They spoke different languages and wore different uniforms but for four grueling days, U.S. and Italian soldiers operated under German standards to earn a foreign military badge few American troops are authorized to wear.
In early February, more than 110 candidates completed ruck marches, weapons qualifications, a swimming event and academic assessments in hopes of earning the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge at an Italian military base, the U.S. Army announced Monday.
The Army said the event was meant to bring together U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) forces and neighboring units and build morale and relationships with allied militaries.
The event helped 1st Lt. Michell Hansen, the executive officer for SETAF-AF’s intelligence and sustainment company, better understand the work his unit does with European partners.
“This training has really opened my eyes, working with our Italian and German partners, because they each have different processes for completing the mission,” Hansen said in the release.
German troops from the Support Battalion 8, 10th Panzer Division, evaluated the Italian and American hopefuls to see if they scored high enough to meet the badge’s gold, silver or bronze levels.
American soldiers from 173rd Airborne Brigade, 207th Military Intelligence Brigade (T), 517th Geospatial Planning Cell, 79th Theater Sustainment Command (FWD), 21st Theater Sustainment Command and SETAF-AF earned 11 gold, 30 silver and 19 bronze badges. Italian soldiers with the Esercito Italiano’s “Folgore” Parachute Brigade earned six gold and six silver badges.
The events included a ruck march that ranged from 3.72 to 7.45 miles, pistol marksmanship, the Bundeswehr’s Basic Fitness Test and evaluations of first-aid skills and chemical, biological, radioactive and nuclear training. Participants also had to swim 100 meters in their uniforms before removing their blouses and pants and tossing them out of the pool.
The badge recipients and participants were honored during a Feb. 6 ceremony.
Eve Sampson is a reporter and former Army officer. She has covered conflict across the world, writing for The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Associated Press.