Best Warrior

Photo Gallery

BALTIMORE – Fourteen competitors from throughout the Army National Guard are slated to battle it out in a physically and mentally challenging five-day competition to determine the Army Guard’s Soldier and Noncommissioned Officer of the year July 14-18 in locations throughout Maryland.

Hosted by the Maryland Army National Guard the 2025 Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition tests competitors on a variety of tactical and technical tasks including weapons proficiency, land navigation, emergency medical tasks, and combat casualty care. These tasks are completed over a grueling set of courses throughout the state that includes multiple timed ruck marches and the Army Combat Fitness Test.

Winners in the competition – one Soldier and one NCO – are named the Army Guard’s Soldier and NCO of the Year and will compete in the Department of the Army Best Squad Competition this fall. Runners-up in the Best Warrior Competition fill out the Army Guard squad competing in the Best Squad Competition based on their finish in Best Warrior.

Competitors in this year’s Army Guard Best Warrior Competition include:

Soldier Category
Spc. Adam Andrews - Rhode Island
Spc. Robert Ruiz-Rhoades – Pennsylvania
Spc. Jaden Hughes - Alabama
Spc. Logan Rutledge – Indiana
Spc. Alexander Thomson – Nebraska
Spc. Canyon Blassingame - Montana
Sgt. Michael Fouts – Arizona

NCO Category
Sgt. Kristopher Piwowarczyk - New Jersey
Staff Sgt. Miles Crawford – Maryland
Staff Sgt. Nicolas White – Georgia
Staff Sgt. Brandon Byrne - Wisconsin
Sgt. Luke Entz – Nebraska
Sgt. Matthew Lee – Montana
Sgt. Luke Cloward - Utah

Video Gallery

Video by Spc. Cristina Gomez, Staff Sgt. Cory Reese, Spc. Jonathan Vitale

Operation Combined Victory: Distinguished Visitor Days B-Roll

Security Force Assistance Command

Feb. 1, 2024 | 12:16

Security Force Assistance Command held the second iteration of its validation exercise, Operation Combined Victory, for three of our forward-deploying SFABs; 1st, 2nd and 54th SFAB, which is a unit within the Indiana National Guard.

The joint exercise took place at the Indiana National Guard's Camp Atterbury and one of the nation's premier training facilities, Muscatatuck Training Center, and incorporated joint operations with U.S. Air Force Advisors to simulate their role in large scale combat operations.

OCV provided a realistic scenario that stressed decision-making in an everchanging operational and information environment, testing Advisors' ability to assess, support, liaise, and advise a replicated partner force in conflict. The exercise utilized one of the best urban training environments available to US forces and enabled joint training that replicates threats associated with current theaters of operation.

For more information on America's Army Advisors and to volunteer, go to www.army.mil/sfab