Competition forges unit cohesion

CAMP PENDLETON — Nearly 100 Marines and sailors competed in the Marine Corps Community Service and Semper Fit’s Tactical Athlete Challenge at Camp Pendleton’s 11 Area football field, Aug. 17.
The T.A.C. was comprised of three different events designed to turn ordinary scenarios into friendly competition and unit cohesion for the 19 men’s teams and three women’s teams by incorporating speed, agility and strength.
“There’s a lot that our Marines do physically and they need to be prepared for that,” said Joe Artino, the fitness program supervisor for Semper Fit. “This is a fun event, but there is some practical application as well.”
The “Tactical” portion took place on the track, where the squad sprinted, flipped a 5-ton tire, fireman-carried their teammates and carried a pair of 160-pound logs, 400 meters to the finish line.
“Marines are naturally competitive,” said Lloyd Crabtree of 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division. “When they get to come out here and compete, it puts smiles on faces, while building camaraderie.”
In the “Athlete” portion of the event, the team members sprinting downfield around flags, over blocks, hurdles and hay bales to the low-lying camouflage net, where they high-crawled under the net, and passed a 20-pound medicine ball to the finish line.
The “Challenge” course required the squad members to drag two 5-ton tires and pull a 90-pound sled around cones. The time stopped when the squad completed 20 repetitions with a 90-pound strongman log press.
The Single Marine & Sailor Program showed their support by providing a free lunch during the event, and awarded trophies to the members of the first place men’s squad from 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, with a combined time of 7 minutes and 58 seconds, and the first place women’s squad from Combat Logistics Regiment 17, who had a combined score of 9:44.