Medics compete to be the best

Results from Pacific Best Medic Competition held last week

By J.M. Simpson on August 16, 2018

A sheen of sweat shone on the face of 1st Lt. David McKeon in the early morning light as he worked on one of two simulated casualties. He worked quickly to assess the patients' conditions and begin the necessary procedures to prepare them for transport to a rear area medical facility.

One casualty had lost part of his right leg and had burns on his face; the other casualty had broken bones and shrapnel wounds. Standing nearby, an examiner with a stopwatch noted every detail of McKeon's actions.  

"You're going to be OK," McKeon, a medical service corps officer assigned to the 296th Brigade Support Battalion, said to his casualties.

"Everything is going to work out."

McKeon was one of 19 soldiers competing in the Pacific Best Medic Competition held last week at Joint Base Lewis-McChord during some of the warmest weather of the year.

Hosted by the Regional Health Command-Pacific, medics from Alaska, Hawaii, Japan, Korea and Washington state vied for the honor of being the best.  

Of the competitors, a dozen of the medics represented I Corps, 7th Infantry Division, 593rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command, and the Madigan Army Medical Center.

"This competition represents the best of the best," commented Master Sgt. Shawn Roundtree, an observer. "All of the competitors have earned either the Expert Field Medical Badge or the Combat Medical Badge."

The 80-hour ordeal tested the medics' soldier and medical skills to include a physical fitness test, water survival test, a written exam, force-on-force combat, land navigation, litter carry and rappel testing, stress shoot, an obstacle course and a concluding 12-mile road march.

"It is really tough; this competition tests you physically and mentally," said Staff Sgt. Justin Mannucci, a combat medic assigned to the 555th Combat Engineer Group.

"But it's good; you grow from experiences like this."

The top performers are as follows:

2018 PACIFIC BEST MEDIC:
Sgt. Samuel Arnold, 520th Medical Company, 62nd Medical Brigade, 593rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command.
Runner up: Staff Sgt. Andrew Hardin, 520th Medical Company, 62nd Medical Brigade, 593rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command.

Top performers in each respective unit participating in the competition are as follows:

REGIONAL HEALTH COMMAND-PACIFIC:
SFC Adam Pohovey, Madigan Army Medical Center
1st Sgt. Daniel Cummings, Brian Allgood Army Community Hospital

7TH INFANTRY DIVISION:
Spc. Ulysses Dubon, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team
1st Lt. David McKeon, 296th Brigade Support Battalion

62ND MEDICAL BRIGADE:
Sgt. Samuel Arnold, 520th MC
Staff Sgt. Andrew Hardin, 520th MC

These winners from each unit will compete in the 2018 CSM Jack L. Clark Jr. Best Medic Competition at the Army Medical Command competition at Camp Bullis, Texas, in September.