FORT HOOD, Texas — The U.S. Army Forces Command has chosen Fort Hood to host their inaugural Best Squad Competition.
”We chose Fort Hood this year because it has the installation, facilities, and equipment to provide the best possible competition for our soldiers,” said SGM Robert Bruce, FORSCOM training sergeant major.
Fort Hood has state-of-the-art facilities like the Medical Simulation Training Center and they’re not taking it easy on competitors.
”To simulate the stress and adrenaline that you would get in a real situation but, focused on what’s important here,” said SSG Christen Owens. “Not only treating a patient but, have the physical capability and mental agility to get your patient from where they got injured to where we can get them better treatment.”
Nine squads that won their competition at the division level are now representing their division in a multiday event full of battlefield scenarios.
”So, we have a patrol lane, they have a CBRN lane, there’s a land navigation lane, they got accessed on their shooting skills, and they had an ACFT ... and those are just a few of them,” said SSG Owens.
Each squad spent months training without being told what they would be doing in the competition and after winning at the division level, they’re ready to prove themselves in Central Texas.
”I feel like we’ve been killing it,” said SPC Christian Rodriguez, 1st Corps 42nd MP Brigade. “Overall, our squad has strong leaders and we’ve been training for at least four months and we’re ready ... we’ve been killing it.”
Even though the competition is to find out who the best squad is competitors say the competition itself makes them better.
”We learn from one another I feel like,” said SSG Eloy Huertas. “We get to see what they’re capable of and what we’re capable of and I feel like we’re all growing at the same time while competing.”
No matter which squad wins, FORSCOM wants them all to take one thing away from the competition.
”We hope they get an understanding of what it means to be a team,” said SGM Bruce. “The understanding of working together means that we can build a better Army.”
The winner of the FORSCOM Best Squad Competition will be announced Friday evening.
