Spc. Dongsu Shin, an infantryman with 3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, trains on the M249 machine gun prior to testing for his Expert Infantryman Badge Dec. 9 at Fort Riley. Shin not only ear...

Maj. Gen. Wayne Grigsby Jr., 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley commanding general, congratulates Spc. Dongsu Shin, an infantryman with 3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Inf. Div., for receiving his Expert Inf...

After being the first to finish the 12-mile ruck march, 1st Lt. Christopher Marchetti, the executive officer of Company A, 3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, performs first aid on a mannequin D...

Soldiers with 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, stand in wait for their Expert Infantryman Badges Dec. 11 at Fort Riley. Family members, Soldiers and EIB recipients attended to honor the Soldiers' week-long qualification. (Spc. ...

Maj. Gen. Wayne W. Grigsby Jr., 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley commanding general, salutes Soldiers as he completes the Expert Infantryman Badge 12-mile ruck march Dec. 11 at Fort Riley. The ruck march was one of the final tasks Soldiers had to...

Hundreds of Soldiers with the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, competed for the Expert Infantryman Badge Dec. 11 after a week-long competition at Fort Riley.

Of the 366 Soldiers who tested, 14 earned the EIB.

"It was really hard; it was a lot of studying," Pfc. Jonathan Tucker, an infantryman with 3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st ABCT, 1st Inf. Div., and the only private to earn the badge, said. "But it feels great to finish strong."

Soldiers were tested on physical fitness, battle drills, medical tasks, marksmanship and communications. Prior to the qualification, Soldiers were given a week to prepare. They coached each other and were mentored by prior badge recipients.

Of the 14 Soldiers who earned their badges, three Soldiers passed without failing any event: Sgt. Benito Carrion, a section sniper, and 1st Lt. Eric Piper, a mortar platoon leader, both with 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st ABCT, 1st Inf. Div., and Sgt. Travis Hodson, a Bradley gunner with 3rd Bn., 66th Armor Regt.

"Something I will always remember is working with my buddy, (Spc. Dongsu) Shin," Tucker said. "Before we went through every event, we practiced with each other. He graded me and I graded him, and I definitely wouldn't have gotten my badge if he wasn't in it."

Spc. Dongsu Shin, an infantryman with 3rd Bn., 66th Armor Regt., not only earned the respect of his fellow Soldiers, but also the respect of Maj. Gen. Wayne W. Grigsby Jr.,1st Inf. Div. and Fort Riley commanding general.

"He's ready to stand up because he led the way," Grigsby said about Shin. "He's a great leader, he's confident in his craft and he's a great teammate."

On the final day, Soldiers had to march 12 miles with 35-pound ruck sacks. Immediately following the march, Soldiers were tested on casualty care. After one week of preparation and another week of testing, the 1st ABCT Soldiers were ready to stand before their peers and receive their badges.

"Getting pinned makes you realize all the hard work and dedication that you put in is really worth it," Shin said.