DC National Guard Captain brings home gold in international competition

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HOEVELTE, DENMARK (08/10/2012)(readMedia)-- Capt. Leala McCollum, a medevac pilot with the 121st Medical Company (Air Ambulance), District of Columbia Army National Guard, was a member of a team that won the gold medal in the international category at the NATO Interallied Confederation of Reserve Officers' Military Skills Competition held Aug. 6.

The CIOR competition consists of a pentathlon with rifle and pistol marksmanship, land and water obstacle courses and a 10-15 kilometer orienteering course, as well as Combat Casualty Care, and a written Laws of Armed Conflict test. Team and individual medals are given for each event as well as overall.

When a country brings more competitors than can form a three-person team, they are put into a pool and teams are created. The U.S. Team had two females, including McCollum, put into that situation when a third U.S. female was unable to attend. Four International teams consisting of two males and one female were created.

"Coming together last minute was hard. I had prepared with my U.S. teammates, practicing events like the obstacle course. Then we had to compete with another team."

McCollum would go on to find that competing with an international team was one of the highlights of the competition.

"The teambuilding with our international partners was the best part. We worked hand-in- hand with other nations. It was my first year on an international team. We weren't happy about being split up, but it really worked out. I learned a lot about other countries and how their militaries are structured." said McCollum.

McCollum broke a toe midway through and had to be replaced by an alternate, but her shooting and Combat Casualty Care scores were enough to help her team win the Gold.

"It was frustrating and disappointing to fracture my toe. A French teammate stepped in, and we were still able to win the gold in the international category." said McCollum.

McCollum, along with three other females on the International teams, were given Sportsmanship Awards from the Danish delegation.

The Team U.S.A Military Men's Team won Gold Medals in the Novice category. Thirty-five three-person teams from 14 countries participated in the competition. Out of 6000 possible points, the U.S.A team edged out the Silver Medal winners by 8.7 points.

This was McCollum's second year participating in the event. She had previously competed in the 2008 event in Istanbul, Turkey. She had been unable to compete in the event since because of a yearlong overseas mission to Germany with the 121st Medical Company (AA) and her selection to attend the Caribbean Junior Command and Staff College in Jamaica.

McCollum plans to try-out for the team again, and hopes to see the program grow.

"It would be great to get a full female team or send multiple teams. Other countries, like the Germans or the British, usually send multiple teams."

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Photos by Army 1st Sgt. D. Keith Johnson, 354th MPAD

Washington, D.C., National Guard Capt. Leala McCollum works on her pistol grip in preparation for range firing during weapon familiarization, July 30, 2012. McCollum, a medevac pilot with the 121st Medical Company (Air Ambulance), was a competitor with Team USA Military competing at the NATO Military Skills Pentathlon held in Hoevelte, Denmark.

Washington, D.C., National Guard Capt. Leala McCollum performs combat first aid on a victim during the Combat Casualty Care portion of the NATO Military Skills Pentathlon, July 31, 2012. McCollum, a medevac pilot with the 121st Medical Company (Air Ambulance), is a competitor with Team USA Military competing at the Pentathlon held in Hoevelte, Denmark.