Photo By Staff Sgt. Mikayla Fritz | U.S. Army Reserve Sgt. Christian Svatek, a combat medic, assigned under the 807th...... read more read more
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FORT KNOX, Ky. – The 807th Theater Medical Command had two squads competing in the 2025 Combined Best Squad Competition at Fort Knox, Kentucky, April 4-11 to earn a spot in the U.S. Army Reserve Best Squad Competition in May 2025.
Sgt. Christian Svatek, a combat medic, assigned to 357th Forward Resuscitative Surgical Detachment, 330th Medical Brigade, coming from Kenosha, Wisconsin, won 807th NCO of the Year on Alpha squad. Spc. Jeremiah Wamsley, a medical logistics specialist, assigned to 852nd Medical Detachment, 358th Field Hospital, coming from Helena, Montana, won 807th Soldier of the Year on Bravo squad and won the overall points out of all the competitors.
More than 90 U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers came from eight commands to participate in the arduous competition consisting of fitness, shooting, grenades, an obstacle course, water events, and more.
“I got so much out of it. I really love how they incorporated resume building stuff like the GAFB (German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge) and EIC (Excellence in Competition) into it,” said Svatek. “I got an ARCOM (Army Commendation Medal) and GAFB which are huge promotion points.”
Svatek also pointed out that “you're never going to get any experience like this anywhere else. The crew serve was really dope…but you can’t top the helocast, like jumping out of a bird, I probably will never get to do that again.”
The Best Squad Competition is composed of Army Reserve Soldiers in many different military occupational specialties, thus the excitement and challenge for many competitors is performing in events they may never get the chance to try outside of their Reserve duty weekends or annual training.
“There's definitely some absolute studs out there that I was competing against. I'm proud of myself,” said Wamsley, who did not think he was going to win. “I should've done better. I have a hard time thinking I'm worth it.”
Not only did he prove to other Soldiers that he is a strong and skilled Soldier, but to himself as well.
“I look at myself and I'm like, wow, you're a skinny little dude. Like, come on, be better. But then I get so many compliments saying, "Hey, you're a big dude,” and that is Wamsley, a big muscular soldier who always has a smile on his face.
Advice he wants to give to others and himself is, “It doesn't matter who you are, no matter how small you are, how big you are, be confident in yourself. That's all that matters.”
Both Svatek and Wamsley commented on the toughness of the competition especially during the rain. Kentucky experienced an excess of rain and flooding during the competition for the first few days.
“Let's say that rain and that ruck, man, that really separates the men from the boys. I don't know what else, but it's really rough out there,” said Svatek.
Both of them didn’t think they’d win but surprised themselves and are excited for the next chapters in the Army Reserve.
Svatek is ready to attend the Air Assault Course and be the non-commissioned officer of his unit’s emergency room and potentially jump on other opportunities after all the networking during the week.
Wamsley is hoping to go to Airborne and Air Assault schools and is looking forward to the big U.S. Army Reserve Best Squad Competition. “If I got Best Soldier here and overall points out of almost 100 people, I want to see what I can do out of more. I want to see what I can do at the next level.”
For the next competition it comes down to “do you care enough?” Svatek rhetorically asks. “When you dig deep, just dig even deeper. There's no limit to what you can do. You just gotta keep going.”
| Date Taken: | 04.17.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.18.2025 09:33 |
| Story ID: | 495599 |
| Location: | FORT KNOX, KENTUCKY, US |
| Web Views: | 88 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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