Three Illinois National Guard Soldiers earn expert badges during historic E3B assessment

Three Illinois National Guard Soldiers earn expert badges during historic E3B assessment

By Sgt. 1st Class Robert R. Adams, Illinois National Guard Public Affairs

FORT CUSTER TRAINING CENTER, Mich. — Three Illinois Army National Guard Soldiers earned prestigious Army expert skill badges Oct. 9, 2026, during a demanding multi-state assessment at Fort Custer Training Center, demonstrating the technical proficiency, discipline and determination required to meet the Army's rigorous individual performance standards.

The Soldiers were among 26 candidates who successfully completed the assessment out of 169 participants, an overall success rate of approximately 15%. Hosted by the Michigan National Guard, the event marked the first time a National Guard state hosted all three Army expert badge assessments simultaneously.

Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Kelly, state command sergeant major of the Illinois Army National Guard, said the assessment reinforced the importance of mastering fundamental Soldier skills and maintaining the technical and tactical proficiency required for battlefield success.

“We often talk about the importance of being brilliant at the basics, and the E3B competition is a true demonstration of what that means,” Kelly said. “Whether Soldiers are pursuing the Expert Infantryman Badge, Expert Soldier Badge, or Expert Field Medical Badge, this event challenges them to demonstrate their proficiency in the fundamental skills that are essential to success on the battlefield.”

Known collectively as E3B, the Expert Infantryman Badge, Expert Soldier Badge and Expert Field Medical Badge assessments evaluate Soldiers on essential military tasks, including weapons proficiency, land navigation, medical procedures and physical endurance. Candidates must complete a series of demanding events while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail under strict performance standards.

Brig. Gen. Lenny Williams, Assistant Adjutant General – Army, Illinois National Guard, said the assessment offered Soldiers an opportunity to challenge themselves personally and professionally, regardless of whether they ultimately earned a badge.

“It's about striving for excellence,” Williams said. “Whether they made it or didn't make it, the training they got here was exceptional.”

Of the 22 Illinois Army National Guard Soldiers who participated, three earned their respective badges. Williams said those who did not successfully complete the assessment still gained valuable training and experience they could bring back to their home units.

“What I told all of them is, go back home and pay that forward,” Williams said.

Sgt. Maj. Christopher Winling, Illinois Army National Guard operations, plans, and training sergeant major, helped lead the assessment and said the event highlighted the importance of returning to fundamental Soldier skills, regardless of rank or years of military service.

“It is harder for those that have been in the military longer because we have bad habits and we get away from the basics,” Winling said.

Winling recalled failing his first attempt to earn the Expert Infantryman Badge early in his military career before returning and successfully earning it as a private first class.

“So it took me two tries,” Winling said.

He said the experience helped shape his military career and reinforced the importance of perseverance, attention to detail and maintaining proficiency in fundamental military tasks.

Kelly emphasized that the value of the assessment extends beyond earning a badge, particularly as the Army prepares Soldiers for increasingly complex operational environments.

“These assessments go beyond earning a badge,” Kelly said. “They reinforce the importance of mastering individual Soldier skills, building confidence, and developing the technical and tactical proficiency necessary to operate effectively in a large-scale combat operations environment.”

The three Illinois Soldiers who successfully completed the assessment were Maj. Jonathan Logeman, of Rockford, Illinois, who earned the Expert Infantryman Badge; Staff Sgt. Elijah Harlan, of Marion, Illinois, who earned the Expert Soldier Badge; and Staff Sgt. Bill Warszewik, of Elk Grove Village, Illinois, who earned the Expert Field Medical Badge.

For Logeman, an infantry officer assigned to the 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment, the opportunity represented a challenge unlike anything he had encountered in more than a decade of military service.

A civilian high school teacher, Logeman said participating required stepping away from his family and civilian responsibilities for two weeks. Despite those challenges, he recognized the assessment as a rare opportunity to test himself against the Army's expert standards.

