Major, Sgt. 1st Class, win 2022 Eighth Army Best Medic Competition

By Spc. Alison StroutDecember 14, 2022

2022 Eighth Army Best Medic Competiton
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – The winners of the 2022 Eighth Army Best Medic Competiton (center), pose with Maj. Gen. Joseph D'costa, Eighth Army deputy commanding general, sustainment, and members of the 121st Field Hospital, 65th Medical Brigade, at Camp Casey, South Korea, Dec. 07, 2022. The Eighth Army BMC was a 72-hour competition challenging Soldiers on their combat lifesaving skills in a variety of high-intensity scenarios. The winners were Maj. Dennis Kim and Sgt. 1st Class Jairo Chavarria, 121st Field Hospital, 65th Medical Brigade. (Photo Credit: Spc. Alison Strout, 20th Public Affairs Detachment) VIEW ORIGINAL
Eighth Army Best Medic Competition
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Maj. Dennis Kim, 121st Field Hospital, 65th Medical Brigade (center), prepares for the medical lane event of the Eighth Army Best Medic Competition at Camp Casey, South Korea, Dec. 06, 2022. The Eighth Army BMC was a 72-hour competition challenging Soldiers on their combat lifesaving skills in a variety of high-intensity scenarios. (Photo Credit: Spc. Alison Strout, 20th Public Affairs Detachment) VIEW ORIGINAL
Eighth Army Best Medic Competiton
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Maj. Dennis Kim and U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Jairo Chavarria, 121st Field Hospital, 65th Medical Brigade, work together during the medical lanes event at the Eighth Army Best Medic Competiton at Camp Casey, South Korea, Dec. 06, 2022. The Eighth Army BMC was a 72-hour competition challenging Soldiers on their combat lifesaving skills in a variety of high-intensity scenarios. (Photo Credit: Spc. Alison Strout, 20th Public Affairs Detachment) VIEW ORIGINAL

CAMP CASEY, South Korea- The 2022 Eighth Army Best Medic Competition was held at the Rodriguez Live Fire Range and Camp Casey, South Korea, from Dec. 4-7, 2022.

Three, two-person teams were assessed in a 72-hour competition, where they applied combat lifesaving skills in a variety of high-intensity scenarios. This included an Army Combat Fitness Test, confidence course, written test, land navigation, urban assault squad movements, M4 and M17 stress shoots. Additionally, there were chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear events, trauma-medical lanes, and a 12-mile ruck march.

“In order to be eligible they have to have a medical military occupational specialty or area of concentration, been awarded the Combat Medic Badge or the Expert Field Medical Badge,” said Capt. Amanda Dietzen, 65th Medical Brigade, officer in charge of the Best Medic Competition. “They have proven they have vast medical knowledge and technical and tactical expertise within the medical field.”

The competition allows enlisted and officers an opportunity to challenge themselves.

“Competition keeps your mind and body sharp,” said Maj. Dennis Kim, 121st Field Hospital, 65th Medical Brigade, Eighth Army BMC competitor. “To be a part of this competition means being able to set an example for junior soldiers and junior officers to go out and compete. To quote the U.S. Army chief of staff, ‘winning matters.' Winning matters to the Army, winning matters to the enemy, so winning should matter to us.”

The winners of the 2022 Eighth Army Best Medic Competition were Maj. Dennis Kim and Sgt. 1st Class Jairo Chavarria, 121st Field Hospital, 65th Medical Brigade. Both will compete at the Command Sgt. Maj. Jack L. Clark, Jr. U.S. Army Best Medic Competition at Fort Polk, Louisiana, Jan, 23-27, 2023.