First place team “Weapons of Less Consumption” pose for a photo with ASC Commanding General Maj. Gen. David Wilson and Command Sgt. Maj. Jorge Escobedo on April 25, 2023 at the Choose to Lose ceremony. Pictured from left to right: Maj. Gen. David Wilson, Patricia Hulett, Rachel Basala, Kimberly Conrad, Col. Scott Kindberg and Sgt. Maj. Jorge Esobedo.

Second place team “Waist Management” pose for a photo with ASC Command General Maj. Gen. David Wilson and Command Sgt. Maj. Jorge Escobedo on April 25, 2023 at the Choose to Lose ceremony. Pictured from left to right: Maj. Gen. David Wilson, Angelina Hansen, Thomas Hahn, Maj. Carl Whitley, Christine Suiter and Sgt. Maj. Jorge Escobedo.

Third place team “Just Lost” pose for a photo with ASC Command General Maj. Gen. David Wilson and Command Sgt. Maj. Jorge Escobedo on April 25, 2023 at the Choose to Lose ceremony. Pictured from left to right: Maj. Gen. David Wilson, Meghan McAndrew, Nick Osterhaus and Sgt. Maj. Jorge Escobedo.

ASC Commanding General Maj. Gen. David Wilson and Command Sgt. Maj. Jorge Escobedo speak to Choose to Lose participants on April 25, 2023.

Winning for losing with Choose to Lose

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – U.S. Army Sustainment Command participants in the Choose to Lose program lost a combined total of 1,464 pounds, or the equivalent of an average bull moose.

The 217 participants at ASC lost an average of 8.6 pounds, or 4% of their body weight, during the 12-week program. They were all recognized for their hard work at a ceremony on April 25 with ASC Commanding General Maj. Gen. David Wilson, Command Sgt. Maj. Jorge Escobedo and the ASC Ready and Resilient, or R2, team.

Participants tracked their weight each Thursday and reported their results to program leadership.

"Stepping on the scale each week is an important part of being accountable," Nick Osterhaus, Resilience Branch Chief explained.

Wilson agrees, adding that the program is a "testament to the Army showing strength" with so many participants excelling.

Osterhaus says emails were sent out weekly with weight loss tips and tricks to both motivate and hold challengers accountable.

"Someone told me they didn't have a taco for two months," Osterhaus chuckled when talking about just how committed the winning team was.

Wilson was amused by many of the creative team names that participated. He said his favorite was “Weapons of Less Consumption,” which ended up being the winning team with a 9.32% weight loss. Following closely in second and third places were “Waist Management” with an 8.90% loss and “Just Lost” with an 8.55% decrease.

Those recognized include:

Team Winners

1st - Weapons of Less Consumption

2nd - Waist Management

3rd - Just Lost

Female Winners

1st - LoRhonda Dickerson

2nd - April Bruce

3rd - Patricia Hulett

Male Winners

1st - Anthony Black

2nd - Michael Thompson

3rd - Maj. Carl Whitley

A total of 530 people participated across the Rock Island Arsenal, totaling 2,749 pounds lost - the weight of a large bison bull, which is the largest animal in Northern America. Other Rock Island Arsenal participants included Army Contracting Command, Joint Munitions Command, First Army, Combat Capabilities Development Command, Garrison and the Corp of Engineers.