FORT GORDON, Ga. (June 20, 2014) - Soldiers with 551st Signal Battalion participated in their quarterly Patriot Challenge June 13 at Barton Field.
Companies within the battalion competed in several events to receive points toward an overall score to determine the battalions' Patriot Company of the Quarter.
"It's not only for you as a professional Soldier to show how awesome you are by getting Soldier, NCO or instructor of the month and quarter, but it's also going to help you in this competition," said Maj. Richard D. Becker, 551st Signal Bn. executive officer.
Soldiers in each company took part in dodgeball, casualty litter carry, 100-meter tire toss and Humvee push, tug-a war, weapon disassembly and assembly, drill and ceremonies, FITT upper-body round robin, and a 4x400 meter relay race.
Events such as the casualty litter carry consisted of two six-person teams per each company to carry a litter with a set amount of weight around Barton Field. Once the teams reached the first rally point, they conducted a casualty assessment and a 9-line medical evacuation request. A second team then carried the litter to the endpoint to conduct an assessment and a 9-line MEDEVAC request.
Another event, the Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type, better known as FITT, consisted of a four-person team per each company to complete eight upperbody events that include bench press, pushups, sit ups, pull ups, heel hooks, dips, and a 3-mile run.
Command Sgt. Maj. Thao M. Kamakahi, 551st Signal Bn. command sergeant major, shared her pride with her Soldiers within the battalion, which is the largest battalion with five companies due to the reflagging of 447th Signal Bn.
Company scores were within a five-point margin leading up to the final event, a 4x400-meter relay that would determine the overall Patriot Challenge winner. Overall first place went to D Co. with 24pts; 2nd place, C Co. 23pts; and 3rd place, E Co. 22pts, B Co. 19pts.
"Through the Soldiers' demonstration of discipline and by not getting in trouble displays to the battalion leadership that the company leadership and platoon sergeants are doing a good job of showing Soldiers what is right," said Becker, "and you are following their lead."
Throughout each quarter, companies are also evaluated on a point system for Soldiers winning monthly and quarter boards, achieving recognitions of their accomplishments and announcements in area publications. The two new companies to the battalion will be eligible for the next quarter, yet the 3rd Quarter Honor Company streamer was awarded to C Co.
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