Comd Team Challenge – 23 March 2015
Capt Scott Jackson
With the race for the Prince of Wales Trophy down to the wire, the final Command Team challenge of the year was run by Headquarters Squadron. It would be the last chance to gain the points needed to win the coveted Prince of Wales trophy. The challenge was designed to reflect the character of the Squadron. The day started with six stands: Combat Service Support Millionaire, track build/tire chain install, HAZMAT clean-up, First Aid, Ranger Rodeo, and a Command Post Challenge. After the completion of these stands a “special” two stands were conducted for Mobile Kitchen Trailer (MKT) set-up and a cook-off. The scoring system and team breakdown was unique in that each squadron had two teams competing and a squadron could only receive the maximum of five points allocated for this challenge towards the overall Prince of Wales competition. If a squadron had more than one team in the top four though, they could deny points to the other squadrons. Points were awarded as follows: 1st place – 5 points, 2nd place – 3 points, 3rd place – 2 points, and 4th place – 1 point.
Combat Service Support Millionaire saw Capt Laurel Frizell pose questions to the teams while our trusty Accounts Officer, Capt Sean Rogozinski, kept score using two calculators at once! Questions were categorized and focused on the unique trades within Headquarters Squadron, such as supply, transport, communications, administration, and maintenance. Reconnaissance Squadron won this stand with their in-depth knowledge of the categories… Must have been the pop culture category.
The track build/tire chain installation stand provided a challenging physical event with teams installing tire chains on a LSVW then having a set time to build as much track as possible. All teams produced large amounts of track and very few mistakes were made on the tire chain install. This stand was a challenge for Headquarters Squadron to win but they were able to pull off the upset and show the “tankers” how to build track quickly and correctly.
HAZMAT clean-up saw the teams compete while cleaning up a “spill” of coloured water. The scoring was based on the use of proper procedures including the effective use of Personal Protective Equipment. While the spill cleanup was occurring the teams were required to answer questions to a quiz consisting of HAZMAT questions. Reconnaissance Squadron was able to pull off the win on this stand.
The First Aid stand was a mass casualty situation where teams had to react to the situation head-to-head against another team to ensure that the same scenario was given to both teams with no advantage. All teams did very well in this category, demonstrating a high level of medical skill. It’s a comfort to know that if a complex medical situation ever arose that the resident knowledge exists within the Regiment to take care of each other. This stand was the only win of the day for A Squadron.
Teams raced around a circuit for the Ranger Rodeo stand, picking up and unloading items in safe manner while three members from the team wrote a driver information test. It provided great entertainment to watch soldiers race around as well as struggle through basic driver questions (despite the fact everyone is a licenced driver). We may want to watch out driving to and from work! Headquarters Squadron placed first in this stand.
The Command Post Challenge stand consisted of two teams receiving a handover for the Command Post from the stand official. They were then being tested over the next 20 minutes with contact reports and key information that needed to be relayed to sub-units and higher headquarters. The Regiment is in great shape as the Operations Officer and his staff were able to help Headquarters Squadron pull of the win on this stand.
With the completion of the six regular stands at 1000 hours, the two “special” stands kicked off with Headquarters Squadron in the lead. Video crews were brought in to broadcast the competition live on the projector screen within Regimental Headquarters hangar lines. For this event, teams had two hours to set up a mobile kitchen trailer and cook a meal with the ingredients provided. While the teams were busy setting up their kitchens, our two hosts, Sgt Conway Eady and MCpl Leon VanHeerden, provided commentary to the soldiers watching and great motivation to the soldiers taking part in the challenge. With 30 minutes left in the allotted time for this combined stand, an additional ingredient (chicken) was introduced and had to be included in the dishes.
The two hours came to an end and the teams were required to present the meals to the judging panel consisting of the Commanding Officer, Regimental Sergeant-Major, Regimental Second-in-Command, and the Commanding Officer’s Secretary. Yes, they were brave enough to try the concoctions that were created. The meals were rated on use of the additional ingredient, presentation, taste and overall impression to the judges. The set-up of the kitchen trailers was won by Headquarters Squadron, but the cook-off portion of the stand had the following results: first place – Reconnaissance Squadron; second place – B Squadron; third place – A Squadron; and last, but not least, Headquarters Squadron. The hidden chefs within the Regiment came out and showed the cooks how it’s done. If you see WO Woroniuk (Kitchen Officer) or Sgt Doody (Messing Sergeant), feel free to kindly remind them that the “tankers” showed the cooks how to make a meal.
Despite the fact that the cooks failed to win the cook-off, Headquarters Squadron was able to place first and second in this Command Team Challenge, denying the other squadrons crucial points for the Prince of Wales competition. The unique format and stands during this challenge have been described by many as the best challenge to date. The scores above are correct, B Squadron was unable to win a single stand during this challenge, their confident lead for the Prince of Wales Trophy was in question! With the outstanding success of this Command Team Challenge run by Headquarters Squadron, the gauntlet has truly been thrown down and now it is up to the remaining squadrons to see if they can run challenges that are as enjoyable and exciting in the future.