What do I train or work on to complete the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge? What is the hardest part of the events?

2017-03-16T13:50:23-04:00

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 16 at 2017 1:51 PM

2017-03-16T13:51:51-04:00

Swimming running shooting pull ups shuttle run and admin testing.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 16 at 2017 2:02 PM

2017-03-16T14:02:29-04:00

Swimming and tucking get a lot of people. A lot of people don't shoot with pistols much either, so that can be challenging.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 16 at 2017 7:04 PM

2017-03-16T19:04:59-04:00

SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member make sure that you get the most up to date list of events (they change them all the time), and just train for those. you will have to swim, ruck, shoot a 9mm pistol, do some running and pull ups and whatever else is on the list these days

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 16 at 2017 11:20 PM

2017-03-16T23:20:19-04:00

Swimming gets most people. I would definitely not blow that one off.

Response by COL Thomas F. made Mar 18 at 2017 8:11 PM

2017-03-18T20:11:24-04:00

I would say swimming was a tough one, even when I was younger when I did mine. Don't slack on the training, especially when you have take off your uniform in the water. Harder then it looks.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 20 at 2017 8:42 AM

2017-03-20T08:42:59-04:00

SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member I was the first place competitor on multiple GAFPBs in Fort Bliss, TX.. Actually became a certified cadre member for future events, so let me drop some knowledge that will hopefully help.

1) Find out who the US Army German Liaison Officer is. This is the person that will host the event persay. They will have the full roster of attendees, and current events.

2) Know your weakness(es). Swimming events change. Be ready for swimming. Familiarize yourself with short distance swimming, practice your bilaterals, practice swimming in uniform. One year it was a plain 100m swim, next year it was 50 in uniform (no boots).

3) Be prepared for track and field events. If you've never done the long jump, high jump, or traditional sprints.. practice! Find someone in your unit who has done track and field in the past.

4) Ruck. The ruck is easy (lightweight!!) but a lot of people miscalculate that and come up shorthanded.

Good luck and don't settle for anything less than Gold. Once you get your badge, look online for the Sta-Brite version.. looks a hell of a lot better on your uniform than the one they give you.

Response by MAJ Raúl Rovira made Mar 20 at 2017 2:10 PM

2017-03-20T14:10:00-04:00

Make a plan to:
Swim at least 2 times per week. Story, I could not make the shot put so I had to do the alternate event.
Run 2 times per week. We had an LT who bolo the 5K run.
Short Ruck March 1 time per week. Don't over train.
Bonus if you take the test fresh after a regular Army pistol range. I was very rusty at the range.

Good luck.

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 12 at 2017 8:50 PM

2017-09-12T20:50:11-04:00

The single greatest fail event when I got mine was the swim. Some people thought they could swim. Then they hit the water in their uniforms and began to rethink that position. I did a similar swim event years ago in Hawaii and it sucked as bad as I remembered it. I didn't find the uniform removal part to be that difficult. It wasn't timed so when I touched the wall to finish the timed swim I pushed off, floated on my back and RELAXED while I undid every button I thought I needed undone. I