JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. -- Ruck, train and workout -- that was the prescription for success for a team of medics from Madigan Army Medical Center who were named the Western Regional Medical Command's Top Medic Team in a ceremony Sept. 11 at the base.
Sergeant 1st Class Omar Bond and Staff Sgt. Alexander Folsom took top honors after competing in live training and Soldier skills tests Sept. 8 to 10 against eight other teams from across the Western Region.
"It's awesome. We put in a lot of training before the competition. We did a lot of rucking and preparing for medical lanes. It really paid off," said Bond, a Pomona, California, native.
Bond, who focuses on medical training in his role as Madigan's Consolidated Education Division NCOIC, said he and teammate Folsom relied on each other's strengths during the competition.
"My biggest takeaway is, one: Trust your battle buddy; and the second one would be just keep striving to be the best. Push yourself in every moment you get. Don't let anybody tell you that you can't do something," Bond said.
Folsom, a Huntington Beach, California, native and Madigan Urology Clinic NCOIC, also said training made the difference for the team.
"You put in the work and then you win. It feels good to justify your skills," Folsom said, adding he enjoyed the friendly competition. "You get to network with other Soldiers -- you get to be with your peers, compete against them in a friendly way."
The medics were tested in the Army Physical Fitness Test, marksmanship qualification, day and night land navigation, combat medic lanes, urban orienteering and a forced road march in what Western Regional Medical Command's Command Sgt. Maj. Marshall Huffman called a "trying week."
"To be a leader, we have to push Soldiers to their breaking point. Did you reach your breaking point this week? No, you didn't -- Because you dug a little deeper," Huffman said to the finishers. "You showed that you can go a little bit further."
Maj. Gen. Thomas R. Tempel, Jr., Western Regional Medical Command acting commanding general, also acknowledged the candidate's hard work.
"You take care of Soldiers. They can go out into the fight because they know you're going to be there for them if something happens," Tempel said. "Soldiers know the best care is available -- and you all are delivering it."
"You all are the best of the best," he added. "Now everyone wants to be on your team. So bring them up to your level while continuing to improve yourself."
Bond and Folsom will represent the Western Region at an Armywide medical competition in November at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas.
"I know they'll fare well," said Madigan Army Medical Center Command Sgt. Maj. Andrew Rhoades who described the team as "top notch."
"Both of these are stellar NCOs, and I knew from the get-go that we had some ringers when they stepped up for this because both Staff Sgt. Holsom and Sgt. 1st Class Bond lead from the front and lead by example," Rhoades said.
The runners up were Sgt. 1st Class Trever Krueger and Spc. Ranly Ford from General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. The medic team would represent the region in the event Bond and Folsom are unavailable.
As for Bond and Folsom, it's back to duty -- and training. Folsom's training tips for future top medic candidates? "Ruck, (tactical casualty care) practice, ruck, workout and ruck."
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