Female Army Captain Refuses To Give Up During Grueling Exam For Coveted Badge

Earning your Expert Field Medical Badge (EFMB) in the U.S. Army is no easy feat. It is known as one of the most difficult and prestigious Army skill badges to earn. It takes incredible guts, determination, physical stamina, and as you are about to see, the motivation from one’s fellow soldiers.

In the video below, U.S. Army Captain Sarah Cudd of Public Health Command, Fort Knox, is undertaking the last part of the EFMB exam – a 12-mile foot march that must be completed within 3 hours.

The exhausted army veterinarian is laden with a large rucksack and rifle. As she nears the finish line, she stumbles to the ground.

Cudd’s legs buckle twice under the weight of her pack and the fatigue. “You’ve got this. Let’s go. Come on,” her comrades shout. “Don’t give up.”

It’s what happens next that is truly inspirational. Watch and see!

Cudd was one of 46 soldiers who attained the badge out of more than 230 who attempted it that day!

She says she took on the challenge as a way to expand her medical skills. As way of practice for the test, she strapped on a heavy pack on and hit bike trails near her home. As a veterinarian in the army, Cudd takes care of working Army dogs.“Every good soldier loves a challenge,” she said. “From a veterinarian’s perspective, I know how to take care of animals, of course, but what better honor to take care of soldiers in the field?”