CAMP SAMOUD, Kuwait – Soldiers from the 143d Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) raced against the clock as they ran, jumped, climbed and waded their way through an obstacle course at the Kuwait National Guard’s headquarters in Camp Samoud, Kuwait.
The Dec. 18 competition featured two six-man teams from the 143d ESC and six teams from the Kuwait National Guard. Soldiers from both nationalities donned helmets and slung M4 carbines around their backs. The war fighting equipment added an extra layer of complexity and realism as the men navigated through the quarter-mile path lined with logs, walls, ropes, ladders, monkey bars and a shallow pool.
The 143d ESC led the way when one of its teams volunteered to attack the course first. The half-dozen soldiers set the pace for their Kuwaiti counterparts with a time of 3 minutes, 16 seconds. The second team brought the inaugural event to a close when its fifth man crossed the finish line at 4 minutes, 20 seconds.
The lead the 143d ESC established was short lived as a team comprising members of the Kuwait National Guard’s anti-terrorism unit took first place with a record setting 2 minutes, 17 seconds.
Regardless how quickly he completed the course, every American Soldier received a gift bag courtesy of the Kuwait National Guard.
The race sprouted from the collaborative partnership between the 143d ESC’s civil affairs section and the Kuwait National Guard’s special event coordinators. Both parties plan to host a variety of contests between the Kuwaitis and the U.S. military to include team sports, physical fitness challenges and shooting competitions.