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 Seaman Christian Lower

Kline earns recognition for work in recruit training

U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Cape May

April 1, 2022 | 4:57

Petty Officer 1st Class Connor Kline earns the honor of being named the Company Commander of the Quarter, January 14, 2022.

At Training Center Cape May, the mission is to deliver dynamic training that sets the foundation for the Coast Guard’s professional culture and develops job-ready skills in recruits to build our workforce for generations to come. That training is carefully overseen by a more than 50-person corps of highly trained company commanders that develop recruits into Coast Guard men and women.

The standards at the Coast Guard’s singular recruit entry point are high, and the training is difficult. While graduating from recruit training is one of the most rewarding accomplishments of a lifetime, the program will certainly challenge recruits both mentally and physically. To be successful at Cape May, recruits must prepare their body and mind through fitness training and dedicated study. Company commanders like Kline ensure they get there.

U.S. Coast Guard video by Seaman Christian Lower