A staff sergeant from Bavaria Medical Department Activity has been named U.S. Army Europe’s top medic for 2008.
After a 60-hour expert field medical challenge in Grafenwöhr, Germany, last week, Staff Sgt. Gabriel Noel Camacho came out on top.
“One of the great things about the competition was that it did challenge you both physically and technically. These are two aspects of being a combat medic that are crucial when fulfilling your duties while deployed, so it does help you gauge your combat readiness,” Camacho said in an Army news release.
Events during the competition included land navigation, field medical problems, an obstacle course and a 12-mile road march that had to be completed within three hours.
“You’re all winners, but one of you had the most points,” said Brig. Gen. David Rubenstein, USAREUR command surgeon and commander, Europe Regional Medical Command, at a short award ceremony after the competition, according to a command news release.
Rubenstein then said that the top six competitors from the Europe competition would be sent to Texas to compete in the Armywide competition.
Camacho grew up on Guam and enlisted in the Army in 1998.
“I sincerely hope I see all the same candidates from Europe compete down in San Antonio as well. We will definitely show the rest of the Army that there are Warrior Medics in Europe,” the released quoted Camacho as saying.
