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Updated May 3rd, 2007
Ludwig Receives Army’s
Highest Non-Combat Award
 Pfc. Konrad Ludwig, 19, of La
Cañada Flintridge, endured 52 testing
stations to demonstrate his
expert command of field and combat
skills, earning the coveted Expert
Infantryman Badge (EIB) early this
April. First created in 1943, it is the
Army’s highest non-combat award.
Currently stationed in Vilseck,
Germany, Ludwig’s assignments
have included three weeks of winter
bivouac and extensive field maneuvers.
To earn the award, Ludwig survived
three weeks of competitive
drills against infantrymen of three
companies, one of only six finalists
in his platoon. Some of the stations
include hand signals, loading a
M203 and operating night vision
goggles. Others are more challenging,
including a 12-mile march with
an 80-pound backpack that must be
completed in less than three hours.
Two NoGos in any one station or a
total of three NoGos eliminates the
candidate.
Ludwig scored a NoGo the first
week when plotting a target on a
map within 100 meters. “It was an
easy station, but it kept me humble,”
he admitted after passing on a re-try.
His second NoGo and pass came
with the M4 rifle station. “I did it
like we do in the field, not according
to the handbook.”
His favorite station was the
“camo tent.”
“We had 12 minutes,” Ludwig
said. “I camo’ed my whole kit in ten
minutes, piece by piece with hanging
burlap to distort the outline. I had
two minutes left on the clock and I
heard the judge whisper ‘that guy
must be a freakin’ sniper.’”
With two NoGos from the first
week, Pfc. Ludwig was ‘blade running’
through the hardest stations
during the third week. One more
NoGo would knock him out completely.
The final station was “zeroing
a night vision laser.”
PFC
Ludwig had three minutes to set up
the weapon, select the correct target
and zero the laser light, which he
accomplished in the last few seconds.
Pfc. Ludwig tested out of La
Cañada High School in 2005 and
joined the Army at age 17. He
served as a squad leader for the final
six weeks of basic training. He is
currently a candidate for the Army’s
“Green to Gold” program, sending
highly qualified infantrymen to college
for advancement to officer
rank. Trained as a saw-gunner,
Ludwig is attached to the 1st Army
Corps, 2nd Stryker Cavalry
Regiment based in Vilseck
Germany. He is currently preparing
to serve as the radio telephone operator
(RTO) for his platoon in Iraq. |
