Posted on Apr 13, 2014
Badge/Tab protecting...do you think it exists? What do you think of it?
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I recently completed EFMB. I have been to several Army schools...Air Assault, Airborne, Ranger, Combatives, and EFMB qualifications. My medics and I have not experienced discepencies like we had in EFMB compared to any schools we have been to.
It mostly came from the graders who were on CTL 1, the medical skills lane. They had to be EFMB qualified. From what I saw and what they threw at my medics, PA, and I, they were not calibrated. It did not seem like it was a mistake either. Some guys would throw extra variables in there like squirting blood, changing the side of wounds, ect...while others would not. The first week of EFMB was standardization. It seems like that did not take place.
Only six percent of enlisted, who can wear it, hold the EFMB and 13 percent for officers. Do you think certain graders see that as something they should protect so they can separate themselves from others? I trained my platoon hard and we still got 7 EFMB awardees, the most in USARPAC, at our recent EFMB event. However, we could have been close to about 13.
The way I see it and the way Ranger Instructors see it in Ranger School, you are training your replacement. Unless you want to walk lanes as an RI or grade EFMB forever, don't "protect" the tab/badge. Obviously, do not give it away, but grade to standard.
Being that EFMB is the only badge that the AMEDD has, could this be an inferiority complex issue compared to the infantry? There is only one so it must be protected?
Schools
Airborne School
Ranger
Air Assault School
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 4
Great question/issue to post! I was awarded EFMB my first attempt and served as a proctor 3 occasions. As an NCO and Proctor, I felt it was crucial to train and test exactly to standard and if in doubt as to whether or not something was in error, err on the side of the candidate. I never felt protective of the badge, land nav and written tests do that plenty enough for all of us, LOL! Thank you for awesome discussion!
There has always been Tabbing/Badging in the modern era. Most of the qual schools adhere to a specific presentation methodology and testing process that has, over the years, been proven to be a good standard. It sounds like your EFMB did not adhere to the same standards of presentation as does other schools. Is it a locally run school? Are the instructor/graders brought in from the Originating School or are they just the Senior EFMB Qualified in the theater?<div><br></div><div>EXAMPLE: I was at Ft. Lewis in the G3 Training Shop when the Ranger Bn's received the 60mm mortars. We brought the instructors and assessors in from the Infantry Mortar Committee at Ft. Benning in order to keep the same quality and standards for presentation and testing as the Infantry School saw fit. Any time you allow anyone other than the originating school/headquarters to instruct/evaluate, you allow an individuals experience and bias to establish a standard as they see or have experienced it. i think they do as best they can but it can become tainted and certainly affect outcomes. </div>
Our instructors in the various tab-generating schools have a duty to ensure only qualified personnel earn that tab. While there are rites of passage and instances of protecting the tab, the instructors must understand that they have a responsibility to train - and qualify - those who will possess these specific skills.
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