USARPAC hosts Annual Career Counselor of the Year competition

By Staff Sgt. Amber RobinsonDecember 7, 2012

Career Counselor of the Year compeitor form USARAK
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. 1st Class Joanne Blatchley, U.S. Army Alaska (Reserve component) identifies terrain features on a map during the annual Career Counselor of the Year Competition. The competition, hosted by USARPAC at Ft. Shafter, Hawaii, decided who will represe... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Career Counselor of the Year competitor performs weapons check
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. 1st Class Edward Zezlina, U. S. Army Japan, reacts to a weapons malfunction on an M16 rifle during the annual Career Counselor of the Year Competition. The competition, hosted by USARPAC at Ft. Shafter, Hawaii, decided who will represent U.S. Ar... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
First aid evaluation
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. 1st Class Allen Dieterli, 8th Army Korea, performs first aid for a bleeding extremity, rifle during the annual Career Counselor of the Year Competition. The competition, hosted by USARPAC at Ft. Shafter, Hawaii, decided who will represent U.S. A... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii- U.S. Army Pacific hosted the annual Career Counselor of the Year Competition Dec. 3-6 at Fort Shafter, Hawaii.

Six non-commissioned officers from across USARPAC contended for the position during a four-day competition. Each NCO competed against other Career Counselors to be selected to compete at USARPAC.

The competition determined which Soldier would compete at the Department of the Army level at the Pentagon in January. Competing were Sgt. 1st Class Allen Dieterli, 8th Army; Sgt. 1st Class Edward Zezlina, U.S. Army Japan; Sgt. 1st Class James Klink, 8th Theater Sustainment Command; Sgt. 1st Class Bradley Hallum, U.S. Army Alaska; Staff Sgt. Jason Clark, 25th Infantry Division and Sgt. 1st Class Joanne Blatchley, U.S. Army Alaska (Reserve component).

The competition consisted of an Army Physical Fitness Test, Five Warrior Tasks, a 50 question written test and a formal board. Warrior tasks included; perform first aid for a bleeding extremity, use visual signal techniques [hand and arm signals for an approaching air craft], identify terrain features on a map, correct malfunctions of an M16 rifle and react to indirect fire, said Master Sgt. John Stiles, Senior Retention Operations, U.S. Army Pacific Headquarters.

"They've done really well," said Stiles. "All competitors arrived on Saturday to acclimatize to this environment prior to the competition. Many of them come from colder temperatures, so the heat has been an added challenge."

Despite the heat, NCOs were motivated as they competed for the chance to represent USARPAC at the DA-level at the Pentagon in Washington DC in January.

"It's been an honor to come here and represent my unit," said Dieterli, "I've done the best I can and have enjoyed being able to come to beautiful Hawaii with my fellow career counselors and compete."

Winners of the competition were Hallum, as the active Army representative and Blatchley, as the Reserve representative.