Best Warrior Competition

Fourteen National Guard soldiers from seven states recently competed in the Region IV Best Warrior Competition at Camp Ripley Training Center, Minnesota. Story by SSG Johnny Angelo.

Soldiers from across Ohio compete in the 2025 Ohio Army National Guard State Best Warrior Competition at Camp James A. Garfield Joint Military Training Center, in Newton Falls, Ohio, April 4-6, 2025. The BWC featured events designed to challenge participants in multiple areas including marksmanship, land navigation, combat fitness and military leadership.(U.S. Army National Guard video by Spc. Carleeann Smiddy, 196th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)

Soldiers from across Ohio compete in the 2025 Ohio Army National Guard State Best Warrior Competition at Camp James A. Garfield Joint Military Training Center, in Newton Falls, Ohio, April 4-6, 2025. The BWC featured events designed to challenge participants in multiple areas including marksmanship, land navigation, combat fitness and military leadership.(U.S. Army National Guard video by Spc. Carleeann Smiddy, 196th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)

Wisconsin Army National Guard Soldiers and noncommissioned officers compete in the 2023 Wisconsin Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition at Fort McCoy, Wis., April 20-23. The competition is designed to recognize and reward Soldiers who demonstrate exceptional skills, leadership, and dedication through a variety of grueling tasks including a 12-mile road march, weapons qualifications, land navigation, and the Army Combat Fitness Test. The four-day competition culminates in the crowning of Wisconsin’s best Soldier and noncommissioned officer of the year. (U.S. Army Video by Sgt. Alex E. Soliday)

Package about Ore. Army and Air National Guardsmen taking part in the Ore. Warrior Competition. Three events, the Adjutant General's Match, the Best Warrior Competition and the State Combatives Tournament pit these top notch competitors against each other to prove they are number one. Produced by Spc. Matt Mikolas.

Package about Ore. Army and Air National Guardsmen taking part in the Ore. Warrior Competition.Produced by Spc. Matt Mikolas.

Package made from "2010 Best Warrior NCO Camp " in the B-roll section about the Army Reserve Medical Command Soldiers Best Warrior NCO competition. Sound bites include Maj. Gen. Robert J. Kasulke. Produced by Lt. Col. William D. Ritter.

Package made from "2010 Best Warrior Competition " b-roll about about Spc. Joshua McDowell from Omaha, Neb., winning the 2010 Army Reserve Medical Command Best Warrior competition for enlisted service members. Produced by Lt. Col. William Ritter. Soundbite from Maj. Gen. Robert Kasulke

Package about The U.S. Army Of The Pacific's (USARPAC) annual ball and choosing it's Soldier and NCO of the Year. Includes sound bites from Lt. Gen. Benjamin R. Mixon, USARPAC Commanding General, Staff Sgt. Eddie Barba, USARPAC NCO Of The Year, Fort Wainwright, Alaska, and Spc. Andy James, USARPAC Soldier of The Year, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, HI. Produced by Lance Cpl. Kevin Beebe. Also see "USARPAC Best Warrior" in the audio section.

Package of the land navigation course portion of the Army Reserve 2010 Best Warrior Competition at Fort McCoy, Wisc., with interviews from Sgt. Daniel E. Acree, a multi-media illustrator from Sonora, Calif., assigned to 368th Military Intelligence Battalion, Sgt. 1st Class Christopher L. Bender, and infantryman from Wendell, N.C., assigned to the 70th Division, and Spc. Joshua W. Cole, a graphic illustrator from Longview, Texas, assigned to the 100th Division. Produced by Staff Sgt. Mark Burrell.

Package of Reserve Soldiers competing in the 2010 Best Warrior Competition. Scenes include various events in the competition and sound bites from U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers, Sgt. Thomas Williams and Staff Sgt. Jason Fiedler. Produced by Sgt. Ginifer Spada.

