An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | Oct. 11, 2022

Army Guard Makes it to Final Round of Army Best Squad Competition

By Sgt. 1st Class Whitney Hughes, National Guard Bureau

ARLINGTON, Va. – Five Army National Guard members were among four teams selected for the final round of the U.S. Army’s inaugural Best Squad Competition.

The Best Squad Competition, formerly the U.S. Army Best Warrior Competition, produces the U.S. Army’s Best Squad and the Noncommissioned Officer of the Year and Soldier of the Year.

The 2022 U.S. Army BSC began with 12 Active Duty, Reserve Component and Special Forces teams competing at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Sept. 29 to Oct. 6. The top four teams moved on to the District of Columbia to complete the final boards, with the winners announced Oct. 10. 

Although the ARNG team did not take home the top honors, their success in the competition was a significant sign of the capabilities of the National Guard, said Command Sgt. Maj. John Raines, the command sergeant major of the Army National Guard.

“It’s a tough competition. It’s physically and mentally challenging,” Raines said. “Working cohesively as a team is what allows for success here, and it’s also what makes Army Guard units effective when deploying overseas or responding at home.”

The ARNG team comprises five Soldiers selected through National Guard competitions in all 54 states, territories, and the District of Columbia. Team members include:

Staff Sgt. Bryan Kummer - Nebraska National Guard
Sgt. Tyler Holloway - Wyoming National Guard
Sgt. Austin Manville - New York National Guard
Spc. Wyatt Walls - Oregon National Guard
Spc. Nathaniel Miska - Minnesota National Guard

The 2022 BSC challenges Soldiers to complete the Army Combat Fitness Test, a 12-mile foot march, rifle qualification, proctored assessment phase, hands-on squad tasks, written exam and essay, and board interviews with sergeants major from across the Army. The competition promotes morale and cohesion and reinforces the importance of squad tactics.

The National Guard team focused on this unit cohesion by attending a month of training together at the National Guard’s Warrior Training Center at Fort Benning, Georgia. This helped prepare them for the competition and made them more well-rounded Soldiers, said Kummer, the squad leader for the ARNG Best Squad.

“Everyone came here with an attitude of being ready to learn from each other and their experiences,” said Kummer. “Not only have we improved our warrior tasks, but we have all learned something from one another, whether it be leadership or how to handle any situation we may come across in the Army.”

Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Grinston, who oversaw the event, credits professional development as a critical driver of the competition’s intent.

“I want units to really think about what makes up a squad,” Grinston said. “It’s about those small groups of Soldiers who really know and care about each other and hold each other to a high standard of proficiency, discipline and fitness.”

Kummer said he took that sentiment to heart and felt a sense of responsibility to take it beyond the scope of competition to enhance overall readiness in his state.

“The competition was structured to meet the vision of what the sergeant major of the Army wants in his fighting force,” said Kummer. “So having done it ourselves, now we have an obligation to take this back to our units, so we are helping better our organizations.”

 

 

Related Articles
Command Sgt. Maj. John T. Raines, the 13th Army National Guard command sergeant major, talks with the 2024 Best Squad competitors as they prepare for this year's competition in Fort Moore, Ga. Sept. 24, 2023. The team practices weapons function checks training for the 2024 All-Army Best Squad Competition.
Army Guard Command Sergeant Major Visits Best Squad Competitors
By Staff Sgt. Daisy Broker, | Sept. 30, 2024
FORT MOORE, Ga. – Command Sgt. Maj. John T. Raines, the 13th command sergeant major of the Army National Guard, visited Soldiers preparing to compete in the National Best Squad Competition.The Army National Guard Best Squad...

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Stepfanie Glidewell, 142nd Maintenance Operations Flight unit deployment manager, rests on a bench press at Portland Air National Guard Base, Ore., Sept. 6, 2025. Glidewell is training to compete in the U.S. Military Powerlifting Nationals after recovering from major surgery in October 2024 that removed multiple tumors from her sciatic nerve.
Oregon Guard Member Rises Toward Powerlifting Nationals
By Tech. Sgt. Alexander Frank, | Sept. 26, 2025
PORTLAND, Ore. — In October 2024, U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Stepfanie Glidewell was preparing for surgery. For years, Glidewell had struggled with a debilitating pain that made even walking a challenge. While the cause had...

Soldiers with the 34th Infantry Division receive instruction on the M250 automatic rifle during a New Equipment Training fielding at Camp Ripley, Minn., September 15, 2025. The M250, part of the Army’s Next Generation Squad Weapon program, replaces the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon.
Minnesota Guard Among First to Field Army’s Newest M250 Automatic Rifle
By Sgt. 1st Class Timothy Hamlin | Sept. 25, 2025
CAMP RIPLEY, Minn. - The Minnesota National Guard’s 34th Infantry Division is among the first Guard units to field the Army’s newest automatic rifle, the M250, during a New Equipment Training, or NET, event at Camp Ripley.The...