Eighth Army Hosts 2026 Best Medic Competition at Camp Humphreys

CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea - Eighth Army began its annual Best Medic Competition here Oct. 5, 2026, testing Soldiers from various medical military occupational specialties during a multi-day evaluation of physical endurance, tactical proficiency, and emergency medicine. The three-day event ensured medical personnel maintain combat readiness to deliver immediate, lifesaving care on the Korean Peninsula.

The competition ran through Oct. 7, 2026, and included the Expert Physical Fitness Assessment, a written examination, pre-combat inspections, warrior tasks and battle drills, chemical defense operations, day and night land navigation, Tactical Combat Casualty Care under simulated combat conditions, water survival tasks, and a stress shoot. The continuous 72-hour operational tempo tested the competitors' mental and physical limits.

"What motivated me to volunteer to compete in the Eighth Army Best Medic Competition was mostly to challenge myself and to see how far I can take myself with this competition and also just to prove to myself that I can do more," said Staff Sgt. Justin Eusebio, a competitor and combat medic assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division.

Participants had to maintain their focus and make critical medical decisions under simulated hostile fire while experiencing physical exhaustion. The event required rapid movement and continuous operations with minimal sleep.

"We prepared by working together, communicating, doing rucks, running, exercising, and just going over our basic medic tasks," said Sgt. 1st Class Daequian Tatum, a competitor and combat medic assigned to the 65th Medical Brigade. Tatum noted that his partner excels in the hospital setting while he specializes in field care, allowing them to complement each other's strengths and operate effectively as a cohesive team.

During his opening remarks, Eighth Army Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffrey D. Weaver emphasized the strict evaluation standards of the event.

"The standard will not change because you are tired," Weaver said. "The mission will not stop because you are hurting. And the Soldiers you are treating will not get a second chance because you decide to quit."

The competition concluded with an awards ceremony recognizing the top-performing teams. The winning two-Soldier team will represent Eighth Army at the Command Sgt. Maj. Jack L. Clark Jr. U.S. Army Best Medic Competition, where they will compete against medical personnel from across the Department of the Army.

The event reinforces the Eighth Army medical community's commitment to the "Fight Tonight" mission by ensuring medics are ready to treat casualties under fire at a moment's notice.