WEBVTT 00:01.120 --> 00:04.140 - [Narrator] On March 24th, US Army MEDDAC-Fort Stewart 00:04.140 --> 00:07.140 hosted soldiers from various Military Treatment Facilities 00:07.140 --> 00:09.110 within Regional Health Command-Atlantic. 00:09.110 --> 00:14.060 A grueling four day event, The 2018 Best Warrior Competition 00:14.220 --> 00:15.870 a competition designed to test 00:15.870 --> 00:18.363 soldiers' readiness and resilience. 00:18.610 --> 00:20.653 This is their story! 00:20.831 --> 00:23.831 (suspenseful music) 00:29.260 --> 00:30.870 - They are the best of the best 00:30.870 --> 00:33.460 of their organization and we had them here 00:33.460 --> 00:35.770 ^for the last week to find out who 00:35.770 --> 00:37.670 ^the best of the best is in our region. 00:37.860 --> 00:40.860 - The competition is designed to really sharpen 00:40.860 --> 00:43.730 the steel within the entire Army medical field 00:43.960 --> 00:46.023 and develop and hone those skills. 00:46.130 --> 00:48.030 ^You want to identify who the best are. 00:48.090 --> 00:51.411 ^You want to push everyone to strive for excellence. 00:51.411 --> 00:54.411 (suspenseful music) 00:57.833 --> 01:00.178 - It's been a very challenging experience 01:00.350 --> 01:01.660 I've learned a lot about myself. 01:01.660 --> 01:04.400 I've learned that I can push myself past limits 01:04.400 --> 01:05.840 that that I thought I couldn't go. 01:05.840 --> 01:06.970 ^There's been times that I've wanted to quit 01:06.970 --> 01:08.030 ^and I just had to keep pushing 01:08.030 --> 01:10.530 ^and the people around me have motivated me to keep going. 01:10.530 --> 01:12.930 - It's been very challenging and very eye opening. 01:12.930 --> 01:15.360 I have definitely learned a lot about my weaknesses 01:15.360 --> 01:16.940 and some of my strengths too and been able 01:16.940 --> 01:18.560 to learn from other people as well. 01:18.560 --> 01:20.895 So it's been a great learning experience so far. 01:20.895 --> 01:23.510 (gun shots firing) 01:23.510 --> 01:26.070 As medical personnel and medical assets, 01:26.070 --> 01:28.160 we can be stationed with any type of unit. 01:28.160 --> 01:31.080 ^So I think this training allows us to branch out 01:31.080 --> 01:33.750 ^from just our specific MOS skills into all Army tasks 01:33.750 --> 01:35.190 ^which is important for readiness. 01:35.190 --> 01:38.693 - Between the physical challenges and the mental challenges, 01:38.880 --> 01:41.220 we're talking 16, 18 hour days 01:41.540 --> 01:44.600 grueling physical competition and then asking them 01:44.600 --> 01:47.490 to remember difficult mental skills over a period 01:47.490 --> 01:50.430 of three, four days to test them and recreate 01:50.430 --> 01:52.450 what we would expect them to be able to do 01:52.450 --> 01:54.480 in a combat environment when they're exposed 01:54.480 --> 01:58.093 to similar type situations and still perform at peak levels. 01:58.170 --> 01:59.770 The end goal will be an increased 01:59.770 --> 02:01.333 readiness across the board. 02:02.820 --> 02:04.500 - I think it's important to do this to remind us 02:04.500 --> 02:07.450 of the basic soldiering skills and also building comradery. 02:07.640 --> 02:10.240 ^I've been actually learning a lot the other soldiers 02:10.240 --> 02:11.930 ^their experiences at their different units 02:11.930 --> 02:14.363 also just getting the basic skills down again. 02:16.060 --> 02:18.200 - [Brady] These are events, these are competitions 02:18.200 --> 02:22.180 that showcase our soldiers and NCOs to show their readiness 02:22.180 --> 02:24.780 to show their abilities, really to show their heart. 02:25.310 --> 02:26.220 - [Rider] During the obstacle course, 02:26.220 --> 02:29.270 the confidence ladder, definitely been my challenge 02:29.270 --> 02:31.470 in getting between that third and fourth beam. 02:31.470 --> 02:33.330 I could hear my command at the bottom basically. 