CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait (Feb. 23, 2016) -- A total of 86 service members from the U.S. and nine allied countries serving within the U.S. Army Central area of operations earned the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, Feb. 14.
The German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge is one of the few approved foreign awards that can be worn on U.S. military uniforms. Traditionally, it is also one of the most sought after awards and can be earned by service members of any rank.
The competition tests the agility, endurance, strength and mental toughness of the participants.
"It really is a holistic look at what it means to be a Soldier," said 1st Lt. Daniel Dore, with Kuwait-Base Operations and Security Support Services Office, Area Support Group-Kuwait. "You're testing everything."
The competition included a 100-meter swim, 11x10 meter sprint, chin-up, 1,000-meter run, ruck march with a 33-pound load and marksmanship test using the M9 pistol.
Dore, a native of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, said participants are competing against themselves. In order to move on in the competition they had to meet the set standards for each event.
Dore, the officer in charge of the week-long German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge test, and previous gold badge recipient himself, added, "There is a pressure to perform every single day of the competition, you just can't take a day off."
The swim test was the first event, and the primary eliminator of participants from the competition. The required distance was 100 meters, which they had to complete within four minutes in full-duty uniform, minus hat and boots. Before exiting the pool competitors had to remove their outer garments, down to their swimwear, while still treading water to complete the event.
On the second day of the event, participants were tested in a basic fitness test to challenge their endurance.
The fitness test took the average score of its three events to determine the badge level service members would qualify for and try to maintain through the final two events.
"A lot of people can go out and run 1,000 meters, but can you run it after doing a flex-arm hang, shuttle sprint and swim?" asked Dore. "Can you follow that up with a ruck march and finish with shooting? The events build on each other and really test the service members overall ability to demonstrate that whole complete package."
The standard for the ruck march was carrying a 33 pound load, approximately 7.4 miles in 120 minutes for gold, 5.5 miles in 90 minutes for silver and 3.7 miles in 60 minutes for bronze. The marksmanship standard was shooting 5 targets for gold, 4 for silver and 3 for bronze with an M9 pistol at a distance of 20-meters.
Spc. Chance Mooney, a motor transport operator, with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 524th Combat Support Sustainment Battalion, was the lone-finisher of the competition of the four Soldiers sent by his battalion.
Mooney, a native of Savannah, Georgia, said seeing higher ranking individuals competing for the badge sets an example for him and his fellow junior enlisted service members.
The motivation to compete for the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge varied among competitors. Some said they were competing to wear the badge on their uniform, others said their love of physical tests and competition drove them to earn the badge.
For Staff Sgt. Joseph Gomez, air mobility noncommissioned officer in charge, with 4th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, his love of competition was his drive to earn the gold-badge.
"I like pushing myself," said Gomez, from Corpus Christi, Texas. "I always like doing my best. One way of doing it is by going into these events and finding out where I am."
The 46-year-old former Marine says his competitive approach is reflected in all aspects of his life. Recovering from a recent shoulder injury, he struggled to meet the required time limit for the flex arm hang but spent two-weeks losing weight and training to hang from the pullup bars in uniform and backpack. He credits his fitness to the mile a day swimming and keeping his family first.
"Most of my desires always focus on the family," said Gomez. "Everything else comes second."
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