The 1st Cavalry Division selects the best doctors to compete at the army level
(Master Sgt. Miriam Espinoza, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs Office)
The 1st Cavalry Division announced the winning team for the Best Medic competition at an awards ceremony Oct. 21 at Cooper Field in Fort Hood, Texas.
Sgt. 1st Class Dain Neininger and Sgt. Chase Rheinlander, both medics from 8th Engineer Battalion, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, won after a grueling 3-day competition against three other 1CD teams also competing for the title.
“This event serves as a soldier’s tool to promote excellence and competence in all areas relating to tactical combat casualty care, extended care and patient evacuation,” said Sgt. Major Michelle Loftus, NCO Medical Chief, 1st Cavalry Division.
The soldiers had little or no rest during the competition; extended medical care on the second day of competition, for example, lasted until 10 p.m., just to get up the next day for their last event – the 12-mile ruck walk, which started at 4 a.m.
“These soldiers demonstrated excellent medical skills, maturity in their soldiering duties and they had the physical strength to endure and the mental capacity to overcome stressors,†said Sgt. Major Elvin Medina, command sergeant major, Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center.
The 3-day competition assessed the competitors’ knowledge of water survival skills, weapons, and medical skills while subjecting them to various physical challenges. Each team is doing their best to win the title of top medic in the 1st Cavalry Division for fiscal year 2022.
“Our soldier has been subjected to rigorous tests which put his endurance, soldier and medical skills to the test, as well as his medical abilities in all aspects,†Loftus added.
Neininger and Rheinlander will represent the 1st Cavalry Division in the CSM Jack L. Clark Jr. US Army Best Medic competition, the army-level competition, in January 2022, here at Fort Hood, TX.
“It’s a lesson in humility and I feel honored to have competed against all of the other competitors, who are exceptional, they all put a lot of time and effort into the competition, both physically and mentally.” , said Neininger. “It was a challenge, but a great competition.”
