FORT BENNING, Ga., - Fourteen of the Army National Guard’s top Soldiers and non-commissioned officers competed in the annual Best Warrior competition here at the Warrior Training Center last week.
They vied for the chance to represent the Army Guard in the Department of the Army’s competition, which will be held at Fort Lee, Va., in September.
“All these guys are on top of their game,” said Spc. Matt Ryan, from Maryland’s 291st Army Liaison Team. “It’s a little bit intimidating honestly. All these guys are so good with all they do.”
For many competitors, that level of skill and expertise was motivating.
“That’s the nice thing about the position we’re all in right now,” said Spc. Ryan Teter, from Colorado’s D Company, 5th Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group. “We all know that the guys around us are squared away and they are hard workers and they all want to be here. It’s nice to have good dudes around you, and you don’t have to worry about anyone not being squared away.”
Despite that, the competition—which many competitors described as part Expert Infantry Badge test and part Best Ranger Competition—proved for many to be a challenging one.
The competitors pushed through ruck marches, casualty evacuation, urban operations scenarios as well as having to engage targets while on the run after a simulated improvised explosive device strike, all while having little sleep and little rest between events.
“Everything is coming at you at once,” said Ryan. “It’s just non-stop, no sleep, just grind it out. I think when we’re all tired and hurting everything is going to be just that much harder.”
That constant grind of events is what many competitors said was the most challenging aspect of the competition.
“The physical events (are) all back to back,” said Staff Sgt. Kevin McMackin, from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the Georgia National Guard. “PT test, followed by Combat Water Survival Test followed shortly by the ruck march and the land nav course, it’s going to be tough even for those that are in superb physical condition. Any of us that are kind of lacking in that department (are) going to be struggling.”
Despite the fact that this is a competition, participants still helped each other prepare for the different events and passed on techniques and tricks for negotiating many of the events.
“People that are struggling in certain things, other guys are helping them out and giving them pointers,” said McMackin. “We’re here as competitors, but we’re all Soldiers first.”
Prior to arriving at this level, each competitor won a similar competition at the unit, state and then regional level, which meant months of preparation and training to make it to Fort Benning.
“It was a long road,” said Ryan. “I started in December last year and won the brigade Best Warrior Competition and moved on to the state, then regional and here I am.”
Though, for Ryan, a combat medic, events like evaluating a casualty required little training on because of prior knowledge.
“That’s the one thing I’m not worried about compared to everything else,” he said.
Still, competitors stressed the importance of preparing for the competition, even while it seems daunting.
“Maintain a positive attitude about everything,” said McMakin. “Other than that, just keep your head up and do a lot of physical training. As you progress through the different boards the physical events get a lot tougher so as soon as you start physical training the better off you’ll be.”
Despite the challenges, McMackin said taking part in the competition was worth the effort required.
“Each region sent the best they had,” he said. “I just feel honored to be here competing with them.”
The results of the completion, including the winners, will be announced at the annual conference of the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States this month.