MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Service members from Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 and Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron faced off in a field meet at the Penny Lake field here Nov. 23.
The competition was planned by the commanding officers of both squadrons as a way to build stronger bonds between the two units.
“We wanted to develop the camaraderie between (MWSS- 171 and H&HS) so we decided to have a competition right before Thanksgiving,” said Lt. Col. Michael C. Taylor, MWSS-171 commanding officer.
The two squadrons don’t get to interact much with each other because they are so different, but the field meet allowed them to spend time together and bring the Thanksgiving holiday in together, he added.
H&HS and MWSS-171 faced each other the day before during a football game won by H&HS. H&HS took the field hoping to continue their winning streak and MWSS-171 took to the field hoping to redeem themselves from the previous day’s loss.
The winner of the competition took home a trophy built by some of the Marines of MWSS-171. Taylor said both he and the H&HS commanding officer hope to make this an annual event to have the trophy pass between the two squadrons.
The service members competed with each other in casualty relays, combat fitness test relays, tricycle races, 7-ton truck drags, a tug-of-war and more.
After MWSS-171 was declared the winner of the tug-of-war, the senior officers and sergeants major of each squadron were called on to face each other in their own 3 on 3 match.
About five seconds into the match, service members of each squadron jumped in to help their senior leaders out. Privates pulled the rope alongside sergeants, staff NCOs and officers. The rope tore in half with the strength of both squadrons pulling at both ends.
“The Marines (and sailors) work hard, day in and day out. (During the field meet) they get to come out here, compete and have a good time,” said Lt. Col. Michael R. Coletta, H&HS commanding officer. “I think at heart, each and every one of us is a competitor. Otherwise we wouldn’t be wearing the uniform. I think the main thing here is to have everyone come out and have a good time and meet some of the folks that they’ve seen around base.”
The Marines and sailors viciously pushed each other to their limits as they competed in pull-up bar competitions, arm wrestling bouts and chimp relays.
During the chimp relays, competitors would grab their ankles and scuttle down a set distance as fast as they could without falling or letting go of their ankles.
The field meet reached its climax during the pugil stick matches. Marines and sailors from both squadrons fiercely squared off as they rammed and swung their sticks at their opponent’s heads. The crowd roared in satisfaction as each service member proved their worth in each match. MWSS-171 and H&HS won five matches each. Both squadrons called upon their sergeant majors to face each other and break the tie.
Sgt. Maj. Gerard Calvin, H&HS sergeant major, faced off with Sgt. Maj. Blake Smith, MWSS- 171 sergeant major, for the ultimate match to decide the winner. After the battle was over and the two warriors laid down their weapons, Calvin was declared the winner.
“I think everyone had a great time,” said Coletta. “I think the Marines and sailors will be talking about this for a long time. This was a great way to bring in the long weekend after so much hard work over the last few weeks.”
Before calling the field meet to a close, the Marines and sailors from both squadrons sat down at a mess tent built by the Marines of MWSS-171 and ate together.
“(The best thing about things like this) is the unit cohesion,” said Cpl. Isiah Fagins, a MWSS- 171 motor transportation operator. “Many people, when they get to a unit, they just lock to that unit. When you have them interact with other units, they start finding common traits (with one another) and make friends that they never thought were possible.”
Fagins said it was all about making friends to look out for each other.
Some of the service members who participated in the field meet said they felt they were able to find a home away from home.
For Pfc. Amanda Phelps, a military police officer with the station Provost Marshal’s Office who arrived here only a week before the field meet, this was her first Thanksgiving away from her family.
“(Events like these) are very important,” said Phelps. “My family is back at home and I miss them a lot, but having days like this, out here overseas, just really brings that sense of a family closer.”
Once the two squadrons finished eating and laughing together, they formed their formations to declare the winner of the field meet.
After the events were reviewed, MWSS-171 was declared the winner of this year’s inaugural H&HS and MWSS-171 field meet.
Although disappointed by defeat, many of the H&HS service members thought that there’s always next year.