“For me, 90% of the time I was here, I thought I was going to fail,” Logeman said.

Logeman said the assessment proved considerably more demanding than he anticipated, requiring candidates to demonstrate technical proficiency and maintain attention to detail while completing complex tasks under strict time constraints.

“You're not going to grow unless you challenge yourself,” Logeman said.

He emphasized that while earning an expert badge requires individual performance, the encouragement and support of fellow Soldiers played an important role in helping candidates succeed.

“It's definitely a team event,” Logeman said. “But you have to accomplish all the events individually.”

Harlan, a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear specialist assigned to the 445th Chemical Company in Shiloh, Illinois, shared a similar perspective.

Harlan said the assessment required Soldiers to perform approximately 30 individual tasks, often involving complex procedures that had to be executed in the correct sequence and within demanding time limits.

“It was definitely brutal,” Harlan said.

He identified call-for-fire procedures, the Mk 19 grenade launcher and the nine-line medical evacuation request as some of the most challenging tasks because of their technical requirements and strict time constraints.

Despite the individual nature of the assessment, Harlan credited his fellow Soldiers with helping him prepare and ultimately succeed.

“I didn't get through this by myself,” Harlan said.

Harlan said several of the Soldiers who helped him study and practice did not earn their badges, but their encouragement and willingness to share knowledge contributed to his success.

Warszewik, assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 766th Engineer Battalion based in Decatur, Illinois, said the assessment challenged him to revisit fundamental Soldier skills and perform them according to precise Army standards.

A nine-year military veteran and civilian police officer who has deployed to Afghanistan and Somalia, Warszewik described the experience as a demanding test of his military knowledge and experience.

“I told General Williams ... for me, it was like a midcareer gut check,” Warszewik said.

Warszewik identified land navigation and tactical combat casualty care as particularly challenging, along with the volume of information candidates were required to learn and retain throughout the assessment.

He said instructors repeatedly encouraged candidates to focus on the next task rather than becoming overwhelmed by the number of remaining events.

For Williams, the experiences of Soldiers such as Logeman, Harlan and Warszewik illustrate why the Illinois Army National Guard intends to continue encouraging participation in demanding professional development opportunities.

Williams said many Soldiers who did not earn their badges were eliminated because of relatively minor mistakes, despite demonstrating considerable skill and determination throughout the assessment.

He said those Soldiers remain motivated to return and attempt the assessment again, and the Illinois Army National Guard intends to support their efforts.

“They'll be back and we're going to support them,” Williams said.

Winling echoed that commitment, emphasizing the success of the partnership between the Michigan and Illinois National Guards in executing the combined assessment.

Michigan's established training facilities and the experience gained by participating cadre provide a foundation for future events, he said.

“Illinois will continue to help resource and participate through cadre and board members and candidates in Michigan,” Winling said.

The training also provides benefits beyond earning a badge, particularly as Soldiers return to their home units with improved technical skills and firsthand experience performing tasks under pressure.

Logeman said he would welcome the opportunity to return as an experienced badge holder and help other Illinois Soldiers prepare for future assessments.

“Any Soldier who makes it through this is a much better Soldier today than they were two weeks ago,” Logeman said.

Kelly praised the Illinois Soldiers who volunteered to participate and the Michigan National Guard for hosting the event.

“I'm extremely proud of our Illinois Army National Guard Soldiers who stepped forward to challenge themselves and compete at this level,” Kelly said. “Their willingness to test their abilities against such demanding standards speaks volumes about their commitment to excellence and readiness.”

Williams said the physical and mental challenges of E3B help prepare Soldiers for the pressures they may encounter during real-world military operations.

“These Soldiers are going to be way better and more prepared if they have to go do their job for real,” Williams said.

As the Illinois Army National Guard looks toward future opportunities to participate in E3B, senior leaders hope the experiences of this year's candidates will encourage more Soldiers to challenge themselves, strengthen their individual proficiency and pursue excellence throughout their military careers.

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