HEIDELBERG, Germany - Bavaria Medical Department Activity Soldiers captured 2010 Best Warrior NCO and Soldier of the Year honors during the Europe Regional Medical Command's annual competition Feb. 3-7 at the Grafenwoehr Training Area.

Sgt. Gale Beaubien and Spc. Robert Van Houten competed against six other medical Soldiers in a grueling test of physical and mental skills. Both excelled in combatives, military operations on urban terrain, small arms skills, day and night orienteering, a fitness assessment, a written exam and other events.

After a sweaty 12-mile road march that ended in darkness, they were ready and alert in dress uniforms the next morning as they were evaluated on confidence and military knowledge by a board of senior NCOs.

Sgt. Beaubein, 27, a health care specialist in the operations section of the Schweinfurt Health Clinic, hails from Clarksville, Tenn. Spc. Van Houten, 24, is a Vilseck Health Clinic nutrition specialist from Fountain Valley, Calif.

ERMC G-3 Sgt. Maj. Diamond Hough said the ERMC Best Warrior competition has "tremendous importance."

"This is one way we validate Soldier skills," said Hough. "Best Warrior brings together core skills every Soldier should have and reflects training our units perform year-round."

Sgt. Beaubien and Spc. Van Houten will represent ERMC at the US Army Medical Command Best Warrior competition March 13-20 in Hawaii. The MEDCOM winners will compete at Army level later this year.

Both received a trophy and other awards during a Feb. 7 ceremony at Bavaria MEDDAC headquarters at Vilseck. They were congratulated by the ERMC commanding general, and by MEDDAC and Army health clinic commanders and senior NCOs, and other Best Warrior competitors representing their medical units.