Package about the third mystery event at the 2010 U.S. Army Reserve Best Warrior Competition at Fort McCoy, Wisc. Produced by Staff Sgt. Mark Burrell and Sgt. Joshua Risner.

B-roll of the first day of Best Warrior Competitions and competitors face a board of command sergeants major who question them testing their military knowledge and current events while scrutinizing their uniforms to see if they measure up to Army standards. This week Army Reserve Soldiers compete for Non-Commissioned Officer and Soldier of the Year. Includes interviews with Sgt. Alicia Rider and Sgt. David Rider from Strongsville, Ohio.

Cpl. Sabrina Martinez KVIA-TV reporter in El Paso, Texas about being a participant in the Best Warrior Competition.

B-roll of Day two of the Army's 2010 Best Warrior Competition at Fort Lee, Va. Scenes include the Army Physical Fitness Test, and includes interviews with Sgt. David Rider, Spec. Joshua McDowell, Sgt. Alicia Rider and Staff Sgt. Richard Burton. Part 2 of 2.

Staff Sgt. Adam Sahlberg talks to an Auburn Journal reporter about being a participant in the Best Warrior Competition.

Spc. Alex Perenishko from Pasadena, Calif. talks to a military reporter about his participation in the Best Warrior Competition, the knowledge he has gained, the most challenging event.

Sgt. John Ferguson from Indian River, Mich. talks to a military reporter about his participation in the Best Warrior Competition, the knowledge he has gained, the most challenging event.

Staff Sgt. Christopher McDougall from Indianapolis, Ind. talks to a military reporter about his participation in the Best Warrior Competition, the knowledge he has gained, the most challenging event.

B-roll of Day two of the Army's 2010 Best Warrior Competition at Fort Lee, Va. Scenes include the Army Physical Fitness Test, and includes interviews with Sgt. David Rider, Spec. Joshua McDowell, Sgt. Alicia Rider and Staff Sgt. Richard Burton. Part 1 of 2.

Cpl. Sabrina Martinez from El Paso, Texas, talks to a KFOX-TV reporter in El Paso, Texas about being a participant in the Best Warrior Competition.

Staff Sgt. Eddy Barba Reno, Nev. talks to a military reporter about his participation in the Best Warrior Competition, the knowledge he has gained, the most challenging event.

Pfc. Cody R. Dodson from Mukilteo, Wash. talks to a reporter about participating in the Best Warrior Competition.

B-roll of Army Reserve NCO Best Warrior Sgt. David Rider and Soldier Best Warrior Spc. Joshua McDowell as they prepare for upcoming events at Fort Lee, Va. Day three of the Army's 2010 Best Warrior Competition found competitors doing pre-combat checks and pre-combat inspections. Produced by Byron Matin.

B-roll of day four of the Army Best Warrior Competition including events such as engaging targets during urban operations, tactical convoy operations, responding to and evaluating casualties and day and night weapons qualification. Army Reserve competitors Sgt. David Rider and Spec. Joshua McCowell attended a celebrity luncheon with N.F.L. football stars, Ultimate Fighting Championship series fighters and their fellow competitors that provided a mid-day break in the intense competition. Also includes an interview with Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth O. Preston.

B-roll and sound bites from the U.S. Army Best Warrior Competition at Fort Lee, Va. This footage is from the fifth day of the event. Produced by Byron Martin.

Spc. James Mata talks to the Warrior’s Corner at the AUSA Convention about his experiences in the military and his deployment in Iraq. Part 3 of 3

Spc. James Mata talks to the Warrior’s Corner at the AUSA Convention about his experiences in the military and his deployment in Iraq. Part 2 of 3

Spc. James Mata talks to the Warrior’s Corner at the AUSA Convention about his experiences in the military and his deployment in Iraq. Part 1 of 3

B-roll of the Best Warrior Competition 2011 held on Ft. Shafter and Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. Scenes include U.S. Army reservists from across the Pacific gathering to compete in the 9th Mission Support Command's regional Best Warrior Competition which kicked off April 20, 2011. Alaska native Spc. Jessica Storch, a medic with the 1984th U.S. Army Hospital was honored as the new Soldier of the year. Guam-based Sgt. Gerald Manansala, an interior electrician for the 797th Engineer Company, 411th Engineer Battalion, was honored as the Non-commissioned officer of the year. Part 3 of 3.

