Garrison Wiesbaden Soldiers vie for coveted Bundeswehr proficiency badge

Photo By Roland Schedel | U.S. Soldiers attempt to qualify for the German Armed Forces Badge of Marksmanship, known as the Schüetzenschnur, during a Bundeswehr-hosted qualification event at the Altendiez Training Area, Germany, Sept. 28, 2023.  

WIESBADEN, HESSEN, GERMANY

10.06.2023

Story by Roland Schedel 

U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden   

ALTENDIEZ, Germany – Soldiers representing the 228th Brigade Support Company, 2nd Multi-Domain Task Force, U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Theater Signal Brigade and 102nd Strategic Signal Battalion, competed to earn the German Armed Forces badge for weapons proficiency, known as the Schüetzenschnur, at the Altendiez Training Area in Altendiez, Germany on Sept. 28.

The Schüetzenschnur is a Bundeswehr award that recognizes weapon proficiency and excellence in Germany's armed forces. It is one of the few foreign awards that American Army Soldiers can wear on the Army Green Service Uniform or on the service uniform, also known as the dress blues.

Speaking to Walid Jebali, a Landeskommando Hessen Senior Officer Cadet, he explained how they will often invite their American partner units to compete for the Schüetzenschnur, depending on how many open slots are available.

For many American Soldiers training with their German counterparts, earning the coveted German Armed Forces Schüetzenschnur is considered a career milestone, said Jebali.
"I had so many hands go up [to volunteer] and there were more on the waiting list who wanted to go," said Capt. Patrick Ledbetter, U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden HHC commander. "They were so excited for this opportunity."

Over 30 American Soldiers joined their German counterparts -- vying to earn the coveted Schüetzenschnur badge by participating in shooting events to prove their weapon proficiency. If they successfully qualify with a German armed forces pistol and rifle, Soldiers will be awarded the Schüetzenschnur.

The shooting events consisted of two weapons and firing rounds to qualify on the German armed forces P8 semi-automatic pistol and the standard Bundeswehr rifle, the G36.

To qualify with the pistol, each Soldier was required to hit the target with 7 out of 10 rounds for bronze, 8 out of 10 for silver or a perfect 10 out of 10 for gold.

With the rifle qualification, the range presented more targets at various ranges and also, more of a challenge for the Soldiers. Each competitor must engage and hit each target, with three rounds, from varying distances -- increasing beginning at 5 meters out to a eventual distance of 200 meters.

Each awarded grade was determined by the lowest combined qualification score for each weapon. For example, if a Schüetzenschnur competitor qualifies with a gold score, on one of the weapons, and a bronze score, on the other, the award earned would be a bronze Schüetzenschnur.

Staff Sgt. Daisy Perez from the102nd Strategic Signal Battalion spoke about the pride she would feel, from earning the Bundeswehr badge.

"It is a challenge, and to be able to participate in the partnership with the Landeskommando Hessen is an experience I will never forget,” said Perez.

Several of the U.S. Soldiers commented about their eagerness to train with different weapons and their excitement in training with their German Army counterparts.

"This is actually one of the things I wanted to achieve while I was over in Germany," said Sgt. Patrick Winters, 2nd Signal Brigade, hoping to earn a gold badge throughout the event. "It's something I'll take with me the rest of my career.”

American Soldiers, throughout basic training, spend weeks conducting primary and advanced marksmanship training, and are generally more experienced firing a rifle then a pistol. But firing foreign weapons, or weapons that a Soldier is not as experienced with, can be challenging for service members who lack familiarity.

U.S. Soldiers, who are more familiar firing rifles, scored consistently better and generally higher than during the pistol qualification phase.

Of the 34 American Soldiers who competed, 27 earned Schüetzenschnur badges -- 9 gold, 11 silver and 7 bronze. Three Soldiers from U.S. Army Garrison Headquarters and Headquarters Company earned silver badges, with one earning a gold badge.

At end, the Bundeswehr promised more opportunities for U.S. Soldiers to participate and compete for the Schüetzenschnur badge next year.

• Date Taken: 10.06.2023
• Date Posted: 10.06.2023 10:47
• Story ID: 455337
• Location: WIESBADEN, HESSEN, DE