Should EIB be included into Infantry OSUT

It's something for all Infantry to shoot for Expert Infantry Badge, it is something that is above and beyond what they are receiving in OSUT, not every Infantryman is destined to be an Expert, same with the Expert Medics Badge, it is something to set themselves apart from their peers; leave it alone.

Nope

Yes. The EIB should first be offered in Infantry OSUT. If the Joes/Janes earn the EIB, they should get a one pay grade promotion up to E4.

NO! As a formed Drill Sergeant our job was to teach new recruits the BASIC infantry skills for them to join their units. TOO many times I've seen soldiers trained to the test and NOT to the skills they would need. If you train the skills the test becomes easy. There are soo many more SKILLS they will learn after joining their regular units.

EIB should be trained in all MOS's primarily because everyone participating in the War on Terrorism is "Infantry" and all need the skills to be successful.

In order to hold the EIB every cadre needs to have earned the badge in order to be an evaluator. Not sure there are enough qualified to even run the EIB. Besides one of the prerequisites are the soldier must have an 11 or 18 series mos. Basic trainees will not be qualified to test until after graduation.

Every task required for EIB is a level one task. That is why Privates participate and often are awarded this award. OSUT is not just basic training. Basic training is the first nine weeks of OSUT. Then the rest is learning specifically how to be an Infantryman good enough to effectively close with and destroy the enemy. And if that doesn't take expertise I don't know what does. However the logistics for such a large scale test would eat up way too much valuable training time.

No. Period.

It's a nice idea, but how many OSUT grads are already both making 'Physical Fitness Excellence' on the APFT and shooting Expert on BRM? If they can't do that, then there's no point in the rest of the test. Of those, how many can perform the EIB tasks and finish up with a 12 mile ruck march in 3 hours? I think you'd be very lucky to get one from each class.

I earned this thing many times over coming up through the ranks. I was told it was a one time thing but after I got it I was told I HAD to lead by example and keep going through the damn course to show my soldiers I knew my stuff.One of the last times I did it I got major cramps in my upper back/neck and wound up latching on to a CPL who led me the last 6 miles as my head was stuck in the straight up position and I couldnt see where I was going. After crossing the finish line the medics gave me a muscle relaxer and as Top came by to see if crazy ole Glenn was ok I told him he had best not slot me in for next year, we bot studied each other face for a moment ( I hoping he would take me seriously and he to see if I was joking) both cracked a huge smile and he just simply said "You getting soft on me SGT" . The next year I was all stoked to go at it again. I think its an award to show that you are prepared to go above and beyond the soldier next to you and to wearing it should represent just that, putting it INSIDE the OSUT will take away from that and mine would find its way in a trash can, just like the dime a dozen ribbon did during Desert Storm.