CAMP WILLIAMS, Utah - This year's Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition saw competitors tough it out over the rugged landscape of Camp Williams, Utah, all vying to be named the Army Guard's best-of-the-best.
For many who competed, it was an intense three-day challenge that took them to their physical and mental limits as they engaged targets with rifle and machine gun fire, ruck marched through the arid terrain and called in close air support while being tested and stressed on a variety of other tactical and technical skills. For those who planned and executed the individual tasks of the competition-members of the Utah Army National Guard-it was just as challenging putting it all together.
"I can't even begin to tell you how many hours we've put into it," said Command Sgt. Maj. Eric Anderson, the operations sergeant major with the Utah Army Guard. "It's been quite a few."
Anderson and his team spent about eight months planning, testing and putting together the competition using guidance from the Army Guard's Command Sergeants Major Advisory Council and the sergeant major of the Army Guard on the basic framework of what the competition should look like.
Having the Utah Army Guard take the lead on the competition represents a change from previous competitions, said Command Sgt. Maj. Brunk W. Conley, the sergeant major of the Army Guard, adding that in the past planning for the competition was usually handled at the National Guard Bureau level, rather than from elements throughout the Army Guard.
"I wanted to evolve it to the Command Sergeant Major Advisory Council taking the lead on the competition and the [Army Guard as a whole] owning this and saying this is our competition," he said.
Conley said that it was an easy fit having the Utah Army Guard run this year's competition.
"I couldn't be more pleased," he said. "One of the things that the Utah Army Guard brings is they have an incredible work ethic."
The Utah Army Guard is also home to a large number of units with a variety of skill and mission sets that could be used to design a tough and challenging competition, said Anderson.
"Utah [Army Guard] has a unique force structure," he said, adding that structure includes a Special Forces group, an aviation group and field artillery, military intelligence and maneuver enhancement brigades.
"So you look at all those skills sets and you're able to put those specialties to use in various capacities on individual [training] lanes," Anderson said. "Overall, it's been a great combination of all these major commands and their skill sets."
The competition was also incorporated into the normal, regular training routines for those units.
"We've been very cognizant of efficient use of money," said Anderson. "We've used a lot of units that are conducting training during their annual training period and it's been tied into their [training] tasks."
The competition was also designed to be a training event for the Soldiers and noncommissioned officers who competed, said Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Miller, the senior enlisted leader with the Utah National Guard.
"At the end of the day, we're trying to build and develop that leader of the next generation and what we do today will effect tomorrow," he said. "When we're building that training concept plan it's not only to hold the competition but to hold it as a training event to build the leader."
Anderson agreed.
"The idea was what could be an amazing learning event for these Soldiers to come in and go through," he said.
The competition provided a similar benefit for those who planned and organized it and those who acted as graders.
"A lot of [Soldiers] will tell you flat out that this is some of the best training they've ever put on and participated in," said Anderson. "If you teach something or if you advise or evaluate something you have to be a subject matter expert and as they've gone through this process they've really sharpened their skill set."
The competition was also put together with the idea of giving the competitors a broader experience than they may otherwise have had during their time in the military.
"I want the Soldiers to come through here and really have a good understanding of what the military offers them," said Anderson. "Depending on what your [job] is you get different experiences. So, some of these guys are going to see things they've never seen before in the military and it will broaden their experiences and give them something different to look at."
The overall goal was to provide an experience that both competitors and competition planners could learn from and use those additional skills at their home units.
"They've developed a solid product they can then take back to their home units and they can work with them to develop awesome training," said Anderson.
As the competition in Utah wraps up, eyes are already on next year's competition, which is slated to be hosted by the Massachusetts Army National Guard.
"We're going to incorporate Lexington and Concord and Bunker Hill and Breed's Hill and we're going to go back to the birthplace of the Army National Guard," said Conley. "That will be my last competition as the Army Guard sergeant major and I can't think of a better place. I'm excited."
And for those planning the competition in Massachusetts, Miller said that preparing early is key.
"Start the preparation now," he said. "Start the planning process now. Build the team. Get the buy-in from the NCO corps."
Miller added that there has already been communication with the Massachusetts Army Guard.
"We're going to hand them a pretty good training package," he said, adding that he's looking forward to seeing how next year's competition unfolds.
"I can't wait to visit Massachusetts next year," he said. "I have full confidence they'll put in as great a competition as we have here."