FORT BENNING, Ga., (March 18, 2015) -- Spc. Hai Nguyen, Martin Army Community Hospital pathology lab technician, captured the top honor in the Southern Region Medical Command's Best Warrior Competition after a weeklong test March 2 to 5 at Fort Polk, Louisiana, hosted by Bayne Jones Army Community Hospital.
Nguyen, the 2015 SRMC Soldier of the Year, competed against 21 Soldiers from installations in the Southern region, including Fort Rucker, Alabama; Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Fort Sill, Oklahoma; Fort Gordon, Georgia; Fort Stewart, Georgia; Fort Hood, Texas; Fort Jackson, South Carolina; Fort Polk, Louisiana; Joint Base San Antonio, Texas; Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, and Fort Benning.
The competition recognizes noncommissioned officers and Soldiers demonstrating superb military bearing and communication skills, knowledge of various military subjects and the ability to perform a variety of skills above their peers.
"Despite the move to our new hospital, we continue to train and develop our Soldiers and prepare them for competition," MACH Command Sgt. Maj. Napoleon Noguerapayan said. "It is a great honor to see Soldiers providing quality health care day to day, while preparing themselves to compete with the best in health care and come out on top."
This is the second year in a row that a MACH Soldier has been named Soldier of the Year, Noguerapayan said.
The runner-up for 2015 SRMC NCO of the Year in the competition is also from Fort Benning - Staff Sgt. Colin Whyte, MACH Pediatric Clinic NCOIC.
"All of the Soldiers there were at the top of their game, so I wasn't sure if I was going to win, but I felt confident in what I was doing out there," Nguyen said. "In every event, I gave it my best."
Competitive events included a layout, written test, essay, Army physical fitness test, oral board, physical readiness training evaluation, Army warrior tasks and battle drills, weapon zero range and marksmanship qualification and day and night land navigation.
Nguyen trained for more than a year and passed a series of qualifying events and boards to make it to the SRMC-level competition.
In his free time, he prepared for the competition by studying Army regulations, training with weapons and maintaining physical fitness. He refined his skills and pushed himself to compete - all part of his motivation to become a better Soldier and develop leadership qualities, he said.
"For me it is important to learn all of this as a junior enlisted Soldier," Nguyen said. "Just like my NCO is mentoring me, I need to know how to mentor another Soldier. I need to know what to expect when they go to competitions, so I can train them and show them."
Nguyen said it was the NCOs at MACH who encouraged him to pursue professional development.
"They like to push us to compete and are very supportive when it comes to competitions," he said.
Nguyen, recipient of the Meritorious Service Medal and Army Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster, is currently taking classes online from Army Military University and is working toward an associate's degree in medical laboratory technology.
He said he dreams of attending the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. As a pathology lab technician at MACH, Nguyen takes pride in taking care of patients every day, he said.
"I enjoy just knowing that I'm helping people in a way," Nguyen said. "I don't actually get to see the patient face-to-face, but I know that when I run a test, find something that could be wrong and report it to the doctor - they're getting the proper care. That makes me feel better, knowing that I had a part in helping somebody else."
Nguyen will go on to represent SRMC at the 2015 Medical Command Best Warrior Competition this spring.
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