FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- Medical personnel assigned to C Company "Caisson," 210th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, participated in the Best Caisson competition Dec. 3-5 on Fort Drum.
The event, which was open to all junior-enlisted Soldiers, tested their basic Soldier and medical skills over the three-day period while simultaneously allowing leaders to access their prior training curriculum.
"We want to focus on our Soldier population," explained 1st. Lt. Timothy Wall, C Company executive officer. "We want to see how well our E-4s and below are trained and see how well our noncommissioned officers are teaching them and if they are being effective."
Wall also said the company's operational tempo had been rather high over the past year and the opportunity to execute a culminating event that allows Soldiers to highlight their skill set, foster team building and cohesion, while measuring who is best suited to attend future medical competitions and deployments, is important.
"This event allows us to evaluate our Soldiers to see who is performing their best so we can pick those teams and provide the best medical staff we have for this upcoming deployment," Wall said.
Approximately 20 Soldiers formed two-person teams and set out to conquer eight rigorous events, knowing their performance would directly affect the opportunities available to them.
The competition kicked off with the Army Physical Fitness Test and quickly moved into a stress shoot. Coupling the events simulates the firing of a weapon under the fatigue and stress of combat.
There to motivate the Soldiers was Staff Sgt. Amanda Pavao, who shouted instructions to those waiting to qualify with their individually assigned weapon.
"We took them outside and used cardiovascular exercises to really exhaust them before they went in there (on the firing range)," Pavao said. "While they were in there, we challenged them mentally by having the NCOs shout to stress them out.
"Loud verbal communication during a stress shoot is very important, because in combat, no one is going to be nice to you," she added.
Pfc. Nicholas Freier, a health care specialist, explained that overcoming the mental and physical exhaustion of the tough competition is what attracts him to such events.
"I'm a pretty competitive person and the incentives are pretty nice," Freier said. "I just want to put my name out there for when I want to attend schools. I know my stuff. I want them to know that and it's fun to have events like this."
To earn bragging rights, an Army Achievement Medal and a spot in the winner's circle, Freier would need to combine his strong suits with a teammate he could choose to level out his weaknesses.
His choice was Spc. Dallen Christensen, another health care specialist.
"We kind of picked each other because we work well together," Freier said. "Land navigation is not really my strong point. However, he's been to the Warrior Leader Course and passed land navigation."
The two went on to take first place after negotiating an obstacle course, completing a written knowledge exam and locating their points during day and night land navigation.
They also effectively treated casualties on the emergency medical trauma lane, used radios properly on the communication lane and finished the competition with a six-mile foot march for time.
Upon reflection, Pavao said the success of such events hinges on the Soldiers and how much they want to learn during training events and competitions.
"It was really what the Soldiers wanted to take away from it," she said. "I believe the training we give the Soldiers is always invaluable and will benefit them."
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