Michigan National Guardsman prepares to push the limits
CAMP GRAYLING, Mich. – June 10, 2026
SSG Jeffrey Cross
Soldiers seek opportunities to prove themselves. They turn mundane tasks into competitions of efficiency and completion, train to improve their performance on physical fitness tests, and complete specialized courses and evaluations to distinguish themselves from their peers. One such evaluation is the Expert Infantry, Soldier, and Field Medical Badge (E3B). This evaluation is a training and testing event covering various physical and tactical aspects of soldiering. This year, the Michigan Army National Guard is hosting the E3B, where Soldiers, regardless of rank, will challenge themselves to earn the infamous badge.
“I want to test myself and see how far I can go \[when completing the E3B\],” said Private First Class Ishimwe, of the 507th Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Michigan Army National Guard\.
Originally from Rwanda, Pfc\. Ishimwe immigrated to the United States in October 2023 at the age of 21\. His father, who immigrated before Ishimwe, encouraged Ishimwe to finish school before journeying across the Atlantic\. After completing his high school education, Ishimwe decided to take the leap of faith and journey to America\. Serving in the U.S. military had long been a goal for Ishimwe. Having spent years in a region affected by conflict, he felt a strong desire to give back and contribute to global security. As 2024 came to a close and 2025 began, he took the first steps toward that goal by enlisting in the Michigan Army National Guard.
“I was hoping to be a part of the great team [that] made the world safer,” Pfc. Ishimwe said. “I’m glad I made it.”
Now, Ishimwe will be participating in an Expert Soldiering Evaluation. The E3B consists of four main components. First, Soldiers must take and pass a six-event physical fitness test which includes a two-mile run, plank, deadlift, push-ups, and the sprint drag carry. Soldiers complete the AFT before moving on to the next phase.
“I would say the fitness test is what I have prepared for the most,” said Ishimwe. “I feel the most confident in it.”
From there, Soldiers must complete land navigation during both day and night. Soldiers are given coordinates to plot and must traverse uneven wooded terrain to find markers at those coordinates. They must find all assigned points in a given amount of time to be considered proficient in the course.
Next, Soldiers take part in various exercises called lanes. These lanes include rendering first aid and weapons assembly and function. The Soldiers completing the lanes do not know the simulated injuries they are going to treat, or the order in which they are going to disassemble and assemble the weapons. They have to be trained and ready for several weapon systems.
“I’ve been training a lot on the M240B (machine gun),” Pfc. Ishimwe said through a grin. “But I’ve been training for all of them.”
Finally, the Soldiers must complete a 12-mile ruck march. The standard time to complete this task is 3 hours at a 15-minute-per-mile pace. This event can be grueling, as Soldiers will carry a rucksack of equipment throughout the march. Upon completion, Soldiers will again be given a weapon system to take apart, reassemble, and perform a function test on.
Soldiers who adequately complete these tasks will be awarded their expert badge. They can wear their badge on their duty and dress uniforms, a visual representation of their success to their peers.
“This is a great opportunity for me,” Pfc. Ishimwe said. “I’m going to take this opportunity and see how far I can go, even though I’m not sure how far that is.”
This year, the E3B evaluations will be held in September. Training lanes are taking place during the Michigan National Guard’s State Annual Training.