ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. - After the dust settled from the intramural softball competition in September, MWR hosted a Military Softball Tournament for post military units and bragging rights. On Oct. 3 the U.S. Army Public Health Command team defeated the 22D Chemical Battalion (TE) 26-7 for its second consecutive post championship at the APG South (Edgewood) sports field.
PHC Coach Marc Rattigan called the team's willingness to step up after a nearly month-long layoff and play so well, "uplifting."
"It was a last hurrah because many of us won't be returning next year," he said.
After three years at APG as a behavioral health NCO and a member of the APG Audie Murphy Club, Rattigan is heading to Joint Base San Antonio.
He credited co-coaches Kelby Mowery and Ryan Diem with providing the team's strong foundation and he attributed the team's success to its great chemistry.
"Any given day they [Mowery and Diem] could be counted on to step up," he said. "They've been rocks."
"We're a close team on and off the field," he said. "We know each other well."
He said he gave the game ball to PHC commander, Maj. Gen. Dean Sienko.
"This was for the PHC and our commander who supports us completely," he said.
The 22D Chem. team returned from deployment just in time for the tournament. It missed the entire regular season. Coach Douglas Nelson put the team together in a week. He said the score was no indication of how competitive the team is.
"We normally would have had two teams but couldn't this year," he said. "Their resilience was great. We talk about pulling together all the time and this time we did it well enough to earn second place so nobody's holding their head down.
"Most definitely we'll be back to compete next year. Everyone else had better watch out."
Social Sharing