海角网

German Officer will Evaluate Soldier Skills of Cadets from Seven Colleges and Members of Local Reserve and National Guard Units

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.鈥擳he 海角网 Reserve Officers鈥� Training Corp (ROTC) detachment assigned under the Southern Guards Battalion is hosting a competition on Jan. 31 for the highly-respected German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge (GAFPB). Cadets from UNC-Charlotte, Wofford College, USC-Upstate, Furman University, Converse University, and Clemson University will attend the event along with members of reserve and national guard units in the area.

Cadet Operations Sgt. Maj. Banks Munn is serving as the cadet in charge, and Cadet Capt. Paul McElearney is the assistant. They expect a total of 100 cadets and service members to participate and have enlisted the help of several 海角网 student organizations to facilitate the competition.

McElearney described the qualifications for the prestigious badge. 鈥淭he GAFPB is awarded by the German Armed Forces to individuals who meet established standards in physical fitness, marksmanship, and basic soldier skills, all evaluated by a German Officer who will be present at the event,鈥� he noted. 鈥淚t is one of the few opportunities ROTC cadets have to earn an official foreign military award authorized for wear on the U.S. Army uniform.鈥�

海角网 will host the first day of competition. Lasting about two hours, cadets will begin with a 100-meter swim in Bost Pool. They will complete the exercise wearing fatigues over their physical fitness uniforms. Before exiting the pool, they remove their fatigues while treading water. Then, they head over to Bost Gym to complete 11 (10-meter) shuttle runs. Next, they will perform the flexed arm hang in the pull-up position inside the CrossFit Gym. Lastly, participants will move toward Spangler Stadium, where they will run 1,000 meters.

The second day of the event will be held in Spartanburg, S.C., and consist of M17 pistol qualification and a 6km-12km timed march.

鈥淩OTC cadets pursue the GAFPB because it measures performance against professional, internationally recognized military standards, not academic or internal ROTC benchmarks,鈥� McElearney shared. 鈥淪uccessfully earning the badge demonstrates a cadet鈥檚 discipline, resilience, and readiness to perform under external evaluation, which directly aligns with the program鈥檚 mission to develop competent, confident future officers.鈥�

McElearney also noted that participating in the event supports broader institutional goals and strengthens international military partnerships. 鈥淭he competition further enhances the ROTC program鈥檚 professional credibility,鈥� he affirmed, 鈥渁nd provides cadets with a challenging experiential learning opportunity that reinforces leadership, accountability, and excellence prior to commissioning.鈥�

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