FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- Falling in line with their lineage, nearly 500 infantrymen from 2nd Brigade Combat Team left their rank at the door, embraced the title of candidate and set out to prove their proficiency during Expert Infantryman Badge testing lanes all last week on Fort Drum.

EIB testing was established in 1944 by noncommissioned officers of the 100th Infantry Division, Fort Bragg, N.C. Testing consisted of eight tasks administered over three days, allowing leaders to identify and formally recognize the most proficient infantrymen within their ranks.

Of those 100 candidates, only one man was bestowed this honor, Technical Sgt. Walter Bull.

Through the years, testing procedures were modified to mimic current battlefield tasks and drills. Today, an infantryman must precisely execute nearly 40 tasks over a five-day period.

On the first day, candidates were required to successfully complete the Army Physical Fitness Test and day and night land navigation.

These two events proved to be a catastrophic combination, resulting in the majority of candidates being dropped from the course because they did not earn a score of 75 points in each of the APFT testing events or the Soldiers failed to find at least three of the five land navigation locations.

"Our number of personnel was basically cut in half during land navigation testing," said Sgt. 1st Class Jared Holt, an EIB candidate from 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment. "I think this pinpoints an area we need to work on. We need to take these guys out to the woods and better prepare them for next year's testing."

Holt, a five-time EIB candidate, explained the most important factor to being successful, what really separates an expert infantryman from the rest, was being able to perform under pressure.

"You need to have a positive mental attitude; being able to say 'I got knocked down, but I'm going to get back up and not let anything take me out of the game' is important," he said. "Our Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness teams do a lot of good work with our Soldiers teaching them mental techniques to stay motivated and focused. This helps them stay in the fight."

With the stress of failing or receiving a "no-go" on three stations before disqualification from the course, mental resiliency must be exercised.

By the third day, Pfc. Binjham Ezell, 2-14 Infantry, was one of 120 candidates left when he received his first no-go. Ezell said he was concerned about the testing at the upcoming weapons lanes.

"It's pretty nerve-racking at times," Ezell said. "Disassembling and reassembling weapons always makes me nervous. So far, I've done flawlessly, but the 50-cal. machine-gun station is going to be a tough one. Thirty seconds is not a lot of time."

Holt and Ezell, along with 30 other candidates, advanced to the final day of testing, which began with a 12-mile march that had to be completed within three hours.

The final qualifying Soldier crossed the finish line as the three-hour time limit expired, marking the end of a five-day journey to excellence.

"I'm glad it's over," Holt said with a sigh of exhaustion. "It's just one of those things; I wasn't going to quit. Every time EIB came up, I said 'hey I'm going to put 100 percent into it, even though I kind of have a lot of baggage when it comes to the previous ones.'"

Ezell earned the title of youngest infantryman to complete the course this cycle. He credits his success to the help of his fellow Soldiers who studied with him day and night.

"It feels fantastic," Ezell exclaimed. "To be honest, I can't believe I made it this far and even got it. So, the fact that I'm the youngest one, I just hope that this shows everyone who is my rank and age that it is obtainable."

An awards ceremony was held shortly after the road march to honor the 32 Commando Soldiers who completed the EIB lanes and earned the right to wear the badge.

"We started with 483 candidates; now there are only 32," said Col. David S. Doyle, 2nd BCT commander. "These men -- the ones remaining on the field -- are the ones who survived the scenarios, realistic-based lanes, 40 different tasks and a 12-mile road march this morning. They have been through an awful lot and have truly earned the title of expert infantryman."

Three candidates completed the testing without a no-Go, earning the title of "True Blue" -- 1st Lt. Nikolas Anninos and 2nd Lt. Nicholas Hurff, from 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, and 1st Lt. Richard Owen, 2-14 Infantry.

First Lt. John Bomsta, 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, finished the 12-mile road march with the fastest time of 1 hour, 57 minutes.