"The Monitor" newspaper center layout, designed by Katrina Chandler.

1. 14B • SEPTEMBER 24, 2009 • FORT BLISS MONITOR FORT BLISS MONITOR • SEPTEMBER 24, 2009 • 15B
Spc. Nakoti Coleman tests his upper body strength
during the Marine Corps pull-up event.
Spc. Leslie Pettit, licensed vocational nurse, strains while lifting the equivalent of her body weight from a dead lift.
Story and photos by Clarence Davis III, WBAMC Public Affairs • Photo illustration by Katrina Chandler
aged to compete by her commander, Ochoa.
S
ixteen William Beaumont Army
Sgt. Brad Sollberger, behavioral health technician, Because of the competition, she is now interest-
Medical Center Soldier-medics com-
“digs deep” while competing in the maximum dip
peted in the Ironman contest Sept. 11. ed in weight training.
event.
The competition began with the weigh-in Before she enlisted in the Army, she wasn’t a
held at dawn so participants could enjoy some big runner. Pettit is now considering training for
friendly competition and then get back to marathons.
patient care. Even though the competition “I run four days a week and do cross training
began at 6 a.m., the turnout was great because on other days,” she said.
Sgt. Angel Faulkner and Sgt. 1st Class Hector Dozal cheer on fellow Ironman competitor, Staff Sgt. Gabriel Munguia, the Soldiers who participated like to accept “It was a good feeling to be able to partici-
during the tire flip event. Faulkner was the overall winner of the competition. physical and mental challenges, said Capt. pate with fellow Soldiers on the eighth anniver-
Oscar Ochoa, commander of A Company, Troop sary of 9/11,” she added.
Command, WBAMC. “We have Soldiers fighting and doing much
The events included the one-mile run, maxi- more for our freedom than I am doing,” said
mum dip, tire flip and farmer’s walk, handstand Sgt. Brad D. Sollberger, behavioral health tech-
press, Marine Corps pull-ups, dead lift and the nician, WBAMC.
440-meter sprint. Future plans include keeping “As a behavioral health technician, it is
the competition at WBAMC and possibly important to maintain mental and physical fit-
changing several events. Another reason is ness,” he said.
because this location minimizes the impact on “My physical fitness training regimen is a
patient care. way to keep in shape and let off steam,” he
Soldiers who push themselves physically and added.
mentally learn to accept hardship. “My plan is to have this competition on a
“I believe this boosts a Soldier’s confidence quarterly basis, as long as I am assigned here,”
in all situations,” he said. “I’m a firm believer said Ochoa. “This competition helps Soldiers
in keeping in shape. I’ve always watched my learn how to push through discomfort. Until
diet, ran and lifted weights. My career began in you have been tested, you don’t really know
the Marine Corps. The saying is, ‘Once a what you are capable of.
Marine, always a Marine.’” “I want to do my part to prepare my Soldiers
“Physical training and discipline lends itself for combat, when their limits will truly be test-
to combat readiness because there is both a ed,” he added. “From testing comes confidence
physical and mental component to being com- in your own strength, and that fosters resilien-
bat ready,” said Spc. Leslie A. Pettit, licensed cy.”
vocational nurse, WBAMC. She was encour-
Staff Sgt. Gabriel Munguia, noncommis-
sioned officer in charge of the physical
therapy section, challenges his balance
and upper body strength during the hand-
stand press event.
Sgt. 1st Class Kelli Smith, noncommissioned officer in charge of the perioperative nursing section, carries a 60-pound
weight in each arm competing in the farmer’s walk event.