BAUMHOLDER, Germany - Six dental technicians were a long way from the comfort of an examination room as they trudged up and down Baumholder's unforgiving landscape. They were participating in the European Dental Command Warrior of the Year Competition.
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After four days of rigorous challenges ranging from a formal Noncommissioned Officer and Soldier board, to combatives and a six-mile road march on Baumholder's military training area in the crisp winter air, Baumholder's own Staff Sgt. Cesar Quintana was selected as the European Dental Command Best Warrior NCO of the Year. The Best Warrior Soldier of the Year was Spc. Scottie T. Bullock, a member of the Bavarian Dental Activity and a Chicago, Ill., native.
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"I feel great and excited to represent the Europe Region Dental Command at Fort Bragg, N.C., for the DENTCOM NCO/Soldier of the Year Competition," said Quintana after the competition.
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Quintana said the board portion was the most challenging for him. "I could never feel comfortable answering questions in front of board members no matter how many times I have done it," he said.
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The other participants included Sgt. Alvin E. Iribhogbe from the Bavarian Dental Activity and a native of Idadan, Nigeria; Sgt. Akeiko R. from the Heidelberg Dental Activity and a native of Fairfield, Calif.; Pfc. Richard A. King from the Heidelberg Dental Activity and a native of Modesto, Calif.; and Spc. Kaitron S. Bryant of the Landstuhl Dental Activity and a native of Petersburg, Va.
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Some of the challenges the six warrior candidates faced included the M-16 range, day and night orienteering, AWT at the MAUT site, a written test and an essay.
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"The winners will go on to compete at DENTCOM for the best warrior of the year. The winner of that will compete for MEDCOM, and the winner of that competition goes to the Army level, for the best warrior competition," said Sgt. Tracy Underwood, coordinator of the four-day competition.
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Although Baumholder's challenging hills and training facilities served as the site for the competition, the actual host agency for the competition was the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center.
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"The competition is being held here because of all the training resources that Baumholder has. Some of the contestants aren't from here, but everyone is doing pretty well," said Underwood.
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The competition included contestants from GrafenwAfAPhr, Heidelberg and Baumholder.
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