Less than 100 feet from finishing a brutal 12-mile march in full combat gear, Army Capt. Sarah Cudd fell to her knees.
She was steps away from earning the Army’s Expert Field Medical Badge (EFMB), a distinction for enlisted medical professionals who pass a series of strenuous tests. Using her rifle for support, she got up.
But after a few more steps, she collapsed again.
Her fellow soldiers urged her on.
Summoning every last ounce of strength, Cudd rose once more, determined to finish in the allotted three hours.
She made it.
In a Facebook post, the US Army Public Health Command confirmed Cudd was one of 46 soldiers who earned their badge. According to the Washington Post, 80 percent of those who attempted the test that day fell short.
