Want To Make Rank? Army Expert Badges Will Count More, Fitness Scores Less on Future Promotions

The move to boost badges comes as service leaders, particularly Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Grinston, have placed a growing emphasis on expert badges. Those badges certify troops are proficient in basic infantry tasks, such as land navigation and combat medical care. The Army introduced the Expert Soldier Badge, or ESB, in 2019. The test is the same as the decades-old Expert Infantryman Badge, but allows soldiers outside of the infantry or medical field to earn a badge.

However, it is unclear how eager non-combat arms troops are to dedicate huge blocks of time training for and conduct a test on what are effectively infantry tasks. However, the recent boost in the badge's value for promotion could make that badge more sought after.

"All else being equal, ESB will be a differentiator and show the board you are an expert at your warrior tasks - something ALL Soldiers should strive for," Grinston, the service's top enlisted leader, said on Twitter in July.

Performance on the Army Combat Fitness Test, or ACFT, still will carry the lion's share of potential points for a noncommissioned officer (NCO) to earn. But the adjustments come from some concerns in the force that there has been too much emphasis placed on physical fitness, the argument being that a leader shouldn't be decided solely on their ability to lift heavy weights and run two miles fast.