FORT SILL, Okla. -- Soldiers in 2nd Battalion, 2nd Field Artillery changed up their physical training conditions with a competition pitting senior leaders versus less senior leaders.
They took to the shoreline and waters of Lake Elmer Thomas Recreation Area April 29 to compete in a one-mile litter carry and a Zodiac boat race.
Split into two teams, captains, majors and the first sergeant went with Lt. Col. Adam Cobb, 2-2nd FA commander, while the lieutenants, staff sergeants and sergeants first class went with 1st Lt. Dominic Shababy.
"It's for senior leaders in the battalion it's something different, outside the norm," said Cobb.
He got the competition idea from his experience in the Ranger Regiment in Fort Bragg, N.C.
"It's just a fun event for PT. It's something for our troops to do outside of the normal running and pushups. And it's combat-focused, which is something we always need to be proficient at," said Maj. William Perry.
Prior to the race, Perry was confident in his team's experience pulling them ahead, "Those lieutenants are young and they're strong, but sometimes wisdom outlasts."
Wearing complete Army Combat Uniforms, each team negotiated the route while carrying a litter with an "injured" Soldier, two water jugs, four ammo cans, and two ammo crates.
The Soldiers took off from the beach parking lot, ran past the archery range and looped around a group of LETRA cabins.
Soldiers traded the cargo as they completed the one-mile course where they were allowed to drop items to rest, but had to pick them back up before they could continue.
The team members stayed close to one another as they were required to be spaced no more than 50 meters from the first person to the last person in the group at any given time.
Cobb's group kept the lead the entire run, with the younger Soldiers close behind.
They loaded their Zodiac boat and made it into the water first, but the younger Soldiers had a stronger row putting them side-by-side.
Shababy's group made it to the buoy in the middle of the lake first were they capitalized.
"We just had to keep a really good pace. We knew that they were going to get tired before we were. We're younger, have a little bit more stamina, but they put up a good fight," said Shababy. "They were in the water first, but we just had to get a good rhythm and make sure we steered in the right direction. We were able to turn real quick and then they got behind our drag in the water."
Once they made it to the shore each team picked up its Zodiac boat to carry to the finish line.
Cobb's group wasn't far behind, but failed to close the distance to Shababy and the others.
Afterward the Soldiers met and shared in their victory and defeat over breakfast.
"It's a little bit of a physical challenge a team challenge that brings the senior leaders together. We got all the E-6s and above to come out and build that camaraderie in a small team competition," said Cobb.
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