by Rodney Jackson, Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center Public Affairs
FORT CAVAZOS, Texas – Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center began its brigade level Best Leader Competition Feb. 26 on Fort Cavazos. The competition will continue through Feb. 28 and winners will be announced in a ceremony on 1 March.
The top junior officer, senior and junior noncommissioned officers, and three junior enlisted Soldiers will move on to compete at the Medical Readiness Command, West Best Leader Competition in May.
The competitors will endure tests in combat water survival, physical fitness, Army warrior tasks, a weapons stress shoot, an obstacle course, day and night land navigation, mystery events, and an 8-Mile foot march.
The unit’s most senior NCOs personally validated each of the lanes prior to the competition to ensure the competition was safe while offering the necessary rigors to prepare competitors for the next level.
“The Best Leader Competition exists to challenge our junior officers, NCOs and Soldiers both physically and mentally. It tests their competency in Warrior tasks, pushes them beyond their comfort zones, and develops them as leaders,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Anthony Forker Jr., senior enlisted advisor, CRDAMC. “Simply competing is an achievement in itself; it demonstrates one’s willingness to go above and beyond the status quo.”
Our top six will move on to represent themselves and the unit at a division-level competition; winners at that level will move on to the U.S. Army Medical Command level, with the ultimate goal of competing in and winning the U.S. Army Best Squad Competition, he added.
