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by Sgt. Maj. Mark St.Clair, 21st TSC PAO
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany – The 21st Theater Sustainment Command hosted Expert Soldier Badge testing May 6-10 at several installations throughout the Kaiserslautern Military Community, awarding 27 Soldiers for their professional excellence.
More than 35 percent of the 77 officers, noncommissioned officers and Soldiers that began the testing were awarded badges. “Sustainment warfighters must have a master’s degree in warfighting and a bachelor’s in sustainment operations. It’s about being brilliant at the basics,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Kofie B. Primus, the 21st’s senior enlisted soldier. “Regardless of the reasons or opinions, the growing lethality and uncertainty of the modern battlefield requires NCOs who are experts at building high-performing cohesive teams. They must be well-led, trained, and ready to support large-scaled combat operations, so it’s good for the community, for [U.S. Army Europe and Africa], to test their expertise.”
The testing took place in the middle of DEFENDER 24, a months-long strategic deployment, interoperability, and readiness exercise across 13 European countries involving more than 40,000 troops from 20 U.S., allied, and partner nations in which the 21st is deeply involved. The TSC is also providing logistical underwriting for the State Department and the Special Immigrant Visa program for Afghans who previously supported U.S.-led operations in their home country, as well as ongoing critical sustainment support to actions in Ukraine.
The packed operational calendar meant that the resource-heavy training was almost postponed, but Primus and Maj. Gen. Ronald Ragin, 21st TSC commander, gave their full support. “We must ruthlessly prioritize time and resources towards building lethality and cohesive teams. Soldiers need to shoot, move, communicate, and be experts in their craft. They also need to bond together through tough, realistic training,” said Primus. That support was greatly appreciated by one 21st Soldier who is Ukrainian by birth and was one of the 27 successful awardees.
Pfc. Andrii Sydoruk has been in the Army for 18 months. “I’m already an expert and a professional, but you want to have the badge too,” the 21-year-old said. In addition to forwarding his burgeoning Army career as a petroleum supply specialist for the 30th Medical Brigade at Rhein Ordnance Barracks in Kaiserslautern, Sydoruk said he was excited to bring his new skills back to the Soldiers he works with every day, adding that ESB testing was a great way to gain expertise on equipment he does not have regular access to.
To earn an Expert Soldier Badge, candidates are required to successfully show proficiency on 30 different tasks, from hand grenades to land navigation to tactical radio communications. Many pieces of equipment required for testing are not regularly assigned to every unit, and Soldiers may not have regular opportunities for appropriate training. For this event, Soldiers were given two weeks to hone their skills before testing.
The event marked the first time an Army sustainment organization at the expeditionary or theater level had hosted ESB testing, and units from across Germany and Italy came together to provide the necessary cadre and expertise. Joining the 21st headquarters element were candidates and cadre from the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vicenza, Italy, and the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, 44th Expeditionary Signal Battalion-Enhanced, and 2nd Multi-Domain Task Force from various bases throughout Germany. Most of the testing took place at the Breitenwald Training Area in Landstuhl, Germany.
Sgt. Axel Guzman was one NCO supporting from another unit. Coming from the 2nd MDTF in Wiesbaden, Germany, the 28-year-old transportation management specialist from Puerto Rico said, like Sydoruk, that “even if you don’t get the badge, you take a lot back to your unit.”
Guzman received his Expert Soldier Badge in November in Grafenwoehr, Germany, during an event hosted by the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment. He said that ESB events in Europe require many units to accomplish the mission and ensure Soldiers are properly trained. Willing to support the 21st, he personally trained six Soldiers and two NCOs to test.
“When I got my badge, it helped me understand the importance of mastering Soldier skills and developing leadership skills. You really have to want this to get it,” said Guzman.
Spearheading 21st planning and execution efforts was Sgt. Maj. David Motley, the command operations sergeant major. The testing was Motley’s final large project after serving with the 21st for three years, and he was acutely aware of the challenges the 21st faced when executing the training to standard. He said the benefits were myriad for everyone involved. “Testing helps Soldier be more proficient at the tactical level. Awarding the ESB is a significant thing for this organization.”
“We need to establish a culture of training skills that are relevant to this organization during large-scale combat operations,” said Motley. “This gets after the (Army) Chief of Staff’s [line of effort] of warfighting.”
Beginning with the Expert Physical Fitness Assessment through the culminating road march, Motley said the event would not have been successful without support and validation from the ESB Test Management Office at Fort Jackson, S.C. Though this was the first ESB of its kind, Motley said it likely won’t be the last, and he hopes it will be an annual addition to the 21st’s training calendar. Primus said in order for the Soldiers of the 21st TSC to continue being, “brilliant at the basics, we must invest the time and resources to regularly hosting the ESB.
“Leaders build leaders, and the sustainment noncommissioned officer is the changing agent and a key ingredient to training the ultimate warfighter to be adaptable, flexible, more modern, and more lethal,” said Primus.
The 21st Theater Sustainment Command has been “First in Support!” for almost six decades, providing agile and effective Army and joint sustainment solutions for the European and African theaters from Panzer Kaserne in Kaiserslautern, Germany. For more information, contact the Public Affairs Office at usarmy.rheinland-pfalz.21-tsc.list.pao@army.mil.
| Date Taken: | 05.17.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 07.02.2024 05:06 |
| Story ID: | 475356 |
| Location: | DE |
| Web Views: | 26 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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