Pope Field, NC -- POPE ARMY AIRFIELD, NC – Twenty-four Airmen completed the 2019 Dragon Challenge at Pope Army Airfield Nov. 5-7. The annual three day competition is designed to prepare Airmen for the stress of combat includes a battlefield fitness test, shooting, casualty care, land navigation, obstacle course, knowledge test and combatives.
“This DRAGON CHALLENGE marks our third annual 18 ASOG combat field skills competition since we resurrected the event in 2017,” Col. Dane Crawford, commander of the 18th Air Support Operations Group, said. “We compete across our Group to hone our field craft, determine top individual and team performers, but most importantly to simulate the rigor of combat. Pitting our Airmen in competition from each of our squadrons adds a psychological dimension to the already physically and technically demanding challenge. The psychological factor is what best simulates combat stress and why competition is so important. Keys to success for our competitors are maximum individual effort, team work, and a positive attitude.”
Airmen from the 14th Air Support Operations Squadron (Pope AAF), 15th Air Support Operations Squadron (Fort Stewart, GA), 19th Air Support Operations Squadron (Fort Campbell, KY) and 20th Air Support Operations Squadron (Fort Drum, NY) competed individually and as a team. The Dragon Challenge was hosted by the 18th Air Support Operations Group with the support of the 818th Operations Support Squadron at Pope. The competition began in 1999 as a means to push the best Airmen from each squadron to compete, improve and bring new skills back to their units.
2019 Dragon Challenge Results
Top Competitor - A1C Jacob Powell, 19th ASOS
Top Individual PT - A1C Douglas Tesch, 20th ASOS
Top Shot - 1st Lt. William Hatton, 20th ASOS
Fastest Ruck - A1C Jacob Powell, 19th ASOS
Top Team PT - 19th ASOS; A1C (Jacob Powell, SrA Michael Armendariz, A1C Channing Cook)
Top Land Navigation - 19th ASOS (A1C Jacob Powell, SrA Michael Armendariz, A1C Channing Cook)
Top Team Ruck 19th ASOS (A1C Jacob Powell, SrA Michael Armendariz, A1C Channing Cook)
Field Skills Award - 18th Weather Squadron
Top Team Obstacle Course - 14th ASOS
First Overall - 19th ASOS (A1C Jacob Powell, SrA Michael Armendariz, A1C Channing Cook)
Second Overall - 20th ASOS (A1C Douglas Tesch, 1st Lt William Hatton, SSgt Brett Achterhof)
Third Overall - 19th ASOS (Capt Josiah Cline, SrA John McHale, A1C Chase Majury)