CLAY NATIONAL GUARD CENTER, Marietta, Ga., June 29, 2011 -- Two components of the Georgia Department of Defense came together, Saturday, June 25, to participate in the 1st annual Adjutant General's Defender's Cup competition. The Georgia Army National Guard and the Georgia State Defense Force each sent a team of 10 Soldiers to battle it out in eight categories of competition.
Although invited to participate, the Georgia Air Guard was -- according to event officials -- unable to send a team, but looks forward to attend the battle for next year's cup.
Shortly after sunrise Maj. Gen. William T. Nesbitt, Georgia's Adjutant General (for which the competition is named), addressed the teams.
"This competition will be tough, and the events are designed to push you to give your best and to work as a team," said Maj. Gen. Nesbitt. "They're made to be difficult so that those of you who come out on top can feel truly proud of what you've accomplished."
The Army relay team handed the Army Guard an early lead by beating their SDF counterparts in the relay race. With very little rest time between events, the competitors then split into smaller teams to complete a land navigation course, a four-mile ruck march, and a pushups and situps event.
"It's a change of pace to compete with the Guard since we normally play a supporting role for it," said Staff Sgt. John Derucki, an initial entry training instructor with the SDF's Marietta-based Headquarters Company, 911th Support Command. At age 52, Derucki finished the four-mile ruck march in less than 55 minutes, making him the first to cross the finish line. "This kind of thing shows who we are as volunteers and what we can do under pressure."
The last two challenges took all 10 members of each team. Moving with a sense of purpose and all the determination they could muster, the teams pulled an up-armored Humvee fitted with ropes up a hill and across a parking lot. They then went straight into the tug of war event. In both instances, the State Defense Force would come out on top, but no one knew yet how the points would add up in the final analysis.
"Before this competition, I didn't even know we had a State Defense Force. Today, I saw some of what they're capable of, and what they can do with their talents and strengths," said Spc. Jared Exhevarria, a cook for the Headquarters Detachment, 348th Brigade Support Battalion, Georgia Army National Guard. "Of course we all want to win, but either way I think we can build on our weaknesses to bring a higher level of competition next year."
The final event of the competition was a Soldier and NCO board. Sergeants Major from both the Army and State Defense Force grilled and assessed a representative from each component on topics like military history, customs and courtesy, and professional appearance.
In the end, the prestigious Defender's Cup trophy was presented to the Georgia State Defense Force for accumulating the most points during the competition.
"In my opinion, this is history in the making, and a tremendous step forward for us," said Sergeant 1st Class Wade Price, State Defense Force Defender's Cup team coach. "I'm proud of my guys, and I feel like we've gained acceptance to stand as equals next to the Guard."
Command Sergeant Major James Nelson, the Adjutant General's senior enlisted leader, said the Georgia Department of Defense expects to continue hosting the Defender's Cup yearly, and that all three components are expected to participate in the 2012 competition. It was he and the State Defense Force senior-most NCO, Command Sgt. Maj. Randy Garrett, who were the driving forces behind the event.
"I think we got everything we wanted out of this first event competition," Nelson said. "This was meant to be a team-building exercise with which to better develop the working relationship between each of the Georgia Department of Defense components. It's competitive, of course, but I think it also has a great amount of fun mixed into that. It most certainly was a great example of collaboration by everyone involved."
Video by David Howell
Story and photos by Pfc. Ashley Fontenot
Public Affairs Office
Georgia Department of Defense
http://gadod.net/index.php/component/content/article/42-rokstories/442
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