Photo By Maria Christina Yager | Blanchfield Army Community Hospital Soldier, Staff Sgt. Jacob Rudd runs the...... read more read more
FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. – Two combat medical specialists from Blanchfield Army Community Hospital will head to Fort Eisenhower, Georgia to compete in the Medical Readiness Command, East Best Medic Competition, Nov. 5-9.
“These two Soldiers are our representation, but so many Soldiers and NCOs and even our civilian team members from our Education and Staff Development section were a part of their training,” said Col. Sam Preston, hospital commander, during a send-off rally for BACH’s competitors, Sgt. 1st Class Gary Sawyer and Staff Sgt. Jacob Perron.
“You’ve got this entire hospital-team behind you, and we are incredibly proud of you both,” Preston told the Soldiers.
MRC, East, Best Medic is a two-Soldier team competition that physically and mentally challenges the region's best medics over multiple days in a demanding, simulated operational environment.
“This competition is not an easy feat. So, for any Soldier to have the fortitude to come do this, that is hands down something to applaud. It is very physically demanding and also deals with each Soldier’s competence as a medic to understand what you need to do to save lives,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Gary Petty, BACH’s senior enlisted leader. “Today’s operational environment requires Army medics to be agile and adaptive, demonstrate mature judgment and initiative in order to save lives. This competition is an opportunity for our Soldiers to demonstrate their technical and tactical proficiency.”
According to event guidance from MRC, East, teams must be physically fit, able to competitively run five to nine miles and foot march 10-18 miles. Teams may also be tested in a variety of warrior tasks including survival skills, combat water skills, marksmanship, room clearing, and all medical tasks ranging from Tactical Combat Casualty Care to prolonged casualty care scenarios.
Participants must also be qualified with Expert Field Medical Badge or Combat Medical Badge to be eligible to compete.
Sawyer currently serves as the non-commissioned officer in charge of the hospital’s LaPointe Medical Home. Perron is assigned to BACH’s Department of Surgery. Both Sawyer and Perron served in operational units before coming to BACH and have experience with the required Best Medic skills.
“I’m excited. It is a good opportunity to train more on our skills and bring that experience back to share with the Soldiers at the hospital,” said Perron, who began his career as a medic with an infantry unit.
Over the past month, fellow team members at BACH have rallied around Sawyer and Perron, sharing their knowledge, and providing training to help them refresh and hone skills.
“Being able to represent the hospital is a great privilege. There are a lot of NCOs and Officers around the hospital with their CMB and EFMB badges so being able to represent this organization is a great honor," said Sawyer.
MRC, East provides regionally ready, globally responsive medical forces, health service support, and force health protection to conserve the fighting strength, enable the readiness and health of the Army and designated activities, and integrate and liaise at echelon for the provision of health service support and force health protection to the Total Army. It also provides command and control to medical department activities, medical centers, Dental Health Command, Public Health Commands, and Soldier Recovery Units.
The winners of the MRC, East Best Medic Competition will advance to the U.S. Army 2024 Best Medic Competition.
MRC, East Best Medic Competition Award Ceremony will be live streamed on the MRC, East Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MRCEast Nov. 9, at 9 a.m. CST.
| Date Taken: | 11.02.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 11.02.2023 16:39 |
| Story ID: | 457080 |
| Location: | FORT CAMPBELL, KENTUCKY, US |
| Web Views: | 181 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Combat Medics from BACH to compete at regional Best Medic competition, by Maria Christina Yager, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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