By Spc. Jerry Wilson, 2SCR Public Affairs
Vilseck, Germany (April, 22, 2009) – Sponsored by 1st Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment Soldiers of the 112th Panzer Grenadiers Battalion joined with their partners from the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment to participate in a time honored event for Infantry Soldiers, the Expert Infantry Badge competition (EIB).
The EIB is a badge awarded to Infantry Soldiers who have proven their knowledge and mastery of their craft through a series of evaluations related to basic Infantry skills. Some of the tasks involved are: calling for fire, using radio and night vision equipment, firing and servicing a variety of weapons which include machine guns and anti-tank weapons, map reading as well as combat life saving skills.
For many of the Panzer Soldiers, this training was a new and exciting experience.
“It was very nice of Col. Blackburn to give us the opportunity to train with the Americans,” said Master Sgt. Daniel Braun. “It allows us to see how the U.S. Soldiers operate up close.”
According to Braun a lot of the training is very similar to what the Germans practice but there are many things that have been surprising.
“All of the equipment out here,” he said, “for us is brand new.”
Many of the weapons and techniques used in the EIB challenge were new to Braun and his Soldiers but they were excited for the hands-on training they were given at each station.
For Private 1st. Class Matthias Schafer, veteran of the Army for seven months, interacting with his U.S. counterparts was an opportunity he won’t soon forget.
“This has been really cool,” Schafer said. “The advisers at each station are very friendly and want to know about us.”
“They are also very helpful at teaching us the things we need to do,” he added.
For EIB instructors, like Staff. Sgt. James Moseley of H Company 3rd Squadron 2SCR teaching these Soldiers was a real honor.
“They picked everything up very quick,” Moseley said. “They acted like they really wanted it and trained very hard as well as asking many questions.”
`The EIB testing concluded with a 12-mile ruck march which each Soldier must complete within three hours. All of the German Soldiers completed the march in the allotted time and received certificates of achievement for their hard work and dedication to detail.
