POINT LOOKOUT, MO. — The College of the Ozarks Military Science department hosted The German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge (GAFPB) at various locations across campus on Nov. 18-20.

Forty-five members of the Missouri Army National Guard competed in the foreign military training opportunity with Germany. Eight of those participating were officer candidates in the College of the Ozarks GOLD Program. Depending on their score, competitors earned the right to wear the gold, silver, or bronze GAFPB. This is one of few foreign awards that U.S. service members are allowed to wear on their uniforms for the rest of their careers. 

The competition involved participation in both sport and military disciplines. This included meeting physical requirements through multiple tests, such as sprints, swimming, a road march, and pistol qualifications. Each single event affected the final level of the badge. Points were earned for each individual event and were added together to compile the final results.  

All eight GOLD officer candidates who participated received either a gold, silver, or bronze badge by the end of the event. The following GOLD candidates received the specific badges:

GOLD – Garrett Scott, senior exercise science major, Ian Hallam, junior engineering major, and Esther Schieffer, junior piano major.

SILVER – Matthew Isherwood, senior nursing major; Andrew Smith junior business administration management major; Ethan Herman, junior engineering major; and Ryan Wade, sophomore business administration management major.

BRONZE – Caleb Zurbriggen, freshman criminal justice major.

“Having participated in the GAFPB, I feel a great sense of accomplishment and pride in earning the “gold” badge,” said Garrett Scott, GOLD officer candidate and senior exercise science major.