Photo By Staff Sgt. Michael Selvage | Soldiers of the 10th Sustainment Brigade make their way to the top of Whiteface...... read more read more
FORT DRUM. N.Y. - When some people see a mountain, they may see a daylong hike, leisurely walking with friends and family. For soldiers assigned to 10th Sustainment Brigade, they see a race to the top.
More than 240 soldiers from 10th Sustainment Brigade volunteered to climb Whiteface Mountain on Aug. 16 to pay homage to the 10th Mountain Division (LI) heritage of mountain warfare as a part of Muleskinner Challenge VIII.
Soldiers expressed their excitement to ascend Whiteface Mountain through motivational cheers.
This challenge mainly focused on soldiers’ physical strength and endurance. The original route for the challenge was roughly six miles, but it was later shortened to about five miles for safety reasons.
Soldiers were required to traverse a wide range of terrain.
Muleskinners slogged through muddy trials that zigzagged around trees and waterfalls. They made their way up the eroding sand- and stone-covered ski slopes. Then they climbed over rocks and boulders before getting to the smooth paved road, leading them closer to the finish line. After the section of road, they marched up was a set of stairs that would lead them to the summit.
Soldiers were able to compete in one of four team categories: all-male, all-female, mixed or command team. To compete in the command team category, they were required to have a commander, first sergeant or sergeant major as a member of their
team.
Teams of three soldier-athletes pushed themselves to make it to the top of the mountain with the fastest time possible.
The first team to cross the finish line was an all-male team who called themselves the Immortal Mountain Goats, consisting of Capt. Ryan Dittmer, Capt. John Kubeika and 1st Lt. Joshua Miles, all assigned to 7th Engineer Battalion. They completed the challenge in 1 hour, 32 minutes.
“My team got second place in this event two years ago, so I've been waiting for redemption ever since,” Miles said. “I was excited to have another go at it with the expectation that our all-star team, the Immortal Mountain Goats, would dominate the competition.”
The fastest command team was Strike Force, consisting of Capt. Kenneth Chaplin, 1st Lt. Justin Smith and 1st Sgt. Jonathan Emerick, all assigned to 91st Military Police Battalion. They finished the challenge with a time of 1:57:00.
The first all-female team to finish the challenge was the Speedy Officers, consisting of Capt. Catherine Didomenico and Capt. Hannah Farrell, both assigned to 10th Special Troops Battalion, and Capt. Michelle Kelly, assigned to 548th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion. The Speedy Officers completed the challenge with a time of 2:03:00.
Synergy was the fastest team with both male and female members. The team consisted of Capt. Charles Adair, Capt. Andrew Mayhew and 1st Lt. Megan Conray, all assigned to 91st MP Battalion. They finished with a time of 2:14:00.
“I am truly proud of all of the soldiers who competed in the climb up Whiteface Mountain,” said Capt. Jessica Miller, Muleskinner Challenge VIII officer in charge assigned to 10th STB. “It was a tough climb full of rocks, roots, and mud but every soldier who began the event reached the summit. This shows true tenacity and a strong embodiment of the Warrior Ethos.”
| Date Taken: | 08.16.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 09.09.2013 11:50 |
| Story ID: | 113324 |
| Location: | FORT DRUM, NY, US |
| Web Views: | 112 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, 10th Sustainment soldiers tackle Whiteface Mountain in Muleskinner Challenge VIII, by SSG Michael Selvage, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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