FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas –
First Sgt. Robert Brannock and Sgt. 1st Class Steven Sic
from the Academy Brigade, U.S. Army Medical Department Center and School, U.S.
Army Health Readiness Center of Excellence, were among the nine candidates who
competed as a team in the AMEDDC&S, HRCoE 2015 Best Medic Competition held
at Camp Bullis Sept. 2.
As the top performing team, Brannock and Sic will represent
the AMEDDC&S, HRCoE, in the upcoming Command Sergeant Major Jack L. Clark,
Jr. Best Medic Competition Oct. 27-30 at Camp Bullis to earn the title of the “Army’s Best Medics.”
During an awards ceremony held Sept. 3 in Blesse Auditorium,
Willis Hall, at AMEDDC&S, HRCoE, Maj. Gen. Steve Jones, commanding general,
and Command Sgt. Maj. Andrew Rhoades presented Brannock and Sic with the Army
Commendation Medal.
Sgt. 1st Class Antwan Williams, Academy Brigade,
AMEDDC&S, HRCoE, was recognized as the top overall winner, or scorer, and
was presented with the Army Commendation Medal.
“The competition was hard,” Williams said. “I enjoyed the
competition and I encourage other noncommissioned officers to compete.”
The six other competitors included 1st Sgt. Neil Mulvaney
and Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Williams, Noncommissioned Officers Academy; and
Staff Sgt. Stephen Johnson, Staff Sgt. Edward Noring, Staff Sgt. Jovan Salazar,
and Staff Sgt. Kenneth Simmons, with 32nd Medical Brigade. Jones and Rhoades
presented each candidate with a Certificate of Achievement for participation in
the competition.
The competition test the competitor’s mental and physical
challenge that began at 1 a.m. with a 12-mile road march and included land
navigation, a written exam, weapons qualification on an M16 rifle, the obstacle
course, the physical fitness challenge and warrior task and battle drills.
The competitors not only battled fatigue but the heat as the
competition continued late into the afternoon.
“The competition was physically and mentally tough, it was
well put together and pushed all of us to our limits,” said first-time
competitor Brannock, first sergeant for Company C, 187th Medical Battalion.
“I had the opportunity to
compete and I jumped on it,” Sic said. “I enjoy doing things like this and
makes me feel like when I was a specialist again. Anytime I have the
opportunity to be one of those line guys again, I would gladly take it.”