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

Video Gallery

Video by Marie Pihulic

Sill turns up heat on Army interns

Fort Sill Public Affairs

May 16, 2022 | 1:15

Most internships involve hands-on learning, but two Army Fellows were thrown into the fire, so to speak. Ashley Kutac and Rachel Feld are part of the Army Fellows Program, which allows them to work in different Garrison organizations to gain knowledge and experience. On May 16, that experience included suiting up and putting out fires under the direction of the Fort Sill Fire Department.

The Army Fellows Program is a unique opportunity for high school graduates, college graduates, or those already in the workforce who are looking to join the Department of Defense with no prior military experience.

Kutac and Feld arrived to Fort Sill last winter and have already had their share of excitement in the Army Fellows Program. Recently, Kutac helped guide a plane at the Henry Post Army Airfield, while Feld was learning how to do trench collapse rescues.

More about the Army Fellows Program: https://www.dvidshub.net/video/833543/army-fellows-program