Combat challenge event builds teamwork, fitness

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Rachelle Coleman
  • 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  More than 50 personnel joined together for the First Sergeant Combat Fitness Challenge at MacDill, Sept. 20.

Five events challenged Airmen, Marines, Sailors and Soldiers from units around MacDill. There were four teams from U.S. Central Command, four teams from the 6th Air Mobility Wing and two teams from U.S. Special Operations Command Central.

The challenge was held by the First Sergeants Council to push resiliency and teamwork using fitness. The council, comprised of all first sergeants on MacDill, is always searching for creative ways to build resiliency and camaraderie in fellow Airmen, Marines, Sailors and Soldiers. The fitness event was the result of this search.

"There are many reasons to hold this type of event," said Master Sgt. Brad Welton, U.S. Central Command cyber network defense NCOIC, not the least of which is promoting teamwork, leadership and motivating service members.

MacDill is the only military installation to have two combatant commands, and while units on MacDill may live together, their very different missions don't allow for much time to mingle. The challenge provided the opportunity to stage a healthy competition.

"It also promotes fitness and the competitive spirit," said Welton, who was in charge of organizing the event. "Our hope is to make this a quarterly event with different challenging events each time."

Events included a Humvee push, mannequin carry, pushups, tire flip and a relay race.

"We had a great deal of help from logistics in CENTCOM, in fact we could not have done this without their help. They set up similar events like this in the past and we built upon their great model," said Welton. "I think the event was a complete success; I saw a lot of smiles out there, and that is what it is all about.

"This was our first time at running an event like this and we now have some great ideas to make the next one even more successful."

Team C3 from CENTCOM, led by Lt. Col. Mical Kupke, CENTCOM chief of security cooperation-- health engagements branch, finished the event first, with a time of 38 minutes.

"It's about teamwork and camaraderie," said Kupke. "We all brought a strength or two to the fight."

We rock, we set the standard, we are the champions (is what) crossed my mind after Friday's event," said Kupke of the team's win.

The First Sergeants Council is hoping to hold another challenge soon.