Why the Expert Infantry Badge (EIB) Should Become an Army School

Pretty soon, according to updates being discussed for DA PAM 600-25, the Expert Infantry Badge (EIB) will become a mandatory requirement for all 11-series Soldiers to promote to SFC (E-7) and above.

These conversations are already happening with the Infantry Career Managers at Fort Benning (now Fort Moore), and every Drill Sergeant coming through is being briefed on this change. On paper, it sounds like a great way to enforce standards and promote mastery of infantry skills. But in practice, it doesn’t make sense given how the EIB is currently structured.

The Core Problem

EIB isn’t a formal Army school; it’s a unit-run event coordinated through the EIB Committee at Fort Moore. Units have to coordinate and host their own EIB lanes, but many simply don’t, sometimes for years. There’s no regulation or enforcement mechanism that ensures every installation actually conducts it.

That means thousands of infantrymen are held to a promotion requirement that they might never even get the chance to attempt.

I’m a prime example: in 15 years of service, I’ve only had two chances to go for EIB. Not because I didn’t want to but because the opportunity just wasn’t there.

Why It Should Be an Army School

Turning the EIB into a hard-slotted Army school (like Airborne or Air Assault) would fix a lot of the issues: 1. Standardized POI (Program of Instruction) Everything would be locked under a controlled curriculum, no more changing standards or lane variations every year. 2. Qualified Instructors Only All cadre would be EIB-qualified and certified instructors. That eliminates “badge protection” and ensures professionalism and consistency. 3. Fair Access and Retesting Soldiers who fail could simply re-enroll in a future class instead of waiting years, hoping their unit runs an event. 4. Merit-Based Advancement If the Army wants promotions to truly reflect merit — as the Secretary of the Army emphasizes — then every Soldier needs an equal opportunity to earn the badge required for promotion.

Bottom Line

If EIB is going to be required for career progression, then the Army has a responsibility to make it equally accessible across the force. Right now, that’s not the case.

Make the EIB a school. Make it fair. Make it accessible.

Would love to hear from other 11Bs how many times in your career have you actually had the chance to go for EIB?