Photo By Sgt. Reece Newton | The Norwegian Foot March challenges nearly 150 participants at Fort Bliss, Texas,...... read more read more
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FORT BLISS, Texas - Just past midnight at the Fort Bliss Rod and Gun Club, nearly 150 people were gathered and awaiting the start of the Fort Bliss Norwegian Foot March.
The Norwegian Foot March is an annual 18.6 mile night movement requiring participants to wear a backpack that weighs at least 25 pounds and finish in a set amount of time depending on their age and gender.
“It's not just going all out and completing that night movement,” said Staff Sgt. Willis Tuttle, the non-commissioned officer in charge of this year's event. “It's also being able to perform your duties after gutting it out all night," he added.
The William Beaumont Army Medical Center senior enlisted leader, Command Sgt. Maj. Luis Maldonado, attended the event, in full support of the Soldiers, especially his own.
“These guys are true warriors, I'm proud of them,” Maldonado said. “Our NCOs and Soldiers really wanted to do this, they stepped up to the challenge and went after it.”
He explained what it meant for Soldiers to pursue such a challenge outside normal training requirements by stressing, “It shows the resiliency needed to perform as a warrior, to perform as a Soldier."
Sgt. Joshua Drinkwine, with McAfee Health Clinic, placed first and won the competition with a time of just over three and a half hours.
“If you're looking for a challenge, bring some friends out here and do some hard work,” said Drinkwine after finishing, exhausted. “My hips are a bit sore, and my knees are a little shaky and my feet went numb so I can't feel them, but I could feel them at the beginning.”
Drinkwine was glad to be done, and grateful for the support of his leaders. He talked of the "tough love" his first line leader gave him to help propel him to meet his goal. Now, Drinkwine's next goal is to bring that same ambition for a challenge to motivate his Soldiers in the future.
“I'm just happy to bring first place back to McAfee clinic. We fall under Beaumont, so we don't get much attention," said Drinkwine. "It's going to be good to come back with first in something and show it off and have them be proud of that."
| Date Taken: | 09.30.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 10.14.2022 15:34 |
| Story ID: | 431271 |
| Location: | FORT BLISS, TEXAS, US |
| Hometown: | EL PASO, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 357 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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