LRMC Team Excels in Grueling Europe Best Medic Competition

Photo By Travis Jones | LANDSTUHL, Germany — Dec. 9–12, 2025 — U.S. Army medics assigned to units across Europe participate in the 2025 Europe Best Medic Competition at multiple military installations in and around Landstuhl. The four-day competition places teams in realistic, high-stress scenarios designed to evaluate physical endurance, medical expertise and battlefield decision-making. Medics navigate day and night land navigation courses, complete foot marches and physical fitness events, qualify with assigned weapons, and execute tactical combat casualty care and prolonged field care lanes under time constraints. Additional challenges include combat water survival training, stress shoots and written examinations. Top-performing teams earn the opportunity to advance to the U.S. Army Maj. Jack L. Clark Jr. Best Medic Competition, where they will compete at the Army level. The competition concludes with an awards ceremony recognizing excellence and reinforcing the importance of medical readiness, interoperability and the ability to provide lifesaving care in support of operations across the European theater. (DoD Photo by Travis Jones)  

RHEINLAND-PFALZ, GERMANY

12.16.2025

Courtesy Story

Landstuhl Regional Medical Center

LANDSTUHL, Germany – A team from Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (LRMC) once again demonstrated its exceptional skill and readiness, securing a top position in the demanding Europe Best Medic Competition. The brutal, multi-day event, held Dec. 9-12 in the Rhineland-Palatinate training areas, is a stark simulation of battlefield conditions designed to identify the most resilient, technically proficient, and mentally tough medics in Europe.

The annual competition pushes military medical personnel to their absolute limits. "Participating in the Europe Best Medic competition allows Soldiers to step into a unique arena of self-assessment and peer competition," said 1st Sgt. Shawn Opoien of Alpha Company, LRMC. "It is their opportunity to confirm their mastery of the craft by putting their tactical skills, mental fortitude, and sheer determination to the ultimate test."

Opoien emphasized that the competition prepares soldiers for future conflicts. “This competition is about preparing for the battlefield of the future, not the one of today,” he said. “It’s a chance for Soldiers to be creative, showing they can transition under fire and keep driving forward. We put them in situations they’ve never faced before, all within a controlled environment, to see how they will react and innovate under pressure.”

The LRMC competitors faced a grueling sequence of events from the start. The first day began with a combat water survival event, immediately followed by the Expert Physical Fitness Assessment. With little time to recover, participants then zeroed their M4 weapons before their medical knowledge was challenged with a comprehensive written exam. The day concluded with a demanding land navigation course and the task of establishing a battalion aid station, requiring quick thinking and flawless execution under fatigue.

Day two tested the medics' ; composure with a stress shoot, followed by a resupply mission and tactical lanes. The challenges continued with late-night land navigation that stretched into the early hours of the third day. Afterward, the weary participants donned 35-45 lbs. rucksacks for an unknown-distance foot march. The final day’s trials concluded with a critical test of their skills in Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) operations, a vital component of modern military readiness.

For many, the event is also a tribute. Sgt. Alredo Martinez, a biomedical equipment technician at LRMC, noted the competition is dedicated to Cpl. Wilson, a combat medic who saved soldiers; lives even while injured.

“This competition assesses your physical and medical knowledge, along with your ability to collaborate with a partner,” said Martinez. “I am not a medic; I am an equipment operator. By participating in this competition, I have learned basic medicine and how to save lives.”

The event, which began in Grafenwoehr in December 2023, is a key measure of medical readiness across Europe. "Competitions like this are beneficial for the Army because they are a way to assess Soldiers' capabilities, and they are not part of our daily routine," said 1st Lt. Donovan Hinton, a medical officer with the 2nd Cavalry Regiment and the 2025 EBMC winner.

The impressive performance by the LRMC team is a direct reflection of the high standards of training and dedication at the medical center. These competitions are more than just a contest; they are a critical tool for building courage, fostering professionalism, and ensuring that every medic is prepared for the unpredictable nature of combat. As one leader remarked, "You need people that will stand up and say, 'Let me challenge myself."

The LRMC medics have once again answered that call, serving as an inspiration to their formation. Their success not only highlights their readiness but also prepares them for future representation at the U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Jack L. Clark, Jr. Best Medic Competition in the United States. LRMC personnel contributed to the event as both competitors and cadre, advancing mission-critical medical proficiency across the force.

• Date Taken: 12.16.2025
• Date Posted: 12.17.2025 09:33
• Story ID: 554535
• Location: RHEINLAND-PFALZ, DE