MCAS Futenma holds super squadron competition

Photo By Cpl. Brianna Christensen | A Marine spins around a baseball bat during the dizzy-izzy of pain, an event at the super squadron competition held on Marine Corps Air Station Futenma Sept. 30. The competition was held to build camaraderie throughout the entire station.  

AICHI, JAPAN

09.30.2011

Story by Pfc. Brianna Christensen 

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION FUTENMA, Japan - Marines from Marine Corps Air Station Futenma gathered to compete in a super squadron competition held here Sept. 30.

Squadrons from Marine Aircraft Group 36, and Marine Air Control Group 18 competed to be crowned the “super squadron,” but in the end it was Marine Air Control Squadron 4 that came out on top.
The competition is a station-wide annual contest created by the sergeants major on MCAS Futenma.

Each of the nine sergeants major were responsible for coming up with an event for the competition, determining the rules, planning the event, and ensure it went smoothly, according to Sgt. Maj. Brent L. Cook, the air station sergeant major.

The competition consisted of nine events including: power-ball, an event where Marines attempt to make it past the opposing team and throw their soccer ball into a can; the dizzy-izzy of pain, where Marines spin around a base ball bat 10 times, run around cones, perform 10 tire flips, an ammo-can run and a rope pull; the drunk-goggle-dizzy-izzy course, which consisted of Marines wearing drunk goggles, spinning around a bat 10 times, high crawling, bear crawling and attempting to kick a soccer ball into a goal before running back to the starting point. Softball, flag football, basket ball, weight-lifting, volleyball and dodgeball were also a part of the events scheduled.

“These events are a great opportunity to build unit cohesion and team integrity,” said Sgt. Maj. Reginald Robinson, the sergeant major for Marine Air Support Squadron 2, MACG-18, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force.

The contest allowed personnel on the station to come together and appreciate the friendly competition among the units that usually do not work together.

“I think this event is important because it provides an opportunity for units that do not usually work together, but support each other, to compete,” said Cook. “This station is a family, and the competition is unit cohesion at a station-wide level.”
Along with uniting Marines, this rivalry helped competitors maintain physical fitness.

“The dizzy-izzy of pain was my favorite event overall,” said Master Gunnery Sgt. Randy L. Paschall, communications chief for MACS 4. “The conditioning absolutely taxed the body and encompassed unit cohesion. It was a great example of Marine Corps physical fitness.”
According to Paschall, contests like this help prepare the Marines for physical exertion.

“Marines can’t just jump into this, they need to prepare just like they do for a physical fitness test or a combat fitness test. It is good practice,” he said.

The competition was followed by an award ceremony for the winning squadron and a block party for the station hosted by Marine Corps Community Services.

• Date Taken: 09.30.2011
• Date Posted: 10.05.2011 03:34
• Story ID: 78023
• Location: AICHI, JP