In the coming months, Army judge advocates and paralegals seeking to attain the Expert Soldier Badge may have a few more annual opportunities to do so.
According to the Army Times, units that previously could support administration of the test only once a year may now be able to do so 2 to 3 times per year, assuming a pilot program currently underway is successful in streamlining tests for the three “expert skills” badges (the Expert Infantry Badge, created in 1945, the Expert Field Medical Badge created in 1965, and the ESB created in 2019).
The effort entails making tasks common to all three tests subject to common standards. By making the tests more similar, units will save time, space, and resources. And yet there reportedly won’t be substantial changes to the actual tasks and passing grades for earning whichever badge applies to the Soldier’s MOS.
Keep your fingers crossed, colleagues! Passing rates are low for the ESB (which is the test available to JAG Corps personnel), but more opportunities to undertake the challenge increase the prospect of “someday success.” So keep at it; stay motivated!