FORT CARSON, Colo. - The coveted Expert Infantryman Badge (EIB) is a symbol of excellence, toughness and proficiency in the art of the U.S. Army Infantry Corps.
To earn the badge Soldiers must go through five days of testing, which included an Army physical fitness test, day and night land navigation, 36 individual tasks under patrol, weapons and medical categories and end everything with a 12-mile foot march.
However, before testing, Soldiers with 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, and other units throughout the installation went through two weeks of training.
"We wanted to ensure (our Soldiers) had every opportunity possible to be successful during EIB testing, so we made the training a troop priority long before testing week," said Capt. Alexander Boroff, commander, Charlie Troop, 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 2nd IBCT.
For Soldiers like Spc. Tenzin Woeser, with 3rd Sqdn., 61st Cav. Reg., 2nd IBCT, the training was helpful.
"By the time it was my turn to test on the EIB lanes, I knew exactly what to expect and what I needed to do to succeed," he said.
After two weeks of training and five days of testing, Woeser and 90 other Soldiers proved themselves experts in their craft and earned the right to wear the badge.
Soldiers shared that special moment in their careers with Family and friends during an awards ceremony March 1, 2019.
Pvt. Joshua Graham, infantryman, with 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 2nd IBCT, was able to share his moment with comrades as he watched his NCO pin the badge on his uniform.
Earning the coveted badge was something he was determined to achieve, he said.
"I wanted to be an infantryman because I wanted to be part of something bigger than myself, and I want to be an expert at my craft," said Graham. "Knowing that I would be among the youngest (ranking) Soldiers to earn the badge - kept me motivated every single day."
Although earning the badge wasn't an easy task it's something every infantryman should strive for, and Graham hopes to motivate others to earn the badge, he said.
"Every time it gets hard you have to tell yourself that you can do it, you have to believe in yourself," said Graham. "If you quit or not give it your all, you are just failing yourself and you will regret it in the future."
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