Photo By Sgt. Rhianna Ballenger | U.S. Army Capt. Gayle Benton, left, and 1st Lt. Allan Nkrumah, assigned to Dwight D....... read more read more
FORT BELVOIR, Virginia – Eleven two-Soldier teams in the Regional Health Command-Atlantic are competing in the RHC-A Best Medic Competition Nov. 15-19 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to identify RHC-A’s “Best Medic Team.”
The winning team will earn the opportunity to represent RHC-A at the 2022 Command Sgt. Maj. Jack L. Clark, Jr. U.S. Army Best Medic Competition at Fort Hood, Texas, Jan. 24-28, 2022.
“We exist to provide medial readiness support in support of the Total Force mission; that is Army Medicine's ‘why.’ The Best Medic Competition is one of the many ways our Soldiers showcase their mastery of this capability,” Brig. Gen. Mary V. Krueger, RHC-A commanding general, said. “This experience offers our Soldiers the opportunity to grow and learn lessons that they can bring back to their units. When our best teach other Soldiers, it improves our readiness and raises the bar for all.”
Since the annual competition is designed to challenge Army medics on their operational knowledge and skills, they are competing in conditions that will simulate today’s operational environment.
The Army Best Medic Competition Facebook page states, “Today's operational environment requires Army medics to be agile and adaptive, demonstrate mature judgment and initiative, and to see and exploit opportunities. The ABMC is physically and intellectually challenging and will test the tactical medical proficiency and leadership of the teams. The teams compete to be named as the most technically competent, physically and mentally tough medic team in the United States Army.”
The RHC-A medic teams who accepted the challenge and are competing include:
• Blanchfield Army Community Hospital on Fort Campbell, Kentucky: Staff Sgt. Jephte Guillaume and Staff Sgt. Terrence Laisin;
• Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center on Fort Gordon, Georgia: Capt. Gayle Benton and Lt. Allan Nkrumah;
• Fort Belvoir Community Hospital on Fort Belvoir: Sgt. 1st Class Justin Gavit and Sgt. 1st Class Garrett Rogers;
• Guthrie Ambulatory Health Care on Fort Drum, New York: Sgt. 1st Class Ryan DeVries and Sgt. 1st Class Jason World Turner;
• Keller Army Community Hospital on West Point, New York: Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Badillo and Sgt. 1st Class Christian Mendez;
• Martin Army Community Hospital on Fort Benning, Georgia: Staff Sgt. Ricky Perez and Staff Sgt. Tyler Twigg;
• Moncrief Army Health Clinic on Fort Jackson, South Carolina: Sgt. 1st Class Alice Lewis and Sgt. Cesar Guerrero;
• Public Health Command-Atlantic: Sgt. 1st Class Joshua Mordenti and Staff Sgt. Hai Nguyen
• Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland: Capt. Joseph Mazarella and Capt. Nicholas Ryan;
• Winn Army Community Hospital on Fort Stewart, Georgia: Staff Sgt. Ramon Romo and Sgt. Shaun Mohr;
• Womack Army Medical Center at Fort Bragg, North Carolina: Sgt. 1st Class Theodore Batdorf and Maj. William Ceballos.
Although competitors were initially selected from volunteers, in order to be eligible to compete in the regional BMC, Soldiers must have already earned the Combat Medical Badge or the Expert Field Medical Badge and meet other established criteria. Soldiers must also meet current height and weight standards; have no Uniform Code of Military Justice misconduct flags in the last 12 months; have been recognized as the Best Medic Team for the installation they are representing; be physically fit to include being able to run five to nine miles and march 10 to 18 miles; be familiar with the following areas: survival, swim in full uniform; qualified on the M4 rifle, M9 pistol or M17 pistol; know room clearing tactics and strategies, and have knowledge of medical tasks ranging from tactical combat casualty care to prolonged care.
During the four-day competition, the teams of two Soldiers are applying their knowledge and skills to compete in a series of challenges set in a demanding, continuous and realistic simulated operational environment. Competitors are being challenged to complete a physical fitness test, obstacle course, combat water survival test, day and night land navigation, combat trauma lanes, M4 rifle and 9 mm pistol stress shoots, buddy run and written test.
“They will be graded both individually and as a team as they go through the events,” Master Sgt. Amanda Calle, RHC-A G3/5/7 Operations sergeant major, said. “Scoring is a points-based system. The two highest scoring competitors win. RHC-A plans to award the winning DRU team as well as the two highest scorers, even if they aren’t from the same DRU.”
RHC-A’s “Best Medics” are set to be announced during a livestream Nov. 19 at 11 a.m. on the RHC-A Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ArmyRHCAtlantic.
COVID-19 precaution measures have been taken and enforced during the competition.
| Date Taken: | 11.18.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 11.18.2021 14:46 |
| Story ID: | 409606 |
| Location: | FORT BELVOIR, VIRGINIA, US |
| Hometown: | FORT LIBERTY, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 421 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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