Photo By Sgt. Austin Long | Lance Cpl. Jake Meyer, a maintenance management chief with 3rd Battalion, 10th...... read more read more
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CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - After a long month of tiring preparation for upcoming inspections, deployments and training exercises, a day of friendly competition and good barbecue with Marines outside of your unit is a welcome reward.
10th Marine Regiment hosted a competitive field meet consisting of 15 events for Marines representing the four different battalions within the Regiment, April 17, at Onslow Beach.
“The Regiment does one big field meet type of event a year. Before I got here it was softball. But the fields went down for renovations, so I talked with our engineering platoon, and they constructed the obstacle course that the meet is centered around,” said Col. Brad Hall, the regimental commanding officer from Sarasota, Fla. “I wanted the games to help the Marines improve their strength and conditioning. Also I wanted mass participation and a warrior mentality to be built through unit competition with an overall winner.”
The field meet resembled a gladiator training arena. The fifteen events were chosen because they required the Marines to use teamwork, physical endurance and mental toughness to complete the event.
“This is a field event to build esprit de corps and camaraderie. With [3rd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment] deactivating next week, it was important to give them another chance at winning the trophy again this year and getting their name on it again,” said 1st Lt. Iaian Blamey, Headquarters Battery executive officer, from Placerville, Calif. “We have fifteen events total. Some events are track and field, some are lifting for max repetitions and there is the HITT (High Intensity Tactical Training) course.”
Some of the events included the 155 mm round toss, bench press, rubber plate discuss, kettle bell shot put, pull ups, a tire flip relay, tug of war, obstacle course, pugil-stick joust and an 880 meter stretcher relay.
“At the beginning of the HITT course we had to memorize how objects were arranged first, it’s a memory game used at OTS (Officer Training School). Next was a tire flip for approximately 50 yards. Followed by a 100 meter log carry with six Marines on the log, ending with 25 over-head log presses,” said 2nd Lt. Alex Ryan, a fire direction officer with 1st Battalion, 10th Marines, from Des Moines, Iowa. “After, we low-crawled 20 meters under a string that represented barb wire to keep us low. At the water was a 50-pound pack which our team took control of and low-crawled back with and carried through the o-course (obstacle course). In the o-course we rotated as a team carrying the pack across logs three meters off the ground above a pool of water. Followed by a rope swing and then a ten-foot wall, which the whole team and pack had to get over before we could leave the pack and run to four ammo cans and two water jugs to carry a short distance before pulling a HMMWV for 40 meters, once all that was done we went back to the memory game and put the items back the way they were before the beginning of the physical events.”
Teams were built from each of the four battalions in the regiment. Marines enjoyed competing and cooperating with seniors, subordinates; both old Marines and new.
“It was a lot of fun. I work with a majority of the Marines on my team. It was a good bonding event and some great PT,” said Ryan. “It was very well ran, constructed and operated. I’m very thankful for a fun time I was able to have with my Marines.”
Although it was a competition, senior leadership wanted the events to be centered on camaraderie and giving back to the Marines for working hard at Operation Rolling Thunder. It also gave them a break before preparing for the upcoming integrated training exercise and the commanding general inspection.
“It’s about camaraderie, and for the Marines to share a common interest. At the end we’ll have a winner amongst the regiment, but at the end it’s all about camaraderie,” said Sgt. Maj. Robert Christoff, sergeant major of 1st Battalion, 10th Marines. “The events are well planned; I am very impressed with regimental headquarters. Today is about giving them a day off after Rolling Thunder and before the ITX. Which is good because it will give them a basis for camaraderie before that and the upcoming commanding general’s readiness inspection.”
| Date Taken: | 04.17.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 04.22.2013 13:30 |
| Story ID: | 105619 |
| Location: | CAMP LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Hometown: | DES MOINES, IOWA, US |
| Hometown: | GLEN ELLYN, ILLINOIS, US |
| Web Views: | 275 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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