Authorized newspaper of Joint Base Lewis-McChord
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CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRAH, Iraq – Needing to bench press 315 pounds one time in the final Bench Off for the title at the March 1 Gunslinger Strongman Competition, Spc. Travis E. Dobson pumped out five repetitions.
“He is a strong Soldier, full of stamina,” said 1st Sgt. Derek Q. Bazile, the first sergeant of Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion (Air Assault), 377th Field Artillery Regiment, an element of the 17th Fires Brigade deployed here. The competition was held at the Gunslinger Gym at Camp Allenby, the battalion’s compound at the COB.
Bazile said Dobson, who played semi-pro football before joining the Army, is a Soldier in his battery.
“Originally, we only had five people sign up,” Bazile said. “But, in the end we had 16 competitors — we had some walk-ons. But, that is good.”
More than 25 Soldiers and civilians also attended the event as spectators.
One Soldier who wanted to stay and compete, but could not because of another obligation, was Sgt. Maj. Garret L. Spencer, the 1-377 operations sergeant major, Bazile said. Spencer was there to lend support at the contest opening and demonstrated the perfect bench press technique for the competitors.
“He’ll compete next time. I guarantee it,” Bazile said.
He also guaranteed that his battalion sergeant major, Command Sgt. Maj. Daniel S. Moriarty, and his battery executive officer, 1st Lt. Daniel S. Hunt, would participate in the next competition he expects to host in April.
After declaring Dobson the overall winner, Bazile awarded him the grand prize, a camcorder. Specialist Nealy D. Edwards, 17th Fires Bde., and Staff Sgt. Jay P. Gawronski, who won in their own weight class group, received ACU patterned 17th Fires Bde. backpacks, and all competitors received Gunslinger T-shirts.
There were three main events, the bench press, the squat and the dead lift, with the Soldiers broken into the three weight classes: (under) 180 pounds, (under) 200 pounds and (under) 240 pounds.
The fourth event was termed the “bench off.” Like the squat and the dead lift, it was a one-off elimination match, forcing competitors to execute a single repetition at each ascending weight until all but one had dropped out.
“The bench press is normally the dominant factor in the gym. Plus, this being the month of the NFL Combine, we decided to go with the bench press at 225, because that is the weight most NFL scouts are looking for, and it’s the strength that the Army bases our strength off of,” Bazile said.
In the 225 pound bench press 180-pound class, Edwards won with 12 repetitions. In the 200-pound class, Dobson won with 20 repetitions. In the 240-pound class, Gawronski won with 28 repetitions.
In the squats, the Soldiers started with barbells on the backs of their necks and shoulders, squated from a standing start and then returned to standing.
“A Soldier needs to use his legs,” Bazile said.
The winners of the squat event, Edwards, Dobson and Gawronski, each executed a single repetition at 465 pounds.
In the dead lift event, the competitors lifted the barbell from the floor, standing straight up with their shoulders back.
“It’s all about form and keeping your back straight and using your knees,” Bazile said.
The winners of the dead lift, were Edwards, Dobson and Gawronski, as well, the night’s strongman troika. But, they were not easy victories.
In the 180-pound class, Spc. Bobby G. Fowler, of 1-377 FA, chased Edwards all night. In the dead lift, he came close, matching the winner’s single rep of 360 pounds, but was unable to execute at 365.
“I will be back. I know what to do now,” Fowler said.
“During a deployment, a lot of Soldiers use weight lifting to pass the time and enhance their strength,” Bazile said.
For the next competition, Bazile plans three new events: bench pressing on an incline and decline, as well as a straight-bar curling event.
Although the event was open to all Soldiers, Bazile said he could not convince any of the female Soldiers he sees at the gym to compete.
“There were three or four female Soldiers, who told me they will compete in the next competition,” he said.
In the post-competition crosstalk, Edwards said that, because Dobson was in a heavier weight class, he was staking his own title claim.
“Pound-for-pound, I am the strongest man,” Edwards said. Bazile disagreed.
Until April, when the next competition is held, Dobson is the strongest man on COB Basrah, Bazile said.
“He took on all comers.”
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