Spartan Brigade hosts first Iron Spartan Competition

Photo By Sgt. Caitlin Wilkins | Soldiers assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, work together during the tire flip portion of the Iron Spartan Competition at Fort Stewart, Georgia, June 25, 2021. The comprehensive, timed competition sought to build a team inside a team in company formations, demonstrate the physical capability of an armored brigade combat team, and show that “People First” really means preparing Soldiers to fight, win, and come home from the nation’s wars through tough, realistic training. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Caitlin Wilkins, 50th Public Affairs Detachment)  

FORT STEWART, GA, UNITED STATES

07.21.2021

Story by Capt. Sean Minton 

2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs

FORT STEWART, Ga. – The "Spartan Brigade," 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, conducted a company-against-company timed competition on June 25 at Fort Stewart. The competition named “Iron Spartan” spanned the entirety of the Fort Stewart satellite installation on Highway 144 and included nine events that tested the mental cognition and physical prowess of each company. This brigade-wide competition was a first of its kind for the Spartan Brigade because such extensive and comprehensive physical competitions are more commonly conducted by airborne and light infantry units.

The nine events included a weapons lane, road wheel drag, tire flip, knee tuck, ball throw, t-pushups, deadlift, medical lane and a final knowledge lane. The knowledge lane tested the commanders and first sergeants on their personnel, such as the number of Soldiers living in the barracks, on-post, and off-post. The top team received bragging rights and the “Iron Spartan” streamer.

“Iron Spartan was an event designed to build and foster teams within teams. The event included physical ACFT focused tasks, cognitive learning geared toward the EIB and ESB, and tested the 37 company command team’s leadership on the knowledge of their formation and unit history,” said Col. Terry R. Tillis, commander of the 2nd ABCT, 3rd ID. “The event was officer led and NCO run. We are a brigade combat team whose mission when called upon is to win our nation’s wars, and in order to do that we must be a cohesive team of disciplined professionals always seeking to learn and get better each day.”

Iron Spartan began at 6:30 a.m., and the company command teams were given intent-based guidance to guide them during the competition. The company commanders were in charge of navigating their company formation while the first sergeants and other noncommissioned officers pushed the formation to complete the individual tasks. Together, the officers and NCOs worked to build a cohesive team to complete the mission.
“The competition was great because it got after team-building and letting the NCOs step up in a fun yet challenging environment,” said Maj. Brandon Scott, executive officer of the 3rd Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment, 2nd ABCT, 3rd ID. “The competition reminded Spartan Soldiers of all specialties that their purpose in the Army as a Soldier isn’t just doing their specific profession day-to-day but being able to fight in a tactical environment and not be a liability.”

The competition lasted nearly three hours with a final ceremony to announce the top three teams and present the Iron Spartan streamer to the winning team. The first-place team was awarded the streamer for their guidon and a four-day weekend. The second and third place team was awarded a three-day weekend. The winning team was Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 2nd ABCT, with a time of one hour and 57 minutes.

“You don’t build a team right away, you focus on developing your people first, and then the team cohesion follows,” added Capt. Shawn Borland, commander of Bravo Company, 3rd Bn., 15th IR.
The Iron Spartan Competition was planned to be the first of more to come for the brigade. Many enjoyed the cohesive atmosphere of working toward a common goal and enabled the companies and individuals to see how they performed and improve.

“I liked the competition. It brought out the best in me personally because I’m not very good at running but I ran to almost all nine events while holding the guidon,” said Spc. Christopher Lule, an infantryman assigned to Charlie Company, 3rd Bn., 15th IR. “I felt closer to my company afterward and our leadership really pushed us.”

• Date Taken: 07.21.2021
• Date Posted: 07.21.2021 10:15
• Story ID: 401359
• Location: FORT STEWART, GA, US