Photo By Master Sgt. Faiza Evans | Service members of Task Force Viper participated in a multi-event skills challenge...... read more read more
CAMP SABALU-HARRISON, Afghanistan – Service members of Task Force Viper participated in a multi-event skills challenge here, May 19, 2012, testing teams of volunteers on physical and mental skills in rapid succession throughout the morning.
According to Maj. Douglas W. Zimmerman, executive officer, Task Force Viper, the event was the first iteration of the Viper Challenge, a competition allowing teams from Task Force Viper to compete for the Champions’ Trophy, commander’s coins and bragging rights.
The competition tested the teams physically through a series of events where they must complete 500 push-ups, 500 sit-ups, eight rope climbs, and a tire flip for five lengths of a volleyball sand pit. The skills portion of the event included weapons assembly of the M4, M9 and M249. All the weapon parts were placed in a box and each team had to separate the parts and then correctly assemble the three weapon systems.
The casualty evaluation and medical evacuation competition was the highlight of the skills portion of the event. Each team evaluated a mock casualty, administered combat lifesaving care for a sucking chest wound, applied a tourniquet, and delivered an accurate nine line MEDEVAC request. If the nine line request was accepted, the team placed its casualty on a litter and ground-evacuated the casualty a distance of 400 yards.
Team Rampage, an all-female team from TF Viper, is the first champion of the Viper Challenge.
“We were able to win because of energy management,” said Capt. Lauren R. Nowak, commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 14th Military Intelligence Battalion. “The male teams burned themselves out on the strength exercises, so we were able to make up a lot of ground during the rope climb, tire flip and MEDEVAC portions. The tire flip was my favorite. We all had to work as a team to complete the event.”
Task Force Viper plans to hold more Viper Challenges in the future. Due to the interest in the first event, the future events may be open to more service members.
“The soldiers competing were motivated by their teammates, and the soldiers watching were motivated by the competition. This was a great event for the entire Task Force and it brought us all a little closer as a unit and a family,” said Zimmerman.
| Date Taken: | 05.19.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 05.29.2012 03:41 |
| Story ID: | 89104 |
| Location: | PARWAN PROVINCE, AF |
| Hometown: | JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 57 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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