FORT BENNING, Ga., (March 4, 2015) -- Soldiers of the Southern Region Dental Command stepped outside the clinic during a five-day event here to take part in a best warrior competition.

The Best Warrior Competition Soldier of the Year winner, Pfc. Christopher Olverson, dental assistant with the Fort Benning Dental Activity, said the competition was a unique opportunity for the DENTAC Soldiers.

"It was definitely a change of scenery," Olverson said. "Usually you're just in an office or you're in a dental chair assisting a doctor, but now you get to actually do warrior tasks."

Soldiers from nine dental commands throughout the South competed in a variety of events from zeroing weapons, day and night navigation, a six-mile ruck march and overcoming obstacle courses to an oral board, activities at the medical simulation center and a map reading portion, said 1st Sgt. Raquel Dantzler, first sergeant with the Fort Benning DENTAC.

"This is best warrior, so every Soldier here is top notch in this competition," Olverson said. "It was fair game for everybody; that is the best Soldier of every unit within the southern region."

Competitors of this regional level competition were determined from each DENTAC's individual Soldier of the Quarter or Soldier of the Year competitions.

Dantzler said the Soldiers do not get out of the dental clinics as often as they should, so the event was important to assure the Soldiers remain well rounded in their capabilities within the Army.

"We get to see Soldiers from different DENTACs and get to see how they really are in tactical environments and different types of skills," Dantzler said.

The event was held in conjunction with another unit - 3rd Medical Command - training.

Sprinkled in with conquering obstacles at the Sand Hill Confidence Course, Soldiers performed mystery events. Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Boudnik, 3rd Medical Command deployment support, Fort Gilliam, Georgia, said this included a staged event where competitors get stopped and asked questions by an acting reporter to test their skills on associating with the media as well as putting on a gas mask before approaching an obstacle.

"As a dental person, we don't get that many opportunities to be assigned to a FORSCOM unit or a TOE (field) unit," Dantzler said. "So, when we add these certain tasks in between, it kind of surprises the Soldiers."

The endurance events - the confidence and obstacle courses - were timed, putting greater pressure on competitors to perform quickly and efficiently. The timed events were considered in deciding the winner as well as their proficiency in the other events.

The 3rd Medical Command Soldiers competed at the battalion, brigade and major support command levels.

"Because they are typically in the medical field, they don't come out to the field very often to practice these skills," Boudnik said. "It gives them a different opportunity to challenge themselves and be resilient in their craft."

From the medical command, five medical brigades, from Boston, Massachusetts, to Birmingham, Alabama, competed for the best warrior. Events for them included a hand-to-hand combat competition, a written test and essay, a road march, confidence course, obstacle course and a board appearance to determine the winner.

"We're here because Fort Benning provides us an opportunity of all the training requirements for the best warrior competition," Boudnik said. "What makes it unique with 3rd Medical Command competing with DENTAC is it goes to the Total Army Force policy where active component, reserve component and the National Guard utilize resources together and they become more efficient in partnering with each other to become better organizations. They push my Soldiers, and we push their Soldiers to compete at the highest level."

Dantzler said the event was made possible by help from supporting units on post.

Following the week's events, the Southern Regional Dental Command Soldier of the Year and NCO of the Year were honored with an awards ceremony in Derby Auditorium.

Sgt. Christopher Coleman was announced as NCO of the Year and Pfc. Christopher Olverson was announced as Soldier of the Year.

For Coleman, this wasn't his first attempt at the title.

"About two years ago, I came to the same southern region Dental Command board, didn't do so well, didn't even get runner up," Coleman said. "I decided to come back and give my best fight and try to win. And, I won."

Olverson gave credit to his noncommissioned officer in charge for helping take care of him prior to the competition.

Coleman and Olverson were awarded the Army Accommodation Medal, a certificate of achievement for participating and an award from each unit in the southern region as well as awards from supporters within Fort Benning, he said.

"This is a big stepping stone for my career," Coleman said. "It's a pretty high-caliber board, pretty high-caliber competition. This is definitely professional development and career development.

The winners of the competition go on to compete at the Dental Command level competition at Fort Hood, Texas.

The 3rd Medical Activity had a separate breakfast event to honor their winners. Boudnik said winning the competition showed leadership, shows those Soldiers are the "cream of the crop," and differentiates them from their peers.

"At the end of the day, you're still a Soldier, no matter what your MOS is," Olverson said. "Regardless, you're a Soldier before anything else."