Best Warrior

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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

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Video by Josh Bennett

Dam Safety Awareness Day 2025

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Huntington District

May 28, 2025 | 1:54

May 31st is Dam Safety Awareness Day. Many of us utilize the recreational opportunities at our Huntington projects such as Beech Fork, Grayson, Summersville, and more. However, we would like to highlight our role in maintaining the Dams located at our lakes. There are over 91,000 dams across the United States and over 700 larger dam structures that are owned and operated by the Corps of Engineers. Dams play an important role in managing water so communities experience less severe flooding. Many dams also create space for habitat and recreation, provide power – such as hydroelectric, and help ships navigate the rivers to provide economic benefits. National Dam Safety Awareness Day is a reminder that while dams provide valuable services to communities nationwide, they are not without risk. Dam Safety programs – like the one in the Huntington Office – monitor them and ensure they do not pose additional risks to the public. The Corps of Engineers Dam Safety Program is in place to ensure that USACE dams continue to safely provide their intended services. Through continual inspections and assessments, USACE dams are being monitored to ensure they can perform during periods of heavy rainfall. No dam is risk-free. Flooding can occur near dams, even when they are working as designed. Dam Safety is a shared responsibility. You are encouraged to learn the risks if you live near a dam, understand the benefits, and be prepared to take action in case of an emergency.