Photo By Lance Cpl. Daniel Todd | Team Dukes of Hansen heads back to the bivouac site on Camp Hansen Nov. 8. The last...... read more read more
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by Lance Cpl. Bryan A. Peterson
III Marine Expeditionary Force PAO
CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, Japan -- Team Dukes of Hansen from 3rd Medical Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, dominated the 14th annual Navy Battle Skills Competition on Camp Hansen Nov. 8, racking up the most points in every event.
The Dukes of Hansen and five other teams of corpsmen from Okinawa units competed in the four-day event, which is designed to test the knowledge, general field and first aid skills, physical fitness, teamwork, and decision-making abilities of sailors assigned to or in support of III Marine Expeditionary Force.
"In order for the Marines to trust the sailors attached to them, they must know combat skills," said Master Chief Petty Officer Yen Duberek, the III MEF command master chief petty officer. "They must be able to hang with the Marines and do their job at the same time."
The competition consisted of seven events: an obstacle course, a combined skills course, a Zodiac boat race, a pistol marksmanship course, a forced march, a land navigation course and a written exam.
"It's all about teamwork," said Dukes of Hansen's Seaman Eric D. Stuart, a hospitalman with 3rd Medical Bn. "We didn't necessarily have the goal of winning the competition, but we practiced for a month to see how well we would work together."
Dukes of Hansen's focus on teamwork was visible from the start as they were the only team with every member flaunting a unique symbol of unity - their moustaches.
More than 40 sailors with their respective six teams began the competition with the obstacle course on Marine Corps Air Station Futenma Nov. 5. "Once we came to the rope, it got a little discouraging," said Combat Carebears team member Petty Officer 1st Class Mishelle Vasquez, a hospital corpsman with U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa. "But beyond that, we could accomplish everything as a team."
The combined skills course followed, designed to test several skills: assembly and disassembly of the M-16A2 service rifle and M-9 pistol; patient assessment and treatment; PRC-119 single-channel, ground and airborne radio system assembly; and nuclear, biological and chemical gear handling.
The next day, the competition moved to Camp Hansen to conduct land navigation and boat races in the Central Training Area. The land navigation course consisted of four predetermined points and the race consisted of assembling a combat rubber reconnaissance craft, also known as a Zodiac, and paddling it one kilometer.
"The boat race just drained us," Stuart, a native of Jacksonville, Fla., said. "But with a team effort, we were able to make good time."
The final two days consisted of pistol marksmanship, a written exam and a 12-mile forced march.
The 3rd MLG North Dukes of Hansen took first place with 590 points. 3rd MLG South, Those Guys, took second place with 530 points and the 3rd MLG 9th ESB, Magic Sticks, took third with 460 points.
For Vasquez and her team, it was about getting out of the hospital and doing the things sailors attached with the Marines do.
"Although there was stiff competition, we wanted to get out and challenge ourselves," she said. "I think we really worked together as a team. I can say with being in the Navy for 12 years, this is by far the best team I have ever worked with for any competition."
| Date Taken: | 11.08.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 11.27.2006 09:47 |
| Story ID: | 8371 |
| Location: | CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 157 |
| Downloads: | 82 |
This work, Okinawa corpsmen put to battle skills test, by MSgt Bryan Peterson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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