ALTENDIEZ, Germany – At the invitation of the Bundeswehr Landeskommando Hessen (Bundeswehr Hesse State Command), approximately 30 Soldiers stationed at U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden competed at the Bundeswehr Shooting Range in Altendiez, Germany, Sept. 12, to earn the German Schützenschnur.

The German Schützenschnur is a decoration of weapons proficiency for enlisted Soldiers.

The American Soldiers took the opportunity to earn the coveted Schützenschnur badge by participating in a shooting event that consisted of two weapons, firing rounds to qualify on the German armed forces P8 semi-automatic pistol and the standard Bundeswehr rifle, the G36.

“I had so many hands go up and there were more who wanted to go,” said Maj. Brandon McFarlane, Headquarters U.S. Army Europe and Africa G3 Civil Affairs Division, about the Landeskommando invitation. “I’ve done the march portion of the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge (GAFPB) before. It was tough, but we did it, just like we are going to do the Schützenschnur as the next step towards the GAFPB.”

Staff Sgt. Kasey Griffin from the 66th Military Intelligence battalion spoke about the pride she would feel, from earning the Bundeswehr badge.

“It is a challenge, and to be able to participate in the partnership with the Landeskommando Hessen is an experience I will never forget,” said Griffin.

“I am confident I’ll make it”, said Spc. Mia Shaw, who also serves with the 66th MI. “I am used to handling a pistol, so it should not be a problem to deal with the P8 and shoot some reasonable results.”

Marines often serve in a variety of special capacities, whether protecting our Nation’s embassies abroad or recruiting the next generation of United States Marines. Two Marines, Sgt. Dillon Houk and his teammate, Sgt. Markus Jones, both serving as security guards for the Germany embassy in Frankfurt, also took on the Schützenschnur challenge.

Houk said, “To pull the trigger of the German P8 is different from what I am used to dealing with.”

“The German pistol seems a bit bigger, but sure, I am convinced that we will meet this challenge,” Jones added.

Soldiers from the 56th Artillery Command, 2nd Multi-Domain Task Force, U.S. Army Europe and Africa, 2nd Theater Signal Brigade and 102nd Strategic Signal Battalion, 66th Military Intelligence Brigade, 86th Airlift Wing and Marine Embassy Guard competed in the event. At the end of the day 28 of the Soldiers received a medal, three of them gold, 12 silver and 13 bronze.

By Roland Schedel

WASHINGTON — The Army has begun baseline cognitive assessments during Initial Entry Training, and all services will follow in the coming months, officials say.

The Army is taking a multipronged approach to reduce brain health risks, including improved awareness through a Force Health Protection Information Campaign; expanded brain health monitoring; identification of blast overpressure protective measures; tracking and monitoring blast exposure; and developing a comprehensive strategy to enhance and advance the science and medical care for brain injuries, said Col. Jama Vanhorne-Sealy, who oversees the Occupational Health Directive, Force Health Protection in the Office of the Surgeon General.

Fort Sill, Oklahoma, home of the United States Army Field Artillery School, was the first Army Initial Entry Training location to establish permanent cognitive testing, with all services scheduled to roll out the testing at all entry training locations by the end of 2024.

In addition, Army personnel will be evaluated at least every three years after initial screening, which can help identify any unusual cognitive change, Vanhorne-Sealy said. Early detection allows for early intervention to restore or enhance cognition, should it be necessary, she said.

A long-standing cognitive assessment program that began in 2007 has shifted from a pre-deployment and injury-centric model to a regular cognitive monitoring program, which means military health authorities can better help Soldiers throughout their career, said the Chief of Neurocognitive Assessment in the Office of the Army Surgeon General, Dr. Steven J. Porter.

The Cognitive Monitoring Program, much like the Army’s ongoing hearing testing, is a screening tool to assess for cognitive change in soldiers.

Cognitive assessment means documenting the way an individual thinks, reasons and remembers.

“Without ongoing testing, changes to a Soldier’s thought processes may not be evident until an event that could put both the Service Member or their unit in jeopardy,” Porter said.

Since June 2007, more than 3.4 million assessments have been collected, processed, and stored at the Neurocognitive Assessment Branch Data Repository at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, to aid in treatment and track recovery after a concussive or suspected concussive event, Porter said. The testing identifies cognitive changes to help inform a Soldiers need for medical care, rest and recovery. Early identification can help avert further potential injury.

Vanhorne-Sealy said over time, advancements in understanding of brain functionality have led to improved testing, expanding the program to better evaluate areas of the brain potentially impacted by blast overpressure.

Blast overpressure is the sharp rise in atmospheric pressure from an explosive or firing of a weapon causing shockwave, traveling faster than the speed of sound. Blast overpressure exposure occurs when someone is close enough to physically feel the shockwave.

In a report by the House Committee on Appropriations regarding the Department of Defense Appropriation Bill of 2021, the Committee asked the Department of Defense to develop a cost analysis plan for conducting traumatic brain injury baseline testing for all new recruits.

Currently, a medical provider may request a Soldier’s cognitive baseline from the repository if it needed for treatment planning and tracking recovery. CMP authorities are working to develop a system to directly upload the test data to the Soldier’s medical record.

The CMP assessment tool is an FDA-approved medical device, and all test records are privileged information.

By Jonathan Austin, Army News Service