PRMC Conducts Best Medic Competition

Pacific Regional Medical Command (PRMC) hosted the 2014 PRMC Best Medic Competition held at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii September 21-25, 2014, where six Soldiers from across the region competed for the title of PRMC Best Medic.

Soldiers from Tripler Army Medical Center (TAMC), Schofield Barracks Health Clinic (SBHC), and MEDDAC-Korea began the first day of the competition with a physical fitness test, obstacle course, day land navigation, and ended the evening with night land navigation.

On day two, the competitors completed the Combat Trauma Lane where they were given multiple trauma casualties in a simulated combat environment and were expected to conduct all steps and measures without causing further injury.

Soldiers continued on to the Stress Shoot Qualification Lane which consisted of a 400 meter sprint, low-crawl, high-crawl, skedco drag, M9 qualification, 50 half jacks, 50 air squats, and a M16 qualification.

The competitors completed day two with a written test and rested for their final day, the 15 mile ruck march only having three hours and 45 minutes to complete.

The competition culminated with the announcement of the winner during the awards ceremony at TAMC, Sept. 25, 2014 with Sgt. Paul Huck, driver to the PRMC Commanding General and Sgt. Justin Runyan, SBHC's training room Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) taking the title of PRMC Best Medic.

Huck and Runyan will move on to compete in the MEDCOM Best Medic Competition held in San Antonio, Texas.

"It feels good to win. It was an honor to compete with these guys from PRMC. It's going to be a lot of fun and an excellent challenge when we go out to San Antonio, but we are really looking forward to taking the gold home to PRMC," Huck stated.

Runyan, who was accompanied by his wife and daughter, also expressed his excitement saying, "It is going to be an extreme honor to represent PRMC in the MEDCOM Jack L. Clark Best Medic Competition. This competition was very rough and I look forward to seeing all the competitors at the MEDCOM level."

Master Sgt. Joel Thomas, NCOIC of the Office of the Inspector General at TAMC says competitions like the Best Medic help identify quality Soldiers as the Army is downsizing and also helps motivate junior Soldiers to compete.

"An important fact which we must acknowledge is the dedication and perseverance displayed by these Soldiers and their NCOs resulting in their attendance here today. NCOs are the backbone of the Army. We must stay focused on the task of teaching and mentoring our Soldiers to be the very best they can be including competing in events such as this and accomplishing other goals," stated Thomas.

Fellow competitors, Sgt. Daniel Bowles of SBHC's Aviation Medical Home, Sgt. Peter Guidry of TAMC's Family Medicine, Sgt. Dave Salvador of 75th Medical Company Area Support (MCAS), Korea, and Spc. Robert Steven of 65th Medical Brigade, 121 Combat Support Hospital (CSH), Korea, congratulated Huck and Runyan following the announcement and wish the best of luck to their comrades during the MEDCOM Best Medic Competition at Camp Bullis, Texas on Nov. 3-7, 2014.