NOVO SELO TRAINING AREA, Bulgaria- Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry Regiment (1-36 IR), completed a demanding five-day evaluation at the Novo Selo Training Area (NSTA), Bulgaria, earning the Expert Infantryman Badge (EIB) and Expert Soldier Badge (ESB).
The EIB and ESB testing process is typically preceded by a mandatory 1-to-2 week train-up phase. The evaluation covers several core phases conducted over continuous days including physical fitness, land navigation, weapon proficiency, medical, and tactical skills.
Candidates of the EIB and ESB began with a combat fitness test before moving through day and night land navigation, weapons lanes, medical lanes and patrol lanes. The evaluation ended with a 12-mile ruck march and a ‘secret’ event- a timed assembling and disassembling of an M4 carbine rifle.
Each event was graded on a go-or-no-go basis, requiring Soldiers to meet the standard at every station to continue. The testing challenged candidates to perform individual warrior tasks while managing fatigue and the pressure of knowing that a single mistake could be their last.
“Earning the EIB and ESB shows that these Soldiers are willing to put in the work, meet the standard and perform when it matters,” said Lt. Col. Blair Downey, battalion commander of 1-36 IR. “They should be proud of what they accomplished, and their teammates should be proud of them.”
Command Sgt. Maj. Jason Booth, the battalion command sergeant major, said the testing showed the importance of maintaining standards throughout every part of the evaluation.
“Every event required these Soldiers to stay focused and take care of the details,” Booth said. “They had to rely on their training, their teammates and themselves to get through five days of testing. Earning this badge shows they were able to meet the standard when it counted.”
The EIB and ESB are among the Army's most respected individual skill badges. The EIB was established by the U.S. War Department in October 1943 during World War II to improve morale, build esprit de corps and establish a high standard of tactical and technical proficiency for infantry Soldiers.
The first EIB testing was conducted in 1944 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. There were 100 noncommissioned officers who were tested, and Technical Sgt. Walter Bull was the only Soldier to earn the badge. In comparison to the original 1%, at NSTA for the 1-36 IR, the final completion rate was 27%.
In comparison, the ESB is a newer badge, approved in 2019 to establish a similar expert-level qualification for Soldiers outside the infantry and medical fields. The badge tests Soldiers on common warrior skills, including physical fitness, land navigation, weapons and tactical tasks.
At NSTA, candidates were required to demonstrate those skills to the Army standard throughout the five-day evaluation.
The first event was the Expert Physical Fitness Assessment (EPFA), testing the strength, speed, and endurance needed for real combat. Soldiers must wear full combat gear, which includes the Army Combat Uniform (ACU), boots, a helmet, and body armor with plates. The test included seven continuous steps: a one-mile run, push ups, a 100-meter sprint, 16 sandbag lifts, a 50-meter water can carry, a 25-meter high crawl, a 25-meter rush, and finishing with a one-mile run. The EIB candidates must finish within 27 minutes, and ESB candidates within 30 minutes.
Land navigation tested their ability to use a map and compass to find designated points, while the night land navigation course required them to complete the task in limited visibility.
The weapons proficiency lanes tested Soldiers' ability to safely and effectively use their assigned weapons. The medical proficiency lanes evaluated their ability to perform tactical medical tasks, while the patrol proficiency lanes required candidates to apply their individual infantry skills in a tactical environment.
The next event was the 12-mile ruck march, carrying a 35-pound rucksack over the grueling, rolling hills of Bulgaria’s NSTA. Candidates had to maintain the required pace after completing the other testing events, making this event both a physical and mental challenge. The last event was unknown to the candidates: a timed assembling and disassembling of an M4 carbine rifle, occurring immediately after the ruck march.
Two Soldiers were recognized for their outstanding performance in the events: 1st Lt. Izaiah Ramirez recorded the fastest EPFA time, finishing in 16 minutes, 37 seconds. 1st Lt. Brody Asbury recorded the fastest 12-mile ruck march time, completing it in 2 hours, 28 minutes.
“True Blue” is a special designation given to soldiers who pass every single event and task for the EIB on their first attempt without receiving any "no-gos" or re-tests.
The battalion recognized the following Soldiers as “True Blue”: 1st Lt. Izaiah Ramirez, Pfc. Isaac Baumert, Staff Sgt. Cody Brown, 1st Lt. Dalton Lazich, Maj. Galen Mandes, Capt. Alexandar Mezentsev, Sgt. Darion Osterkamp, Capt. Luis Porras, Staff Sgt. Justin Rangel and Spc. Christopher Wilson.
Similarly, “Perfect Edge” is a special title given to Soldiers who pass every single task of the ESB on their very first attempt without receiving any “no-gos” or re-tests.
The battalion recognized the following Soldiers as “Perfect Edge”: 1st Lt. Brody Asbury, 1st Lt. Eduardo Avila, Spc. John Brath, 1st Sgt. Michael Cano, Sgt. Antonio Chavez, Pfc. Kemarion Gibson, Spc. Faafetai Lauti, 1st Sgt. Joshua Lewis-Quam, 1st Lt. Jada Logan, Sgt. 1st Class Drexler McColly, 1st Lt. Brandon Meyer, Cpl. Santiago Munos, 1st Sgt. Levi Prewitt, 1st Lt. Abigail Ragan and 2nd Lt. Sean Telonetino.
During the pinning ceremony, the battalion command team pinned badges on the Soldiers who earned them. Leaders and fellow Soldiers proceeded to congratulate the recipients, taking photographs and sharing handshakes and hugs. The ceremony concluded with the playing of the Iron Soldier March and the Army Song.
The EIB and ESB testing gave Soldiers from 1-36 IR, an opportunity to demonstrate their ability to perform individual warrior tasks under demanding conditions. For those who earned badges, the ceremony marked the completion of five days of testing and recognized their ability to meet the Army's standards for expert-level performance.