Marines with the Fort Leonard Wood Marine Detachment's Engineer Equipment Instruction Company continued the tradition of celebrating the U.S. Marine Corps Engineer birthday by holding their annual St. Patrick's Day Engineer Field Meet March 16, complete with highland-style games held at Training Area 122.
"With Saint Patrick being our patron saint, annually on or about St. Patrick's Day, we get out and celebrate who we are as Marines and enjoy some competition, team building and camaraderie," said Marine Maj. Daniel Hough, EEIC commanding officer.
The friendly competition had Marines sporting war-painted faces as they competed in various events including: a tire flip, the Dizzy Izzy, a log splitting relay, caber throw, Blarney Stone throw, backhoe pull and tug of war. Each section also painted a Blarney Stone to be judged, with the winning stone to be displayed in the company area.
The Tug of War tie-breaker decided the overall first place winners. Team Permanent Personnel won the coveted Engineer Day Castle Trophy to display in their section until the 2019 games.
Second place went to Team NCO Ops, and third place went to Team Chiefs.
"We had some good team building, good camaraderie," Hough said. "This is what this tradition, Engineer Day, looks like in the fleet. The events are very similar."
Marine Staff Sgt. Mark Bruce, Training and Education Command instructor and event coordinator, said the event gives the newer Marines an opportunity to see a more caring and fun side to the noncommissioned officers.
"Every year we try to come together, all engineer Marines, and pay tribute to our patron saint," Bruce said. "It gives us that opportunity to have that camaraderie from the top (ranks) to the bottom."
Bruce added that next year's event promises to be even bigger.
"Next year all services plan to participate, representing all engineers on (the installation)," Bruce said.
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