B-roll of the Best Warrior Competition 2011 held on Ft. Shafter and Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. Scenes include U.S. Army reservists from across the Pacific gathering to compete in the 9th Mission Support Command's regional Best Warrior Competition which kicked off April 20, 2011. Alaska native Spc. Jessica Storch, a medic with the 1984th U.S. Army Hospital was honored as the new Soldier of the year. Guam-based Sgt. Gerald Manansala, an interior electrician for the 797th Engineer Company, 411th Engineer Battalion, was honored as the Non-commissioned officer of the year. Part 2 of 3.

B-roll of the Best Warrior Competition 2011 held on Ft. Shafter and Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. Scenes include U.S. Army reservists from across the Pacific gathering to compete in the 9th Mission Support Command's regional Best Warrior Competition which kicked off April 20, 2011. Alaska native Spc. Jessica Storch, a medic with the 1984th U.S. Army Hospital was honored as the new Soldier of the year. Guam-based Sgt. Gerald Manansala, an interior electrician for the 797th Engineer Company, 411th Engineer Battalion, was honored as the Non-commissioned officer of the year. Part 1 of 3.

News Package on the 335th Signal Command Theater Provisional's Best Warrior Competition. Sound bites from Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Mechan, 335th Signal Command, Pfc. Jonathan Budnik, Soldier of the Year Winner, and Staff Sgt. Carlos Eggins, NCO of the Year Winner.

Package about soldiers competing during the IMCOM Best Warrior competition. Produced by Shayna Brouker. Includes soundbites from Command Sgt. Maj. Wayne LaClair - IMCOM Best Warrior Competition Team Lead, Keith Smith - Installation Management Command, and Sgts. Jacob Brewster and Dane Jordan - IMCOM Best Warrior competitors. Also available in high definition. After an exhausting week of rucking, wrestling, shooting and soldiering, each of the nine best Soldiers and noncommissioned officers in the U.S. Army Installation Management Command received an award for participating in the command's first-ever Best Warrior competition. But only two became Soldier and NCO of the Year. Sgt. Jeremy Brake, an automated logistics specialist for U.S. Army Garrison Daegu, representing the IMCOM Korea region, was named NCO of the Year. Spc. Jonathan Melendez, a military police officer for USAG Schinnen, Netherlands, representing IMCOM Europe, was named Soldier of the Year for the command. Sgt. Jacob A. Brewster from USAG Stuttgart and Spc. Paige Plumlee from USAG West Point, N.Y., were runners up. The event took place May 22-26 in the rolling hills of Camp Bullis near San Antonio, Texas. Brake and Melendez will go on to represent IMCOM at the Army-wide Best Warrior Competition in October at Fort Lee, Va. At the Army level, they will face the same challenges they overcame in Texas, including a board appearance, weapons qualification, 12-mile road march, day and night land navigation, warrior tasks testing and combatives " though likely in cooler conditions. Fort Lee averages 72 degrees Fahrenheit in October, while the average temperature in San Antonio hovered around 95 degrees throughout the competition week. All competitors were winners no less, said Lt. Gen. Rick Lynch, commanding general of IMCOM, addressing the Soldiers alongside IMCOM Command Sgt. Maj. Neil Ciotola. "Don't leave this competition thinking you're not a winner," Lynch said. "You're all winners. Noncommissioned officers are the backbone of the Army. Officers might come up with the ideas, but you all are the ones who get it done." All nine competitors received a small statue commemorating their experience at Camp Bullis, and the winners were given a shadow box containing a coin from each of the IMCOM garrison commanders as well as a $1,000 savings bonds from Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command. Both Menendez and Brake credited their family, sponsors, garrisons, regions -- and fellow competitors -- for getting them this far. "Winning this competition was very challenging because I had to distinguish myself from all these great warriors," Menendez said. "I would not have been able to achieve this without the support of my wife, Mary, my parents and the outstanding leadership I have had throughout my military career." Brake echoed his sentiment with a nod toward the eight other Soldiers he battled alongside and against over the past five days. "It's been a crazy week, everybody," Brake said. "To the rest of the competitors, you guys are outstanding. Each and every one of you could have been standing up here." Ciotola, who led the competition, took time to commend the competitors, highlight the purpose of the five-day event and outline the mission of IMCOM " to support and sustain the Army's home. The IMCOM Best Warriors continue a tradition going back to the very beginning of the U.S. Army, Ciotola said. "Six companies of expert riflemen formed the foundation of what we've become " the most feared and revered land fighting force in the history of humanity. And you represent that. That's who you are. I'm so proud of you," he said. "You lift me up, you fill my heart, you have proven my words: That you have boundless potential. Don't ever be satisfied with what you are." For more stories, video and photos of the 2011 IMCOM Best Warrior competition, visit http://www.facebook.com/IMCOMBestWarrior.

