wo things were happening simultane- ously at the 2nd Brigade Combat Team (BCT), 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault): preparation for the Expert Infantryman Badge (EIB) qualification Ttest and the brigade NCO and soldier of the quarter competition. Both center on individual study and achieve- ment; however, they are also fundamental ele- ments in developing noncommissioned offi- cers at the unit level. In addition, both are run by senior NCOs in the unit.

Clockwise (this page) from top left, SGM Jaime Guarino, opera- tions sergeant major for the 2nd Brigade Combat Team (BCT), 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), sets up the event tracking board for the 2nd BCT’s Expert Infantryman Badge (EIB) certifi- cation. SGT Daniel Becker briefs the 2nd BCT’s EIB committee during lane certification. Sitting at a lane testing table, CSM Scott C. Schroeder, the 2nd BCT’s command sergeant major, makes comments as the EIB committee conducts lane certification. CSM Kevin Benson, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry, crouches in the door of a testing tent and listens as a lane noncommissioned officer in charge (NCOIC) briefs the EIB committee.

56 ARMY I June 2009 Photographs by Dennis Steele

Although EIB qualification is, of course, for infantrymen, similar qualification tests are held in other branches, and soldier and NCO competitions are held routinely throughout the Army. They are building blocks in devel- oping NCO leaders. In the case of the 2nd BCT (502nd Infantry Regiment), EIB qualification had not been held in almost six years because of operational tempo. Before combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, EIB qualification had been an annual event. Knowing its importance, senior

Top, SFC Michael Calderaro, a lane NCOIC, points out a feature on his lane to CSM Schroeder (right). Center, SGT Vicente Her- rera goes through the M2 machine gun headspace and timing procedure as it will be tested on his EIB lane. Bottom, SFC Christopher Givens (foreground) explains his lane procedures to the EIB committee.

June 2009 I ARMY 57 SGT Kyle Stout radios a “nine line” med- ical evacuation message during the 2nd BCT’s soldier and NCO of the quarter competition.

NCO leaders in the brigade began planning to renew the event during the brigade’s last deployment to Iraq. The brigade had continued the soldier and NCO of the quarter competitions throughout its deployments, often bringing in soldiers directly from pa- trol operations to compete. The brigade command sergeant ma- jor, CSM Scott C. Schroeder, was dele- gated by the commander to oversee both events, but every command and staff sergeant major in the brigade SGT Scott Foote was directly involved in one or the applies a tourni- other. quet to a mock vic- Leading the group of sergeants ma- tim during the med- jor on the EIB committee, which was ical testing portion of the competition. validating the training lanes at the EIB course, CSM Schroeder said that EIB qualification “lays the foundation for collective training” and explained that SFC Jasper Harris, it is linked to promotion for senior in- the 2nd BCT net- fantry NCOs. “It can make a difference work operations at centralized promotion boards,” he NCOlC, explains said. It tests individual proficiency in tasks, conditions and standards of basic infantry tasks, and it tests the the communica- EIB-qualified NCOs in soldiers’ chains tions test to CPL of command in preparing and mentor- Mike Haskell. ing soldiers for the event.

SPC Christopher Rowlands fires his M4 carbine during the marksmanship portion of the 2nd BCT's soldier and NCO of the quarter competition.

58 ARMY I June 2009 Unit sponsors watch their soldiers and NCOs zero their weapons before moving to the marksmanship test.

A competitor checks his weapon’s zero.

Competitors take a written examination during the 2nd BCT’s soldier and NCO of the quarter competition.

Similarly, the soldier and NCO of the quarter competition tests individ- ual proficiency in a number of tasks and the NCO chain of command in preparing individuals. CSM Schroe- der told soldiers competing for the honor that the event is important to all of them, regardless of whether or not they win. “It makes you a better soldier,” he said. CSM Wayne P. St. Louis, command sergeant major of 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion and presiding as the president of the soldier and NCO of the quarter selection board, said, “These types of boards give soldiers confidence in their abilities. Preparing for the board forces them to gain knowledge, and it gives them pride in their units. For the winning NCO, it gives him expert power—credibility. It is easier to motivate soldiers be- cause you lead by example.” (

The 2nd BCT’s soldier and NCO of the quarter board checks the uniform and military bearing of SGT Kyle Stout.

June 2009 I ARMY 59