Being considered an expert is something most Soldiers want to achieve as the title shows that you, above all others, can be counted on to finish the mission quickly, professionally and with minimal help from your peers. That is why Infantrymen in the 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team competed in the Expert Infantry Badge test Nov. 2-6 at Fort Riley to determine who the best of the best is.
Throughout the five days of testing, Infantry Soldiers underwent grueling conditions while completing various tasks that included reacting to direct fire, land navigation and performing first aid to a wounded comrade.
The new EIB formats are based on scenarios that Soldiers often find themselves in Iraq or Afghanistan and is geared towards preparing them for war whereas previous incarnations tested Soldiers solely on their knowledge.
Aca,!A"The Army shifted to the new EIB test to make it more combat oriented and realistic,Aca,!A? said 1st Sgt. Jeffrey Lewis, 1st Sgt. of Company B., 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry. Aca,!A"Before, you would go to a station do a task and then move onto the next one and while it was a great judge of their technical skills, it didnAca,!a,,ct really focus on the tactical side or the ability to accomplish simultaneous tasks under stress.Aca,!A?
The test is now made up of three different lanes where Soldiers must use their decision making skills in order to receive a Aca,!EoegoAca,!a,,c at each station and instructors, who are fellow Infantrymen that have already earned their EIB, monitor their comrades to ensure that the standards are upheld.
Aca,!A"The EIB is now made up of three lanes urban, where Soldiers have to react to situations they will face in an city like environment, tactical check point where they have to have to adapt to situations that come up if they had to man one and a patrol lane that tested them in how to react under various circumstances,Aca,!A? said Lt. Col. James Smith, commander of 1-16 IN. Aca,!A"In this test, if a Soldier receives two Aca,!Eoeno-gosAca,!a,,c in any one of the three lanes he is automatically disqualified.Aca,!A?
Despite the harsh regulations and high standards of the new EIB, Smith was happy to report a 37% passing rate compared to the normal 25% the rest of the Army averages.
Aca,!A"We started with 276 and finished with 103, which is much higher than the rest of the Army is reporting,Aca,!A? he said. Aca,!A"I think our leaders have done an outstanding job preparing these Soldiers and this helps lay a strong foundation for the rest of the battalion and the brigade to build on as it sets us on the road to deployment next year.Aca,!A?
The test itself helped Infantrymen call upon knowledge theyAca,!a,,cve learned but may have forgotten while not in a combat environment and helped them to succeed during the test.
Aca,!A"The EIB helps reinforce what weAca,!a,,cve learned a long time ago but when you go to a unit and spend time in garrison you can get rusty so doing the train up and testing motivates the guys and helps bring out the best in them,Aca,!A? said Spc. Mark Ritchey, an infantryman with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Sqaudron, 4th Cavalry.
Throughout the hardships of the test, Soldiers were able to draw upon the strength of their training and the encouragements of their comrades in order to achieve the goal of receiving the EIB and learning to trust in the training that will help them in times of war.
Aca,!A"This represents the culmination of everything that you learn from basic on down and putting it together in order to receive the Expert Infantry Badge,Aca,!A? Ritchey said. Aca,!A"It gives us the confidence in our training to complete whatever task that comes up when weAca,!a,,cre overseas.Aca,!A?
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