Checking in...

[GoardHeart]

It's been a while since I've been around and made a post. Just thought I'd check in and say hello to my fellow Rangers and I hope all is well.

I also wanted to post a couple pics from yesterday morning when I earned my Expert Infantryman's Badge.

cpts.jpg

pinned.jpg

It was the new EIB, EIB XXI, very interesting way to test the tasks. I had a good time though, almost felt like a real Soldier again. It was a nice change for ten days from the normal mission of The Old Guard.

Also, has anyone else heard the rumor that the army is working on a badge that identifies both the EIB and CIB for those who have earned both? The Regimental Commander told us yesterday that it would be a CIB with a gold border around the blue as opposed to silver.

[PocketKings]

Congrats!

[Grifter]

Congrats on the EIB and Welcome back Sir.

[Jim]

Also, has anyone else heard the rumor that the army is working on a badge that identifies both the EIB and CIB for those who have earned both? The Regimental Commander told us yesterday that it would be a CIB with a gold border around the blue as opposed to silver.

That discussion has been going around since WWII. Not a new rumor. Interestingly, I once was involved in discussions with Department of Heraldry (on another matter) and was told that they got lots of suggestions for EIB / CIB and EFMD / CMB all the time.

[KW Driver]

Congrats Sir. The new system sounds harder than the way I earned mine.

Now it's just a matter of time before they start up some kind of Expert Action Badge for all the other " didn't have a mortar/rocket land in the same province as me" badge.

[Ranger Ron]

Yes, welcome back Sir! Keep up the good work and thanks for your service to our great country!

[GoardHeart]

Congrats Sir. The new system sounds harder than the way I earned mine.

The only pre-req in the new system is to qualify. Land nav and PT Test are day one and then 3 days of task testing with a decision task in each lane (urban, patrol, TCP). You can No-Go two tasks in each lane but must get a Go on all three decision tasks. Then the last day is the 12 miler. I'm glad I got it this year because next year there will be no pre-req's. Immediately after the road march you will get 40 rounds and have to qualify expert on the spot. If you don't get it you're done, 5 days of testing down the drain.

A couple interesting observations I had last week: Our unit had about a 33% success rate compared to about 21% across the Army. One thing I found interesting was everyone who started the 12 miler, finished and passed. I haven't heard of that before. I wonder if there is come correlation between the Soldiers in this unit marching in "steels" constantly and hours and hours of marching and standing in formation. In my company the men maybe road marched two or three times since December and it wasn't more than 6-7 miles at a time. In my last unit we would do it every Friday at least eight miles and there were a lot of guys who couldn't finish the 12 miler. The Soldiers in the Old Guard also have very little issues with their feet, again unlike any other unit I've seen. So maybe there is something to be said for the conditioning that wearing "steels" and marching in ANC gives a Soldier.