San Antonio readiness teams compete in Combat Olympics

Members of the Lackland “Warriors” team, 2nd Lt. Derek Brumley (carrying patient), Capt. Kate Deans (left), and Tech. Sgt. Richard Primm, compete in the MOPP/Decon event during Combat Olympics at Camp Rissington. (U.S. Air Force by Robbin Cresswell)

By Sue Campbell
59th Medical Wing Public Affairs

LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Medical readiness teams from Lackland Air Force Base, Randolph AFB and Brooks City-Base participated in Combat Olympics Oct. 5-7 at the Medical Unit Readiness Training site at Camp Rissington.

“The teams competed against each other to determine which base's medics were more deployment ready and best trained,” said Master Sgt. John Melnick, 59th Readiness Squadron. “Many events tasked the limits of the olympiads over their 2 ˝-day stay at Camp Rissington, but most important was the ability to bring the field to life for possible deployers.”

The Olympiads participated in seven major events: Mass Casualty, Mission Oriented Protective Posture/Decontamination (MOPP/Decon), Law of Armed Conflict Challenge, Airman’s Manual, Patient Recovery, Truck Pull, Land/Navigation Obstacle Course and the Leadership Reactionary Course at the Medina Annex. The events were organized to test the knowledge and efficiency of each team.

The Lackland team from the 59th Medical Wing won first place during the competition. The team consisted of Team Captains 2nd Lt. Derek Brumley and Staff Sgt. Darrell Williams, with team members Capt .Cheryl Lockhart, Capt. Kate Deans, Tech. Sgt. Richard Primm, Staff Sgt. Richard Carvajal, Airman 1st Class Lindsay Moen, and Senior Airmen Leonard Stifflemire, Timothy Johansen and Steve Reading.

“We plan to hold this event annually,” said Melnick. “I got very positive comments from the participants. I also want to thank all the individual units in the 59th Medical Wing and at Lackland, Randolph and Brooks City Base who provided support. Too many people to mention gave an all-out effort to ensure a successful Olympics.”