CAMP HANSEN, Okinawa, Japan -- United States Marines are fearless, self-driven leaders who perform the very best at everything they do. It is the warrior spirit that drives a Marine, and there is no better way to ignite this spirit than with some good competition.
Marines with 3rd Intelligence Battalion came together to compete in a battalion field meet Nov. 14 at the parade field on Camp Hansen.
The event brought the whole battalion together in a competitive atmosphere, building stronger camaraderie and cohesion amongst the Marines.
“We decided to close out the (birthday) ball season with one fun event that would bring the battalion together,” said Sgt. Maj. Carlos J. Sanchez, from El Paso, Texas, the battalion sergeant major for 3rd Intel Bn., III Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, III MEF. “Getting the Marines out here to see everybody’s faces and compete against each other helps bond us together and makes us tighter as a unit.”
The competition pitted the three companies against each other in a total of eight events that tested each Marine’s skill, strength and endurance.
“The Marines love it,” said Warrant Officer Joseph L. Lester, from Bonita, California, a meteorology and oceanography officer with the battalion. “They love the excitement and the chance to get out and demonstrate all of their physical fitness in an atmosphere that allows them to compete hard while still getting to sit down and break bread with one another.”
The events included a variety of events including relay races, a tug-of-war competition, and a pugil stick bout which served as the main event. All these events strengthened camaraderie between battalion members, new and old.
“Being brand new to the battalion, I was able to participate in the chariot pull event and it really made me feel like part of the team,” said Lance Cpl. Michael D. Persell, from Olympia, Washington, a special intelligence system administrator and communicator with the battalion. “Just seeing the way everyone came together was really cool.”
At the end of the day, it was Counter Intelligence Company winning by a landslide over Headquarters Company, and Production and Analysis Company. The competition was followed with a meal, and the event was a great success, according to Sanchez.
“On a scale of one to 10, I would give this event an 11,” said Sanchez. “I think it’s one of those events that the Marines will remember. They came out, they competed against each other, and they just enjoyed themselves.”