02:33.330 --> 02:35.420 So that was definitely motivating me to know 02:35.420 --> 02:37.490 that I wasn't just gonna go down at that point 02:37.490 --> 02:39.840 but just finding that balance and just telling myself 02:39.840 --> 02:42.140 I can do it and that's what got me through it. 02:42.400 --> 02:44.100 - I hope that the soldiers who participate 02:44.100 --> 02:45.270 in the Best Warrior Competition 02:45.270 --> 02:47.555 take away the feeling of esprit de Corps, 02:47.555 --> 02:50.160 comradery and that most of all they enjoy themselves 02:50.160 --> 02:52.840 and they take away this event with a lifetime of experience 02:52.840 --> 02:54.420 ^to say that hey, I've actually done something 02:54.420 --> 02:56.930 ^that was very challenging, that I enjoy doing 02:56.930 --> 02:58.383 ^and that I had fun doing. 02:58.512 --> 03:01.512 (suspenseful music) 03:02.300 --> 03:05.373 - I learned that when I think I can't go on anymore, 03:05.380 --> 03:07.463 means I'm about 50% spent. 03:07.640 --> 03:09.670 There's a whole other half I can tap on. 03:09.670 --> 03:11.700 ^You can never truly gauge your capabilities 03:11.700 --> 03:13.150 ^until you're put to the test. 03:13.243 --> 03:16.243 (suspenseful music) 03:17.080 --> 03:19.720 - I've built a lot of great friendships here. 03:19.720 --> 03:23.080 It's been a rough couple of days and these people 03:23.080 --> 03:25.380 that I've been with have really kept me going. 03:25.540 --> 03:27.100 - I would definitely like to say thank you 03:27.100 --> 03:29.300 for putting on such a great competition. 03:29.300 --> 03:31.640 But also for making it into an environment 03:31.640 --> 03:34.650 where, yes we are competing, but it doesn't feel 03:34.650 --> 03:36.850 like a ruthless competition, it feels like we're all here 03:36.850 --> 03:38.600 to support each other and learn from each other. 03:38.600 --> 03:40.470 - [Johnson] I believe to be a successful soldier, 03:40.470 --> 03:43.790 you have to be very skilled with your warrior tasks 03:43.790 --> 03:47.033 and you just have to be ready in whatever way is required. 03:47.900 --> 03:49.690 - You guys wanna know who the winner is? 03:49.690 --> 03:50.523 - [Crowd] Whoa! 03:50.920 --> 03:53.158 - OK that was weak, you guys wanna do one more? 03:53.158 --> 03:54.408 - [Crowd] Whoa! 03:55.583 --> 03:57.324 - From Lister Army Health in the 03:57.610 --> 04:00.203 Fort Rucker, Alabama, Specialist Cody Shedd. 04:01.556 --> 04:03.010 - [Shedd] This competition was tough, 04:03.010 --> 04:04.523 it was grueling, it was long. 04:04.640 --> 04:06.260 There was days that, you know, I didn't know if 04:06.260 --> 04:08.547 I could go any further and I just had to keep pushing myself 04:08.547 --> 04:11.047 and I feel like I can take anything on after this. 04:11.107 --> 04:14.484 - From Fort Hustus, Virginia, Staff Sergeant Chase Johnson. 04:14.484 --> 04:16.734 (cheering) 04:17.270 --> 04:18.500 - It was important for me to be 04:18.500 --> 04:20.900 in the competition because first of all 04:20.900 --> 04:22.130 I love the warrior stuff, I mean 04:22.130 --> 04:24.580 ^we always have to be technically proficient 04:24.580 --> 04:25.860 ^but it's also extremely important 04:25.860 --> 04:28.310 ^as Non-Commission Officers , to be tactfully proficient. 04:28.310 --> 04:31.330 ^I am enthusiastic about my job and all aspects of it 04:31.330 --> 04:34.083 ^and the warrior part just happens to be the most fun. 04:34.420 --> 04:37.070 - This is the Best Warrior Competition in Med Com 04:37.070 --> 04:40.653 last year was swept by Regional Health Command Atlantic. 04:40.830 --> 04:43.593 We own the title, we are the champions. 04:43.670 --> 04:45.623 ^And until somebody takes it from us, 04:45.670 --> 04:47.433 ^we will remain the champions. 04:47.620 --> 04:49.960 ^And this year, will be the first time 04:49.960 --> 04:52.803 ^that one region sweeps it two years in a row. 04:52.910 --> 04:55.180 - [Johnson] I have a responsibility to win again 04:55.180 --> 04:57.930 for the region and it means that we have a legacy to uphold 04:57.930 --> 05:00.480 and I now will work my hardest to hold that legacy.