Leading from the front: 2-77FA top leaders earn ESB

Photo By Staff Sgt. Gabrielle Pena | Command Sgt. Maj. Jesus Robles, senior enlisted advisor of 2nd Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, is awarded the Expert Soldier Badge after a week of testing May 20 at Fort Carson, Colorado. Senior leaders of the battalion hope that with their newly earned badges, future Steel Soldiers will follow in their example and earn the prestigious badge. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Gabrielle Pena)  

FORT CARSON, CO, UNITED STATES

06.02.2022

Story by Sgt. Gabrielle Pena 

2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division

The U.S. Army created several special skills badges for Soldiers serving in specific branches throughout the years. Infantrymen have the Expert Infantryman Badge. Soldiers serving in the medical branch can test and earn their Expert Field Medic Badge.

However, a badge to identify all other Soldiers as experts did not exist.

The U.S. Army announced the Expert Soldier Badge on June 14, 2019, a proficiency badge designed to recognize Soldiers’ lethality and expertise outside of the infantry and medical fields.

On May 20, 2022, Lt. Col. Adam Ropelewski and Command Sgt. Maj. Jesus Robles, commander and senior enlisted advisor (respectively) of 2nd Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, stood with Soldiers of their formation to receive their ESB at Fort Carson, Colo.

The command team of the Mountain Warrior Brigade’s field artillery battalion endured the same two weeks of training and week-long testing with all other EIB candidates and ESB candidates.

They aimed to demonstrate that earning this badge was as crucial as an infantryman or medic earning their respective badges.

“We’re setting a good example, setting a precedent for the rest of the non-EIB qualifying population,” Robles said. “This is an important thing for our Army.”

Both Ropelewski and Robles found that the turnout for senior leaders earning the ESB in their battalion was a lot higher than in previous iterations of training and testing when they expressed their desire to go out and earn the badge themselves.

“We had a battery commander and a couple of platoon sergeants (going to test),” Robles said.

Approximately 18 others in the battalion, including themselves, participated in training and testing.

“We set conditions for the future,” said Ropelewski. “This should be the expectation moving forward: create expert Soldiers and take the time to devote the opportunity to execute.”

• Date Taken: 06.02.2022
• Date Posted: 06.14.2022 16:11
• Story ID: 422072
• Location: FORT CARSON, CO, US