ARLINGTON — Sgt. 1st Class Joshua Schultz hoped to revitalize the “old-school army type of training,” which includes “getting out, getting dirty and sweaty.”

“It seems more and more time sitting in a classroom and less time in the woods pushing yourself,” he added.

Hundreds of Army personnel from all over the United States endured three days of physical testing to earn their German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge.

“It’s the German Army’s actual fitness test,” Schultz said. “So we’re using Arlington’s Centennial Trail to conduct their road march.”

After track events at Everett Naval Station and a pistol test at the shooting range in Tulalip, the test ended with a march June 3.

Members of the Army Reserve and active duty carried 35-pound backpacks.

“Based on how they performed in the track events and the pistol shooting, it either qualifies them or eliminates them from each medal,” Schultz said.

Gold medalists marched 12 kilometers, silver medalists nine kilometers and bronze candidates marched three kilometers. The times were “staggered” so all the marchers would arrive back at roughly the same time.

Two weeks ago, Schultz contacted the Arlington and asked if he could use the trail.

“They probably got back to me in two hours like ‘go for it man,'” he said.

Though Schultz was happy with the turnout, he mentioned that these kinds of physical tests are a lost art because the Army has become more “digital,” and  mainly because they are difficult to organize.

“Not many people host these kind of events. It’s kind of a hard thing to do,” Schultz said.

One of the challenges faced by assembling these events are finding German Sergeant Majors, a track facility, a shooting range and a trail roughly in the same area.

“It’s just hard to get on the German VA’s calendars,” Schultz said. “I started planning this in October, so being able to find a VA and actually getting on the VA’s time and availability is pretty challenging.

Public affairs officer Capt. Marvin Baker was not only pleased with the resources of the community but also its appreciation.

“It’s good for morale for our soldiers,” Baker said. “I saw a lot of people out here honking their horns along the trail, waving at them and then a bus full of elementary school kids. It shows that the community is paying attention to them.”

Sgt. 1st Class Dan Alexander, who’s been in the service for 14 years, finished the march first and was also gold in the pistol event.

Coming in second was Private 1st Class Adam Freed.

“There was only one guy that beat me, but he’s an animal so I’m not ashamed to lose to him,” Freed said.