Expert Infantryman Badge

Expert Infantryman Badge
U.S. Army Expert Infantryman Badge
Awarded by United States Army
Type	Special Skill Group 1 Badge
Eligibility	Soldier must meet Department of the Army established testing requirements and must possess a military occupational specialty within Career Management Field 11 (Infantry) or 18 (Special Forces), less MOS 18D.
Status	Currently awarded
Statistics
Established	November 11, 1943
First awarded	March 29, 1944
Last awarded	On going
Precedence
Next (higher)	Combat Action Badge
Equivalent	Expert Field Medical Badge
Next (lower)	Expert Field Medical Badge
Related	The Army Combat Infantry Badge and Combat Medic Badge

The Expert Infantryman Badge, or EIB, is a special skills badge of the United States Army. Although similar in name and appearance to the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB), it is a completely different award. The CIB is awarded to infantrymen for participation in ground combat while the EIB is presented for completion of a course of testing designed to demonstrate proficiency in infantry skills.

The EIB was created with the CIB by executive order in November 1943 during World War II. Currently, it is awarded to U.S. Army personnel who hold infantry or special forces military occupational specialties. To be awarded the EIB, the soldier must complete a number of prerequisites and pass a battery of graded tests on basic infantry skills.

Personnel who have been awarded both the EIB and the CIB are not authorized to wear both badges simultaneously. In such cases, the CIB has precedence according to Army Regulation 670-1. A similar badge exists for medical personnel, known as the Expert Field Medical Badge (EFMB).

A primary Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) in Career Management Fields (CMF) 11 (Infantry) or 18 (Special Forces) series, except 18Ds (Special Forces Medical Sergeant).

Army Physical Fitness Test: score at least 80% in each event for their appropriate age group;

Land navigation: complete a day and a night land navigation course;

Weapon qualification: earn an "expert" qualification on their assigned weapon, typically an M16/M4; in the case of mortarmen (MOS 11C) expert qualification on the mortar is an additional requirement.

Forced foot march: complete a 12-mile foot march, carrying M4 and 35 lb. load + extra gear for a total of up to 70 lbs, within three hours.

Lane or station testing in individual tasks, graded as pass/fail ("GO"/"NO GO"). There are approximately 30–35 stations in this phase. Candidates must pass every station; if they receive a "NO GO" on their first attempt, they have one chance to retest. A second "NO GO" at any station results in a failure for the entire testing phase. In addition, if a candidate receives three "NO GO"s (even if distributed over three stations) they have similarly failed the phase. Generally there are multiple stations in all the following areas (less common/defunct tasks in italics):