Photo By Maj. Elizabeth Ohloff | A Soldier tests his endurance during the swim test to earn the German Armed Forces...... read more read more
FORT MCCOY, Wis. – 120 Army Reserve and National Guard Soldiers from across the United States completed the requirements here for the coveted German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge on June 8-9.
The event was hosted by the 649th Regional Support Group with the assistance of 758th Ordinance Company, 102nd Military Police Company, 469th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion and the Fort McCoy Rumpel Fitness Center.
“The facility at Fort McCoy are fantastic for just about any training environment,” said Col Jeffery Pugh, Commander of the 649th Regional Support Group (RSG). Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Misselbeck echoed similar thoughts by saying, “The range is great, 20 shooters at same time. I’ve never had this before, it’s going very quick.”
Misselbeck, from the German Army, is currently stationed at Fort Sill, Okla., and arrived to officiate the entire test at the request of the 649th RSG.
Pugh emphasized that the GAFPB event was an “outstanding partnership between the U.S. Army and the German army.”
“The graders are great! They are really doing a great job! Just little things what I have to explain, but most of them (are) very professional and very good,” said Misselbeck. “What I see here is very professional and very well organized, and it’s a hard time for the soldier to do the test.”
The soldiers participated in the three major events during the two day test.
One of the major events, the fitness test, consisted of several separate events. Their physical endurance was measured by completing a 100 meter swim while wearing the Army Combat Uniform, a basic fitness test where soldiers completed a timed sprint, flex arm hang and a 1,000 meter run. The next major event required soldiers to qualify with a pistol. The final event was a ruck march carrying 33 pounds in their rucks at various distances and times the following morning.
“The training for the proficiency badge involves different types of physical fitness, some of which is not things that (the) U.S. Army normally does, such as a 100 meter sprint,” said Pugh.
85 soldiers finished and qualified for the coveted foreign badge. 19 qualified for bronze, 46 qualified for silver, and 20 qualified for the top marks earning them the gold badge.
Sgt. Jennifer Hewitt, a medic with the 724 Engineer Company said, “As a leader, I feel like it’s setting an example to my soldiers to go ahead and set high goals for themselves and push themselves beyond what they are capable of.” Hewitt earned a silver badge.
“To all the soldiers who joined the event, it’s a great opportunity to join and do the badge. If they earn the badge, they earn the badge because it’s very hard,” remarked Misselbeck.
| Date Taken: | 06.09.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 06.11.2018 21:56 |
| Story ID: | 280552 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WI, US |
| Hometown: | CEDAR RAPIDS, IA, US |
| Web Views: | 378 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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