'Dragon' Battalion Soldiers take fitness to the next level in gym honoring fallen comrade
'Dragon' Battalion Soldiers take fitness to the next level in gym honoring fallen comrade
Story and photo by Staff Sgt. Justin Phemister, 2nd AAB, 1st Inf., Div., USD –CBAGHDAD—“By order of the commander—Get Faster, Get Stronger,” says the sign written in infantry blue that hangs across the inside of the entrance to the Pfc. Ramon Mora Jr. Gym at Camp Liberty, Iraq. A group of Soldiers with Company A, 1st “Dragon” Battalion, 63rd Armor Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, United States Division – Center working out here are taking that order to heart.“A lot of us worked out back in garrison, and of course we all ran pretty well from regular morning [physical training], but none of us maintained a routine like we do here,” said Spc. Eder Tavera, a gunner with Company A, 1st Bn., 63rd Armor Regt. and a Bakersfield, Calif., native.Tavera and three of his fellow Soldiers with “Ace” Company have developed a rigorous training regime that uses circuit training to increase muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness simultaneously. Their level of intensity matches that of many who frequent the Mora gym.“Our circuits are crazy hard—we never stop so that we keep the heart rate up,” Tavera said.Not lost on their group is the impact of the facility’s dedication to one of their fallen brothers. The gym received a series of renovations, new equipment, and a few inspiring cosmetic additions, including a picture and a sign of Mora when it was named in his honor.“The gym is completely different than it was when we got here,” said 1st Sgt. Alexander Aguilastratt, first sergeant of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Bn., 63rd Armor Regt. and a Miami native. “These facilities are the best on [Victory Base Complex] because the spirit of Mora drives Soldiers to work harder than anywhere else.”The atmosphere of intensity has inspired the group of Ace Soldiers as well.“Guys in here work out really hard, and you find yourself doing the same thing, almost like you’re in competition,” said Spc. Lee Brown, a medic with Company A, 1st Bn., 63rd Armor Regt. and a Ft. Wayne, Ind., native.Their routine consists of up to seven different workouts, each focusing on a single muscle group. There is little rest afforded while moving between sets. Most people might call that a day, but the Ace Soldiers are only halfway through. They follow each circuit for a major muscle group, like chest, with its supplementary group, in the case of chest—triceps. Finally, they follow that up with an abdominal routine with which they finish every workout."We work out almost every day,” said Sgt. Joshua Curry, a team leader with Company A, 1st Bn., 63rd Armor Regt. and a Lubbock, Texas, native. “Sometimes twice a day, when we run in the morning.”Their story is not an uncommon one across the whole of the Dragon Battalion. The Soldiers who frequent Mora’s gym in particular seem to have taken to their respective fitness programs with an almost religious fervor. “I don’t want to say anything cheesy, like he’s here with us,” said Sgt. Carlos Rojas, a team leader with Company A, 1st Bn., 63rd Armor Regt. and a Tuscon, Ariz., native. “But a certain mindset dominates this gym, and you can’t help but get into it when you’re here.”