Ft. Irwin Weed Army Community Hospital hosts 2015 EFMB testing

By Mr. Michael K Beaton (Army Medicine)December 21, 2015

WACH 2015 EFMB TESTING AT FORT IRWIN NTC
1 / 11 Show Caption + Hide Caption – FORT IRWIN, Calif. -- Final day of testing for the Expert Field Medical Badge (EFMB) Dec. 18 at the National Training Center (NTC) on Fort Irwin. 122 candidates arrived from across the United States to take the test at Fort Irwin earlier this week. T... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
WACH 2015 EFMB TESTING AT FORT IRWIN NTC
2 / 11 Show Caption + Hide Caption – FORT IRWIN, Calif. -- A Soldier performing triage on "'patients" in a combat scenario during testing for the Expert Field Medical Badge (EFMB) at the National Training Center (NTC) at Fort Irwin. Qualification for the badge is considered a grueling e... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
WACH 2015 EFMB TESTING AT FORT IRWIN NTC
3 / 11 Show Caption + Hide Caption – FORT IRWIN, Calif. -- A Soldier prepares and prioritizes "'patients" for evacuation to the next level of care during day two of Expert Field Medical Badge (EFMB) testing at the National Training Center (NTC) at Fort Irwin. Qualification for the badge... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
WACH 2015 EFMB TESTING AT FORT IRWIN NTC
4 / 11 Show Caption + Hide Caption – FORT IRWIN, Calif. -- Captain Ronda Booth, National Training Center (NTC) operations group, briefs Soldiers prior to the upcoming Expert Field Medical Badge (EFMB) testing scheduled Dec. 12 through 18 at the NTC.

During her remarks Capt. Booth quizz... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army)
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WACH 2015 EFMB TESTING AT FORT IRWIN NTC
5 / 11 Show Caption + Hide Caption – FORT IRWIN, Calif. -- Final day of testing for the Expert Field Medical Badge (EFMB) Dec. 17 at the National Training Center (NTC) on Fort Irwin. 122 candidates arrived from across the United States to take the test at Fort Irwin earlier this week. T... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
WACH 2015 EFMB TESTING AT FORT IRWIN NTC
6 / 11 Show Caption + Hide Caption – FORT IRWIN, Calif. -- Weed Army Community (WACH) Sgt. Major Rindi Foster (left) does a quality check and confirmation count on training equipment prior to the upcoming Expert Field Medical Badge testing scheduled to begin Dec. 12, 2015, at Fort Irwin... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
WACH 2015 EFMB TESTING AT FORT IRWIN NTC
7 / 11 Show Caption + Hide Caption – FORT IRWIN, Calif. -- Sgt. Tabatha Magrew, a Soldier with the Weed Army Community Hospital (WACH) quickly dons protective gear during a simulated chemical attack during day two of Expert Field Medical Badge (EFMB) testing at the National Training Cen... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
WACH 2015 EFMB TESTING AT FORT IRWIN NTC
8 / 11 Show Caption + Hide Caption – FORT IRWIN, Calif. -- Captain Ronda Booth, a training expert with Operations Group at the National Training Center (NTC) does a walk-through and checks a compound in the NTC mock village prior to the arrival of Soldiers on day two of Expert Field Med... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
WACH 2015 EFMB TESTING AT FORT IRWIN NTC
9 / 11 Show Caption + Hide Caption – FORT IRWIN, Calif. -- A Soldier treats a patient in a combat scenario in the National Training Center mock village during testing for the Expert Field Medical Badge (EFMB) Dec. 16 on Fort Irwin. 122 candidates arrived from across the United States to... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
WACH 2015 EFMB TESTING AT FORT IRWIN NTC
10 / 11 Show Caption + Hide Caption – FORT IRWIN, Calif. -- Soldiers make the 12-mile "Ruck" March on the final day of testing for the Expert Field Medical Badge (EFMB) Dec. 18 at the National Training Center (NTC) on Fort Irwin. 122 candidates arrived from across the United States to ta... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
WACH 2015 EFMB TESTING AT FORT IRWIN NTC
11 / 11 Show Caption + Hide Caption – The Magnificent 33: The men and women Soldiers pictured won the Expert Field Medical Badge (EFMB) Dec. 18 at the NTC. Of the more than 120 Soldiers who began testing 12 Dec. only 33 emerged to accept the Badge from Col. Jason Wieman, Weed Army Commun... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT IRWIN, Calif. -- Given the traditional 15 to 20 percent pass rate, the Expert Field Medical Badge stands apart as one of the most prestigious and hard won awards an Army medical professional can obtain. Soldiers know and speak of the badge chiefly by its acronym, EFMB, and it is synonymous with three 'T's": technical ability, tactical proficiency and Soldier tenacity. Among military medical professionals the EFMB is literally a badge of excellence.

The Weed Army Community Hospital (WACH) hosted and facilitated the qualification of events for 122 Soldiers coming from posts across the United States seeking to earn the badge Dec. 12 through 18 at the National Training Center (NTC). EFMB testing last took place on Fort Irwin in 2001.

