U.S. and Italian soldiers accepted the challenge of earning the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge during a military qualification assessment at various locations throughout Caserma Del Din, Italy, Feb. 2-6.
The proficiency badge is a German armed forces decoration that is one of the few foreign awards approved for wear on formal U.S. service uniforms.
Over 110 candidates reported for the challenge. U.S. participants included 99 soldiers representing: 173rd Airborne Brigade, 207th Military Intelligence Brigade, 517th Geospatial Planning Cell, 79th Theater Sustainment Command (FWD), 21st Theater Sustainment Command and U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa. They joined Italian paratroopers in their quest for the badge.
German soldiers assigned to the Support Battalion 8, 10th Panzer Division, oversaw the assessment that determined whether candidates met the standard to wear one of the badge's three qualification levels: gold, silver or bronze.
The goals of the challenge included strengthening bonds between U.S. service members, building partner-nation military relations, and promoting esprit de corps while showcasing military and physical preparedness.
U.S. Army 1st Lt. Mitchell Hansen, executive officer for the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa's intelligence and sustainment company, said earning the badge would be an important accomplishment at his command, considering the extensive work his team does with allies and partners in Europe. Hansen took on the challenge while serving as an officer in charge during the assessment, primarily acting as a liaison.
"It builds trust and camaraderie working with our German partners … so we can complete our mission both in Europe and in Africa," Hansen said. "This training has really opened my eyes, working with our Italian and German partners, because they each have different processes for completing the mission."
Over four days, participants completed the German armed forces' basic fitness test, swimming and pistol marksmanship assessments, as well as a road march ranging from 3-7 miles with a 35-pound pack. Academic testing required participants to demonstrate competency and proficiency in chemical, biological, radioactive and nuclear first-aid training.
Hansen considered the 100-meter swim to be the most challenging single event, which required candidates to swim the distance in full military uniform, then take off their blouses and trousers and throw them out of the pool.
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Michelle Alvarado, an all-source intelligence analyst assigned to the 17th Military Intelligence Company, 173rd Mobile Brigade Combat Team, agreed with Hansen on the difficulty of the badge's swim requirement. Having previously earned her U.S. Army Expert Soldier Badge, Alvarado said the swim presented "a different type of challenge," highlighting it as an example of the skill sets candidates needed to improve for the testing.
"I would usually never be [swimming] for my occupation," Alvarado said. "Training with allied forces teaches us how differently they operate in different environments, what they're proficient in and what we can learn from them."
German Army Capt. Stefanie Mayer, executive officer for 2nd Company, Support Battalion 8, led the team that administered the testing and noted that both American and Italian candidates were "very fit and very trained." She also pointed out other benefits of allies forming personal bonds while rising to meet the same challenges together.
"Especially notable was the camaraderie between the candidates," Mayer said. "They were cheering each other on and having fun with these disciplines. We are looking forward to repeating this event again, maybe forming a lasting partnership [with the U.S.], and hopefully having the opportunity to come back or have a team do something with an American proficiency badge for German soldiers."
The weeklong assessment ended with an awards ceremony Feb. 6, where candidates received recognition for their efforts. After organizers calculated the final scores, U.S. recipients earned 11 gold, 30 silver and 19 bronze badges. The Italian cohort received six gold and six silver badges.
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