENFELS, BAYERN, DE |
| Web Views: | 351 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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