32nd Medical Brigade Chooses AIT Platoon Sgt. of the Year

By Ms. Maria Esther Garcia (Army Medicine)July 8, 2015

32nd Medical Brigade chooses Platoon Sergeant of the Year
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Right, Col. Jack Davis, commander, 32nd Medical Brigade and Command Sgt. Maj. David Franco, presents Sgt. 1st Class Samuel Enriquez, D Company, 232nd Medical Brigade and winner of the Advanced Individual Training Platoon Sgt. of the Year competition ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
32nd Medical Brigade chooses Platoon Sergeant of the Year
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. 1st Class Samuel Enriquez, D Company, 232nd Medical Battalion, maneuvers a jump between logs at the Obstacle Course on Joint Base San Antonio-Camp Bullis June 12. Candidates competed in 15 various obstacles during the Advanced Individual Traini... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Nine candidates representing the three battalions from the 32nd Medical Brigade, US Army Medical Department Center and School, US Army Health Readiness Center of Excellence, Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston competed June 11-15 in the annual Advanced Individual Training Platoon Sergeant of the Year Competition.

In an awards ceremony held June 18 during leadership call in Blesse Auditorium, Willis Hall, AMEDDC&S, HRCoE, Sgt. 1st Class Samuel Enriquez with D Company, 232nd Medical Battalion, was named the winner of the competition. Col. Jack Davis, commander, 32nd Medical Brigade and Command Sgt. Maj. David Franco, CSM for the brigade presented Enriquez with the Army Commendation Medal and a bronze statue of a warrior.

"It was undeniably fun, but at the same time, it was extremely difficult," Enrique said. "I was surprised by just how much I was expected to know. It was both physically and mentally strenuous throughout the entire event,"

The other candidates included Sgts. First Class Melinda Braithwaite, B Company, Owen Davis, E Company, Evelyn Pollard, F Company, from 232nd Medical Brigade, Antwan Williams, C Company, 264th Medical Brigade, Staff Sgts. Amy Davis, D Company, 187th Medical Brigade, Rubinel Rivera, A Company, Mathew Maxwell, B Company, and Ethan Mergentime, D Company, from 264th Medical Brigade.

Davis and Franco presented each competitor with the 32nd Medical Brigade Certificate of Achievement.

The competition was held on JBSA-FSH and at Camp Bullis and tested the competitor's physical and mental stamina, beginning with an in-brief and height and weight screening.

The heat did not deter the candidates as the second day began with a 4-mile cadence run where all competitors took turns calling cadence for the group for esprit de corps, a basic rifle marksmanship qualification on an M4 and 16A2 rifle and Warrior Tasks and Battle Drills where the candidates were tested on performing ten warrior tasks and instructing four tasks such as instructing Army Combatives and treating a mannequin with mock injuries by controlling bleeding with a tourniquet and dressing, treating a chest wound and moving the casualty to a litter for evacuation.

The day concluded with an essay about what makes them proud to be an AIT Platoon Sergeant.

The competition at JBSA-Camp Bullis began at 4:30 a.m. with an 8-mile foot march, and continued with the Day Land Navigation, and a grueling obstacle course where the competitors competed in 15 obstacles such as rope and wall climbs, balancing logs, jumping, and weaving in and out of logs.

The day concluded with a Hand Grenade Course where each competitor had two grenades from various throwing positions and cover to engage their target.

The last part of the competition included appearance before a board. The panel consisted of First Sergeants from the 32nd Medical Brigade who asked difficult questions platoon sergeants frequently encounter in their day-to-day duties with trainees such as appearance of uniform, Army support programs, and AIT policies. The competition ended with a uniform inspection on Soldiers in various uniforms and a platoon-in-ranks inspection and marching a platoon using proper drill instruction techniques.

Davis had some advice for future competitors.

She said, "I would tell future competitors to focus on refreshing on WTBDs. That piece was the most challenging for me because I do not train my students on them. I have not seen a claymore mine or a grenade since basic training and that was 13 years ago."

Enriquez will represent the AMEDDC&S, HRCoE at the Training and Doctrine Command AIT Platoon Sergeant of the Year competition at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., in September.

When asked how he felt about winning he said, "At first, I was simply glad to represent Delta Company 232d Medical Battalion. I wanted to succeed, but to actually win was a bit of a shock. Now that I'm representing AMEDDC&S, I really want to win. I understand it will be hard, but I want to live up to expectations and bring distinction to the AMEDDC&S."