Photo By Maj. Carson Petry | "Black Jack" Infantrymen from the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry...... read more read more
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FORT HOOD, Texas - Hidden within the dense vegetation of Pegasus Scaled Range, under the cover and concealment of camouflage netting, 187 infantrymen from the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division fought for the opportunity to earn the coveted Expert Infantry Badge (EIB) Jun 18-22.
After a grueling week of testing, only 55 remained as 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team Commander, Col. Jeremy Wilson, Task Force Phantom Command Sgt. Maj. Maurice Jackson, friends and family members pinned the infantry blue EIB on their chests during a ceremony at Cooper Field.
The small group of infantrymen reflects the stringent standards for the award and elite qualifications for the title “expert.”
“The interesting thing about the EIB is within the infantry community, there are a couple of markers that show that you have done what’s expected of you in the infantry,” said Lt. Col Timothy Meadors, commander, 1st Battalion, 5th U.S. Cavalry Regiment. “One of the baseline markers is the EIB, and by its name, it’s the badge that recognizes infantrymen that are experts. What all these guys strived to do over this three-week period was attain that title of an expert. So, to see them earn it is very special, and we saw that on this field today.”
The candidates trained for two weeks at Pegasus Scaled Range before the final testing week. Each lane led by an expert trainer whose chest bore the infantry blue EIB. Their training, encouragement, and correction were valuable to those who sought the prize.
“I think the importance of it, especially for the new Soldiers, it’s a rite of passage to validate them as infantrymen,” said Staff Sgt. Eddie Anaya, an infantryman assigned to A Co., 1-5 Cav. “The EIB lets them know they are ready for war, they can do all the skill level tasks, they can accomplish the mission, they can do it to standard, and do it under stress. It’s one of those things where you can look at the individual and know they know what they’re doing.”
Completing a task is not enough. The candidate must complete the task according to the specific steps of the performance measurement process. For some events, there are dozens of steps that must be followed to receive a GO at that station. Failure to follow every step in the proper sequence and the candidate gets a NO-GO at that station.
Two consecutive NO-GOs at a station or three NO-GOs overall disqualifies the candidate.
Candidates new to the Army and seasoned veterans alike shared the same training area and were afforded equal opportunities to earn the EIB.
“I don’t think age has a lot to do with it,” said Spc. David Ashcraft, 20, an infantryman assigned to A Co., 1-5 Cav. “It’s all about the preparation and training. The EIB is a true testament to a lot of the infantryman’s skills. I look forward to taking the knowledge I have gained over the last few weeks and passing it along to future Soldiers.”
Ashcraft was one of only a handful of candidates who received first time GO’s at every station. They took advantage of the training opportunities during the practice weeks and practiced and studied on their own time also.
“There wasn’t a single event that wasn’t taxing either mentally or physically,” said Ashcraft. “Everything had to be prepared for physically or mentally by studying.”
88 candidates made it to the final event, a 12-mile ruck march with 35 pound ruck. Despite starting at 2 a.m., the Texas heat and rolling hills of Fort Hood proved to be an obstacle for many. Those who made it to the finish line, within the three-hour requirement, laid on the ground from exhaustion and shouted in victory.
“It means everything to me,” said Sgt. William Beuch, an infantryman assigned to C Co., 1-8 Cav. “It’s what every infantryman strives to attain. The train up helped a lot. The heat made it difficult to concentrate at times, but everyone out here gave 100%. You must buckle down and study on your own time. When you’re in that heat, it’s hard to remember all the sequence steps, but you make it happen.”
Capt. Alexander Saxby, assistant operations training officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2ABCT, performed double duties as the project officer for EIB and a candidate. Saxby was one of fifteen candidates who earned “true blue” recognition; candidates who received first time GO’s at every station.
“It was difficult balancing the stringent requirements of the EIB train-up and learning the tasks to standard and still doing my job in the brigade S3 shop,” said Saxby. “Just because we’re out here training doesn’t mean the mission stops.”
For Saxby, the challenge was an internal test of character.
“Everyone goes through the EIB, and everyone is graded against the same standard,” said Saxby. “It’s their chance to prove they have the mettle to make it and to excel in the brotherhood of arms that is the infantry.”
Those who did not earn the EIB gained valuable training experience and will get another chance to receive the honor next year.
| Date Taken: | 06.26.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 06.26.2018 08:58 |
| Story ID: | 282266 |
| Location: | FORT HOOD, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 210 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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