Qualification for the badge is considered a grueling experience by those who have earned it. Participants are required to exhibit superior physical fitness and mental toughness while accurately and effectively performing complex life-saving medical tasks in a variety of hostile environments and situations. Consequently, the majority of participants are knocked out as "No-Go's" by the third day of testing. The EFMB is considered the medical equivalent of the Expert Infantryman's Badge, but is said to be far harder to earn.

During the week participants ran a gauntlet of tests including a formal six-page written test with questions in general military and medical knowledge, preventive medicine map reading and land navigation trials in both day and night. Participants endured a battery of test scenarios that included Tactical Combat Casualty Care, Medical and Casualty Evac Tasks as well as Leadership/Warrior Skills Tasks.

The week of testing culminated in a Twelve-Mile Forced Road March known as a 'Ruck-March', that must be completed by candidates within three hours while carrying a standard 35 pound kit of fighting gear.

The NTC, situated in the middle of the Mojave Desert is renowned by Army Training Network professionals for its authentic battlefield scenarios, their authenticity and realistic environments. The scenarios designed for the EFMB testing was purposefully intense to simulate combat conditions Soldiers would most likely experience in the field and the NTC Operations group observer controllers worked closely with representatives from the Weed Army Community Hospital to create the jarring sounds and distractions, realistic casualties, surprise pyrotechnics, smoke and opposing force activity in order to replicate a combat experience tailored and relevant to medical scenarios.

This is my second try at the badge," explained Capt. Alyssa Noltner brigade medical officer, 2nd BCT, 82nd Abn. Div., who had made the trip to Fort Irwin from Fort Bragg North Carolina. " "Everyone knows Irwin is the most realistic place for desert combat training - and their people are good -- absolutely unyielding in trying to create a realistic, current training environment. he said. "That's made this better, sure, but the EFMB is tough enough as it is!" said Noltner.

Of the 122 Soldiers who began testing 12 Dec. only 33 emerged to accept the Badge from Weed Army Community Hospital (WACH) Commander Col. Jason Wieman, on the Fort Irwin parade field on 18 Dec.

In his congratulatory and farewell remarks to the new EFMB badge holders Wieman spoke also to the more than 200 NTC and WACH Soldiers who had come out to greet them and recognize their long ordeal and hard work to attain the EFMB.

"If a Soldier is injured, if anybody is injured for that matter, combat scenario or otherwise, they can thank their lucky stars if one of these Soldier Medics shows up to take care of them. They have proven that they can stabilize life threatening injuries, protect themselves and their Soldiers, that they can get them evacuated and to the next level of care, quickly and in the most austere conditions. Their testing here at NTC brought a new meaning to that." said Wieman.

Addressing the assembled Soldiers on the parade field and in the stands he added "I would like to share a quote I read from a Medal of Honor winner, retired Sergeant Gary Beikirch. He gave a very good quote as to what EFMB means. He said "In a crisis you are going to look for people who know- you look for people who seem to be able to make things happen when others are confused or lost. Those kind of people we look for, possess a vision. A vision will enable you to not quit in a crisis. My question is: will you be ready?"

Speaking directly to the 33 EFMB Soldiers Wieman concluded, "People are going to be looking for you. Are you going to be ready? I think that that sums up what the EFMB stands for."

ABOUT THE EXPERT FIELD MEDICAL BADGE

United States Army medics who see combat action on the front line, in the midst of battle, have been eligible to earn the Combat Medical Badge since 1945. In June 1965, the US Army expanded its awards program by implementing the Expert Field Medical Badge (EFMB) for combat medics who do not see battle.

Rigorous testing in the classroom and in performance exercises qualifies the military medic from both the U.S. Army and Air Force, as well as NATO Soldiers to earn the EFMB. While not actual combat duty, the test itself is so difficult that only 16.2% of those who tried it passed it in 2015. The EFMB is considered one of the most prestigious Army skill badges of all.

Applicants must have cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification to take the test. They must also have passed the Army Physical Fitness Test and the M16 or M4 Weapons Qualifications within 12 months of test application.

Today, the EFMB test is the utmost challenge to the professional competence and physical endurance of the Soldier Medic. It is the most sought after peacetime award in the AMEDD, and while the Combat Medical Badge is the "portrait of courage" in wartime, the Expert Field Medical Badge is undoubtedly the "portrait of excellence" in the Army all of the time. Description: An oxidized silver badge 15/16 inch in height and 1 7/16 inches in width consisting of a stretcher crossed by a caduceus surmounted at top by a Greek cross.

The Medical Corps insignia of branch, modified by the addition of a Greek cross suggesting the Geneva Convention between the wings and the entwined serpents, signifies the recipient's skills and expertise. It is superimposed upon a stretcher alluding to medical field service.

Soldiers candidates can consult EFMB test control website for guidance at https://www.us.army.mil/suite/page/140048.

To learn more about the people and facilities of the Weed Army Community Hospital and the National Training Center at Fort Irwin visit the official NTC website at www.irwin.amedd.army.mil.

Related Links:

Weed Army Community Hospital on Facebook

Weed Army Community Hospital on Flickr

The Weed Army Community Hospital

National Training Center Fort Irwin