CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- In a day of competition and fun, Marines battled to win the trophy during the 4th-annual Camp Pendleton Leatherneck Field Meet at the 11 Area football field, Oct. 28.
Marines with 1st Combat Engineer Battalion participated in the event, which included a squad push-up contest, an agility course, a 4x400-meter guideon run, a humvee push and more.
“I just wanted to put together a team to compete and give Marines who are doing the right thing on a regular basis the opportunity to take a day off of work and have fun,” said 1st Lt. Curtiss Peck, the executive officer for Company C, 1st CEB. “I think it’s a good way for the Marines to spend the day because their having fun no matter if they win, lose or draw.”
The humvee push required more Marines than any other station, with ten Marines pushing a humvee 400 meters and competing for the fastest time.
“Surprisingly, it was the toughest station,” said Sgt. James Worsech, a squad leader with Company A, 1st CEB. “Everybody was expecting it to be easy because it’s just a humvee,”
Worsech said many of the stations were physically challenging and that it would help them in many ways to participate in these types of events on a regular basis.
“These types of exercises would help build anyone’s endurance if they do it often,” Worsech said. “Endurance is a key element in any combat situation.”
The event has grown over the years since the first field meet in 2005.
“More units participate every year in this because it promotes good leadership, motivation and most important, teamwork,” said Cpl. Marvin Brown, a squad leader with Company C, 1st CEB.
Although some Marines did not initially know each other, they still competed side-by-side to try to win.
“It brings Marines from the same battalion who don’t know each other to work together as a team and accomplish a mission,” said Worsech. “I would definitely recommend this event to every unit, and they should even do it once in a while between their companies.”