Photo By Staff Sgt. Marnie Jacobowitz | Sgt. Blayne A. Peterson, a combat medic for the 7203rd Medical Support Unit from...... read more read more
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PINELLAS PARK, Fla. – An Army Reserve combat medic beat out four sergeants winning the title of Best Warrior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year during the Best Warrior Competition hosted by the Army Reserve Medical Command March 22–29, 2013, here and Camp Blanding in Starke, Fla.
“The most challenging part of the competition was getting up early, putting on that ruck sack and starting a 14, 15, 16-hour day, not knowing what’s coming before you,” said Sgt. Blayne A. Peterson, who is studying medical science to become a nurse practitioner at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis. “The key for me was determination … I just told myself to never give up.”
Peterson, a native of Winamac, Ind., is assigned to the 7203rd Medical Support Unit, Central Medical Area Readiness Support Group in Hobart, Ind., will advance to the next level of the Best Warrior Competition representing the Army Reserve Medical Command competing against noncommissioned officers throughout the Army Reserve this summer; and upon winning moves forward to represent the Army Reserve Command in the Department of the Army Best Warrior Competition, later in the year.
“Right now, I’m a little overwhelmed,” said Peterson, who works as a plasma technician for Saturn Bio-Medical. “I didn’t know if it was going to be worth it in the end.”
Peterson, 21, a combat veteran who deployed to Kuwait in support of Operation New Dawn in 2011, has served four years in the military.
“I know, I have a tremendous duty to carry out representing the Army Reserve Medical Command,” he said. “It’s a lot to take on, but I feel that I’ve grown enough as an NCO that I can take on those responsibilities.”
The grueling five-day event competition taxed all the competitors, both mentally and physically, as they competed in a variety of challenges, which included: an air assault obstacle course, an Army Physical Fitness Test comprised of pushups, situps, and a two-mile run, negotiated a day Urban Warfighting Orienteering course, completed a timed road march, conducted weapons qualification on rifles and pistols, completed a written exam, performed on an Army appearance board and proved their mettle in other areas such as, a hand-to-hand combative tournament, several mystery events, and squad tactics set in mock city neighborhood in Afghanistan.
The Best Warrior Competition was developed by retired Sergeant Major of the Army Jack Tilley in 2002 as a test of a soldier’s physical endurance, military knowledge, current events and mental perseverance. The competition is an opportunity for Warrior’s to highlight their military skills in a competitive environment and measures how well they perform under stress.
Peterson began this competition competing at unit-level, then rising to the brigade-level and winning at the AR-MEDCOM-level distinguishing him as the NCO of the Year for AR-MEDCOM.
As the next competition approaches, Peterson acknowledged that he will set aside some of his civilian obligations in order to start training and studying right away adding, “I am going to give it my best in the next competition.”
| Date Taken: | 03.29.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 04.02.2013 19:09 |
| Story ID: | 104498 |
| Location: | CAMP BLANDING, FL, US |
| Hometown: | WINAMAC, IN, US |
| Web Views: | 163 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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