MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. -- Marines from Headquarters and Service Company and Company B of 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion participated in a field meet at Del Valle Field Jan. 28, 2011.
The field meet, organized by 3rd LAR’s staff noncommissioned officers, was a gesture to reward the junior Marines in 3rd LAR for working hard and staying out of trouble.
“These Marines really deserve this field meet. This is for them to enjoy,” said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Patrick Marshall, the RBT Officer in Charge of 3rd LAR. “We needed to boost the morale. We needed to get something out there that’s just not a pat on the back. Here’s a day where you can just have an absolute blast.”
The field meet consisted of a competition of four events between the two companies. The events included the dizzy izzy relay, tug-of-war, 7-ton pull and a flag football tournament.
Marines from both companies thoroughly enjoyed a day away from work and a little friendly competition. “I’m having a blast,” said Lance Cpl. Christopher Camacho, a supply clerk from Headquarters and Service Co. “I love seeing competition against other Marines. It’s exciting.”
The Marines were particularly excited for the flag football tournament.
“There are four actual events for the field meet. The main one, that everyone likes, is the flag football,” said Staff Sgt. Jesus Castaneda, a radio chief with Headquarters and Service Co., and the main coordinator for the event.
“Staff Sgt. Castaneda deserves all the credit for this event. We told him what we wanted and he ran with it,” said First Sgt. Timothy Grier, the RBT Staff Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of 3rd LAR.
The Marines at the field meet fully appreciated the day away from work and the chance to square off against other units in 3rd LAR. “Getting out of the daily routine, building unit cohesion, playing sports, having fun and having chow as a unit is good for them,” said Grier.
The event was made to be a fun day to relax and interact with other members in the battalion, but competition was also in the air. “It gets intense out there. It’s rank versus rank. Higher ups and lower ranks, it’s all working together and it’s all just for fun,” said Lance Cpl. Carlos Iruegas of Headquarters and Service Co.
Members of Headquarters and Service Co., won the field meet decidedly. They won the majority of the events. The only event Company B won was one round of the 7-ton pull. But everything was all in good fun for the Marines.
The field meet was full of fun events and good chow for all the Marines to enjoy. “The bottom line of the event is, if the Marines are having fun, then this is worth all the time and effort we put into it,” said Grier.