UMM SALAL MUHAMMED, Qatar - Sixty-five service members from the West Virginia and District of Columbia National Guard traveled 7,000 miles to Qatar’s National Service Academy for the 2025 Best Warrior Competition.
Qatar and the West Virginia National Guard are partners in the Department of Defense National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program.
These partnerships are crucial for aligning efforts and sharing a commitment to national defense, whether protecting the homeland in Qatar or learning U.S. and West Virginia defense strategies. This collaboration enhances readiness and better prepares both forces for future missions, said Sgt. Maj. Daryl Plude, senior enlisted leader for the National Guard Bureau’s strategic plans and policy directorate.
The competition was held Feb. 2-5, with each day presenting a new set of physically and mentally challenging tasks for the U.S. and Qatari competitors.
Staff Sgt. Andras Bajusz, B Battery 1/201st Field Artillery Battalion, earned the title of West Virginia Army National Guard Noncommissioned Officer of the Year.
“It was an awesome experience and it was great to compete overseas,” Bajusz said. “I made a bunch of new friends with all the other competitors, and they all made the trip worthwhile.”
Spc. Dominic Starry, E Co. 2/19th Special Forces Group, was named the West Virginia Army National Guard Soldier of the Year.
Master Sgt. Matthew Stevens, a survive, evade, resist, escape specialist with the 130th Airlift Wing, earned top performing West Virginia Air National Guard NCO. Spc. Todd Perry, 167th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, earned top performing Airman honors.
“It took every single person that’s here to win best warrior,” Stevens said. “I couldn’t have done it without all these individuals here, both Qatari and American forces.”
The DCNG named Staff Sgt. Jackson Gray, 223rd Military Intelligence Battalion, and Pfc. Marcel A. Virachittevin, 273rd Military Police Company, NCO and Soldier of the Year, respectively.
The NSA cadet taking the top prize was Hamad Mohammed Almohandi.
The Qatari Emiri Land Forces soldier earning the title of best warrior was Warrant Officer Abdulla Ahmed Deria, Joint Special Forces.
The competition culminated over 14 months of planning and coordination between the WVNG and NSA.
“It’s a great opportunity for both the competitors and the organizers because each part has its own challenges,” said Cpt. Ahmad Hassan Asheer, the head of operations for the competition from the Qatar National Services Academy. “It’s good to partner up with the National Guard for this ongoing competition you’ve been having for years, and we’re looking forward to keeping the wheels spinning and the participation going.”
The competition kicked off with a 15K ruck march along a sandy trail surrounding the NSA. Afterward, competitors faced a stress shoot, testing their ability to handle weapons effectively under pressure. Competitors operated a foreign country’s weapons system during an assembly and disassembly event. Both countries presented competitors with a weapons system from each of their respective countries.
The final challenge of the first day was a swimming event. Competitors were required to jump from a high platform, tread water for one minute, and then dive to grab a dummy rifle at the bottom of a pool.
The second day of the challenge was the busiest, beginning with late-night land navigation, during which competitors sought points on a map in the dark, foggy desert from night until sunrise. After the long night, the competitors faced a calisthenics event consisting of tricep dips, pullups and box jump burpees.
A mental challenge was next, with written tests and essays. Participants then moved to a five-station circuit that included a radio operation test, an obstacle course, a gas mask donning event, a tactical combat casualty care test and throwing simulated grenades.
The morning of the third day of the competition was the Army Combat Fitness Test.
In the final challenge, an appearance board judged competitors on the wear of their dress uniforms and questioned them on general military knowledge.
The U.S. winners will compete in the Region II Best Warrior Competition in the spring.