Last week, six U.S. soldiers from the Joint Warfare Centre (JWC) in Stavanger, Norway, were decorated with the “German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency” in Gold for meeting rigorous proficiency standards.

During the ceremony, Senior German Officer Colonel Peter Baierl, gave his words of appreciation to the Chief of Staff, U.S. Brigadier General Roger Watkins and the German and American delegations. The soldiers who were awarded the badge had met the benchmarks in swimming, running and other physical activities; qualified on the pistol range; passed a first-aid test; and completed a 7.5-mile road march while carrying a backpack weighing at least 33 pounds.