CAMP CASEY, South Korea -- It's nearly 5 a.m. at Soldier Field and the stadium lights cut through pre-dawn darkness to reveal a crowd of 210th Field Artillery Brigade Soldiers, gear at their sides, ready to begin the second annual Thunder Crucible held April 3-4 on Camp Casey, South Korea.
The Crucible is a 36-hour event spread over two days laden with tasks meant to challenge a Soldier's mind and body and highlight the demanding training required of 210th FA Bde. Soldiers.
The training began with the Army Physical Fitness Test, after which the teams of two took off to complete events spanning the gamut of warrior knowledge, tasks and drills.
While more than 70 teams took on the challenge, only one could win. Capt. Alexander Mullin, from Kingwood, Texas, and his teammate, Sgt. Christopher Batances-Leblanc, from Union Grove, Wis., came out on top.
"It feels awesome," said Batances-Leblanc, a multiple launch rocket system operations and fire direction specialist assigned to Battery A, 1st Battalion, 38th Field Artillery Regiment, 210th Field Artillery Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division.
Spread throughout Camps Casey and Hovey, Mullin and Batances-Leblanc navigated lanes that included: combat casualty care, tactical communications, weapons mastery, vehicle preventive maintenance checks and services, urban orienteering, a surprise paintball course, and written tests on both Korean culture and the Army's Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention program.
"It's a really good feeling," said Mullin, the Btry A., 1st Bn., 38th FA Regt. commander. "There was a lot of effort and training we put into this, so to come out as champions is very gratifying."
After two days of intense physical and mental exertion, a 10-kilometer ruck march to the finish line marked the conclusion of the Thunder Crucible.
"That was all mental," said Mullin. "Trying to run and pace and get the most points we could was very challenging."
Both Soldiers were awarded for their domination of this year's Thunder Crucible, with a plaque and bayonet presented by the brigade commander, Col. Michael Lawson.
The Thunder Crucible is an annual competition designed to highlight 210th FA Bde. Soldiers's training and build espirit de corps through teamwork.
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