Photo By Staff Sgt. Takita Lawery | Command Sgt. Maj. Joseph Dallas (lef), senior noncommissioned officer, 4th IBCT, 1st...... read more read more
With the brigade shutting and locking its doors for good this spring, Soldiers of the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, competed in their final Iron Dragon competition on March 19 on Quarterhorse Parade Field at Fort Riley.
Ten eager Soldiers stood ready to test their physical and mental endurance, yearning for bragging rights of earning the title of Iron Dragon.
“I came out here because of perseverance,” said Spc. Javier Garcia, a cavalry scout and native of McMinnville, Oregon, assigned to Troop A, 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 4th IBCT. “I wanted to do it and prove to people that if you work hard enough anything is possible.”
The event is a quarterly brigade-level competition that encourages Soldiers to push themselves and their peers to maintain a high level of fitness. Each Soldier had to complete five events — sit-ups, push-ups, dips, pull-ups and a three-mile run — to earn the title.
To qualify as an Iron Dragon, female Soldiers had to complete 50 push-ups, 75 sit-ups, 10 dips, five pull-ups and complete the run in 25 minutes or less. Male Soldiers’ standards consisted of 80 pushups, 85 sit-ups, 20 dips, 10 pull-ups and complete the run in 22 minutes or less.
“You have to find something that motivates you to keep going — to keep pushing yourself,” said Garcia, who described the sit-up event as being the toughest during the competition. “If you do that, then anything is possible.”
After completing the stringently graded events before the sun rose to chase away the night’s darkness, two Soldiers stood in formation and held their heads high to accept the their reward — the title of Iron Dragon.
“I feel humbled and accomplished about winning the Iron Dragon for the second time,” said Spc. Manuel Veloz, an infantryman assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th IBCT.
To conclude the competition, Col. Peter Minalga, 4th IBCT commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. Joseph Dallas, 4th IBCT senior noncommissioned officer, congratulate all the Soldiers who participated in Iron Dragon.
“You guys have a lot more guts and courage than most — to come out here and compete for something that challenges your body,” Dallas said. “I’m proud of every single one of you.”
The “Dragon” brigade is scheduled to case its colors April 2 as part of the Army’s plan to reduce the overall strength of Soldiers. The Soldiers within the brigade will part ways by transferring to different brigades across the division or leaving Fort Riley to pursue new endeavors.
| Date Taken: | 03.19.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 03.24.2015 11:39 |
| Story ID: | 157888 |
| Location: | FORT RILEY, KS, US |
| Web Views: | 88 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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