Photo By Staff Sgt. Raekwon Jenkins | Ltc. Eric Palicia, U.S. Army Europe Chief of Staff Engineers, Deputy Facilities...... read more read more
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WIESBADEN, Germany — Ltc. Eric Palicia, the U.S. Army Europe Chief of Staff Engineers, Deputy Facilities and Constructions Chief, was selected as the Installation Management Command 2019 Male Soldier-Athlete of the Year Feb. 10, 2020.
In order to be selected for the award, applicants must be nominated by their respective command and submit a packet which includes their athletic achievements, military accomplishments, and community outreach efforts.
The Morale, Welfare and Recreation office here, sent Palicia an email stating it recommended him during its annual meeting. The IMCOM Europe M.W.R. and Sports offices agreed he should be their nominee.
“It felt incredible to be nominated; it still doesn't feel real,” Palicia said while reflecting on receiving the email. “I was very surprised but the award comes as a testament to who I am, not only as an athlete, but as a soldier.”
Palicia said a part of being a soldier is never quitting or accepting defeat in the midst of adversity.
“In a 2016 intramural frisbee game, a competitor accidentally headbutted me, breaking most of the bones on the right side of my face resulting in the complete inability to speak or breathe normally for nine months,” Palicia said.
After healing and going back to normal physical training, he slipped on wet grass during warm-up drills. He tore his right meniscus and right shoulder labrum, resulting in additional months of inactivity.
Upon arriving to U.S. Army Europe in Germany in October 2018, he was still overcoming physical challenges.
“In January 2019 I saw a flyer for the U.S. Army 10-Miler Team tryout in June,” Palicia said. “I decided that my current state and condition was over and I was going to make the team—even at 40 years old.”
Palicia was able to accomplish his goal by dropping 30 pounds and even made the team as the captain. His team placed 3rd overall in the competition.
His athletic achievements did not stop there as he would go on to become the Army Fitness Team Expo Competition winner, the National Guard Expo Pull-Up Competition winner, and the All-Army Alpha Warrior champion. He competed in the HYROX World Championships in Frankfurt, Germany, winning the Men’s 40+ competition.
Palicia also recorded the highest Army Physical Fitness Test score—on the unofficial extended scale—in U.S. Army Europe by completing 101 push-ups, 100 sit ups, and completing a 2-mile run in 12 minutes and 1 second. He also achieved the maximum score on the Army Combat Fitness Test and won multiple 5Ks and 10Ks at local M.W.R. events.
Palicia hopes his achievements will serve as motivation for others to become well-rounded athletes and soldiers.
“For me to be honored with this is less about myself and more of the example I put forth for my soldiers,” Palicia said. “This shows that what I’ve taught and how I’ve gone about doing physical training will produce results to compete at a high level for a lifetime.”
With a fitness motto of “be ready for whatever, whenever,” Palicia focuses his workouts on bodyweight, proportionality strength and cardiovascular endurance. With this motto and closures of gyms due to U.S. Army Europe’s COVID-19 preventative measures, his training regiment has not been affected.
“The only times I went to the gym before all of this was due to weather or because I wanted to use the rowing machine,” Palicia said. “Anything else I wanted to do in the gym, I could do it outside.”
Palicia encouraged soldiers and athletes alike to continue training towards a fitness goal during this time.
“As the Army often puts it, in the absence of orders—attack,” Palicia said. “If you ever have any questions or want to participate in a workout, reach out to me and I’ll see you out there,” he said.
The award ceremony for IMCOM’s 2019 Male Soldier-Athlete of the Year has been postponed. It is slated to be held at the White House after COVID-19 related travel restrictions are lifted.
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| Date Taken: | 05.10.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 05.13.2020 09:39 |
| Story ID: | 369654 |
| Location: | DE |
| Web Views: | 403 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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