FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- The Boston Celtics, Montreal Canadians, New York Yankees, and the Headquarters and Support Company, Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion. What do they all have in common? They've all won their respective "championships" at least four times in a row.
HHBN, 10th Mountain Division (LI) recently conducted its quarterly Gauntlet Challenge, and the three-time defending champs were admittedly "a little nervous," according to HSC 1st Sgt. Kenneth Drury.
Other teams, however, had confidence to spare.
"We're going to win this thing; that's what's going to happen, bottom line," said Sgt. 1st Class David Cotti, 10th Mountain Division Band.
Pfc. Blaire Allendale, Division Support Company, felt the same way about his company's chances on winning.
"We're going to do amazing; we're going to take it all, we got it," he said just before the first event.
But at the end of the day, the outcome was a familiar one: HSC Highlanders win again.
In a competition that included a 200-pound litter carry, a five-mile ruck march, a four-mile run and a grenade toss, the HSC team seemed to be the most prepared, as a competitor from another team admitted he once "touched a litter in (Combat Life Saver class)."
Pfc. Zachery Sanders from the HSC team shared his feelings after completing what was possibly the toughest competition of his life: "I feel pretty good. It was a great course. It was a great ruck; it was a long ruck -- very hard."
And while the division has troops deployed to Afghanistan and many others are preparing to go, it might seem silly to have these Soldiers competing in such light-hearted events, but there are a number of important tasks to be taken away from this event, according to Drury.
"That PCC / PCI (pre-combat check / pre-combat inspection) attention to detail -- take that with you," he said. "That's important; take that with you."
It's also important for esprit de corps, according to Lt. Col. Patrick Kaune, HHBN commander.
"Once a quarter, we come together in the spirit of competition, team building, and we try to focus on those events that are going to physically challenge the Soldiers -- something demanding, something that builds teamwork," Kaune said. "We tried to emphasize some of the warrior task skills today, like the grenade toss, something that the Soldiers haven't had an opportunity to do before, so it's a chance to work that into the plan as well."
So while sports may have its great championship teams from the past that have marched their way into the history books, the mighty 10th Mountain Division Highlanders from HSC are marching all over the competition.
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