FORT MEADE, Md. -- Seven Soldiers assigned to First Army Division East's headquarters here were
awarded the coveted German Armed Forces Troop Duty Proficiency badge in a ceremony at the Deutschland's North American headquarters in Reston, Va., Sept. 27.
The awardees were: Maj. Leslie Steele; Maj. David Krugh; Master Sgt. John Silbaugh; Sgt. 1st Class Robert Begley; Sgt. 1st Class Erica Lehmkuhl; Sgt. 1st Class Frederick Cohen; and Sgt. Raul Delgado.
Each of the seven Soldiers earned top honors, receiving gold medals, the highest grade achievable.
The badge is one of the most sought-after foreign decorations for U.S. troops, as there are few officially authorized for wear on a Soldier's uniform in the Army regulation that governs the wear and appearance of uniforms and insignia.
Participants in the challenge were evaluated on their proficiency in a diverse selection of tasks that gauged the competitors' adeptness at swimming, pistol marksmanship, a road march, and a pentathlon of athletic tests like the shot put and long jump.
"There is a full spectrum of skills that are necessary to complete each stage of the competition," said Steele, who is deputy chief of operations at 1AE.
The series of events began Aug. 30 when Div East's entrants joined the 744th Military Intelligence Battalion for 9mm pistol qualification at Fort Meade, where the competitors stationed here completed most of the required events. While several of the tasks were familiar, a few warranted some groundwork.
"I prepared specifically for the swimming event. I swam almost every day for the distance we were required to finish," said Steele.
Begley, who works with Steele in 1AE's operations center, arranged for the 1AE Soldiers to participate in the running for the badge. When he heard that Fort Meade Soldiers were attempting to earn the award, he knew instantly that he wanted to take a stab at it.
And he wanted to bring some friends along, too.
"I'm getting a little older. I don't like to sit on the sidelines and watch people do stuff that I think I can do. It would always bug me knowing that I didn't try," said Begley.
Delgado, a strength management noncommissioned officer in 1AE's G-1, also earned the gold badge. His past life in the U.S. Marine Corps gave him some experience with swimming, but that and other portions of the competition still proved challenging.
"I think the most difficult event was the road march. It really took a lot out of me," he said.
Despite the arduous nature of the seven and a half-mile walk in the park with more than 30 pounds on his back, Delgado dug deep to finish strongly.
"After the first lap, you figure, I've already gone halfway, I might as well finish it!" he said. "I knew I could do it."
Besides the immediate gratification one might draw from adding a shiny ornament to the dress uniform, Delgado recognizes a more significant benefit for junior Soldiers and NCOs partaking in such a challenge.
"It builds confidence. They might think they're not ready for this, but they never know until they actually go for it," he said.
Young warriors aren't the only ones who can derive a sense of fulfillment from an event like this, according to Steele, who was at least 15 years older than most of the others present.
"I like the spirit of competition, so I wanted to jump into this," he said.
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