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 Sgt. Nicolas Cholula

Cobra Gold 20: Royal Thai, US distinguished visitors answer questions following combined amphibious landing

U.S. Army Pacific Public Affairs Office

Feb. 28, 2020 | 11:46

U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Josh Rudd, deputy commanding general of the 25th Infantry Division; Michael Heath, U.S. Embassy Thailand chargé d’affaires; Royal Thai Marine Capt. Chayuth Chatlitsorrakul, commanding officer of commanding officer of the 1st Infantry Regiment; and U.S. Marine Col. Robert Brodie, commanding officer of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, answer questions from media after a successful amphibious beach landing during exercise Cobra Gold 2020 at Hat Yao Beach, Sattahip, Chon Buri, Kingdom of Thailand, Feb. 28, 2020. Exercise Cobra Gold 20 is the largest theater security cooperation exercise in the Indo-Pacific region and is an integral part of the U.S. commitment to strengthen engagement in the region. (U.S. Army video by Sgt. Nicolas Cholula)