Seven Evans Army Community Hospital Soldiers put their medical and Soldier skills to the test in the Medical Readiness Command, West Best Medic/Best Squad competition April 20-23.

For the first time ever, teams from every medical treatment facility in MRC, West are conducting their own competitions and will submit their scores to MRC, West. MRC, West will select winners who will compete in the upcoming U.S. Army Best Squad Competition in July and the Army Medical Command’s CSM Jack L. Clark Best Medic Competition.

Master Sgt. Doreen Fajota, the NCO in charge of the competition, said that executing decentralized Best Medic and Best Squad competitions was a challenge, but that the EACH team tasked with executing the competitions did a great job.

“The meticulously structured sequence of events ensured competitors met time hacks with every movement to and from each event,” MSG Fajota said. “We also conducted In-progress reviews weekly to sync our efforts with MRC, West and the other subordinate units. It also helped that the NCOs running our lanes were subject matter experts (SMEs), so that was also beneficial. I couldn’t be more proud of the cadre team!”

The Best Medic Team was made up of two competitors, and there were five Soldiers on the Best Squad team. EACH competitor was evaluated in mental and physical tasks like a written Test, the Expert Physical Fitness Assessment, Obstacle Course, Combat Water Survival, M4 Weapons Qualification, Squad Tactics, and Tactical Combat Casualty Care.

Sgt. 1st Class Jerry Hawkins, the assistant NCOIC for the competition, said each competitor did great, thanks to the preparation they did in advance of the competition.

“A few months leading up to the competition, they dedicated time for train-up outside their work schedule and it was evident during the competition,” Hawkins said. “They have represented themselves well in the MRC-West competition and I’m hopeful that some will get the chance to compete in the MEDCOM competition!”

While the EACH teams competed together, MRC, West will select the best individuals from across the command to represent MRC-West in the CSM Jack L. Clark Best Medic Competition, and the U.S. Army Best Squad Competitions.

The EACH Best Medic/Best Squad competitors are:

Best Medic:

• 1st Lt. Brendan Killian, 66H - Medical-Surgical Nurse
• Staff Sgt. John Baek, 68W - Combat Medic

Best Squad:

• Staff Sgt. Kenneth Jenkins (Squad Leader), 68W- Combat Medic
• Sgt. William Griffin, 68A- Biomedical Equipment Specialist
• Sgt. Joseph Kim, 68A- Biomedical Equipment Specialist
• Cpl. Christopher Berard, 68D- Operating Room Specialist
• Cpl. Dreana Torres, 68D- Operating Room Specialist