B-roll of the U.S. Army Reserve's Best Warrior Competition 2011 held in Fort McCoy, Wis. Scenes include Soldiers competing in the physical fitness part of the competition.

B-roll of the U.S. Army Reserve Best Warrior Competition 2011. Includes interview with Staff Sgt. David Parker from Fort Hood, Texas, Sgt. 1st Class Martin Rodriguez from Aurora, Colo. and Staff Sgt. Max Rees from Costa Mesa, Calif. Includes scenes from Night/Day Land Navigation.

B-roll of the U.S. Army Reserve Best Warrior Competition 2011. Includes interviews with Pfc. Justing Arrington from Riverdale, Md., Sgt. Le'Fate Jones from Fort Dix, N.J., Pfc. Jonathan Larson from Adelphi, Md., Sgt. Sanjeet Caberwal from Fort Totten, N.Y., Staff Sgt. Matthew Easley from Sacramento, Calif. and Sgt. Jacob Probst from Milwaukee, Wis.

B-roll and sound bites from the 2011 U.S. Army Reserve Best Warrior Competition. Part 2 of 2.

B-roll and sound bites from the 2011 U.S. Army Reserve Best Warrior Competition. Part 1 of 2.

Minot and Burlington, North Dakota are expecting severe flooding and Minot Air Force Base and the local community are working together to minimize damage on their towns. Produced by Airman 1st Class Geni Oslund.

B-roll of Soldiers competing in the U.S. Army Reserve Best Warrior Competition in the M9 pistol qualification, M4 day qualification and the M203 Grenade Launcher qualification.

B-roll of the combatives tournament held at Fort McCoy, Wis. as part of the U.S. Army Reserve Best Warrior Competition.

B-roll of the combatives tournament held at Fort McCoy, Wis. as part of the U.S. Army Reserve Best Warrior Competition.

B-roll of the combatives tournament held at Fort McCoy, Wis. as part of the U.S. Army Reserve Best Warrior Competition.

B-roll of the combatives tournament held at Fort McCoy, Wis. as part of the U.S. Army Reserve Best Warrior Competition.

B-roll of the combatives tournament held at Fort McCoy, Wis. as part of the U.S. Army Reserve Best Warrior Competition.

B-roll of the combatives tournament held at Fort McCoy, Wis. as part of the U.S. Army Reserve Best Warrior Competition.

B-roll of the combatives tournament held at Fort McCoy, Wis. as part of the U.S. Army Reserve Best Warrior Competition.

B-roll of the combatives tournament held at Fort McCoy, Wis. as part of the U.S. Army Reserve Best Warrior Competition.

B-roll of the combatives tournament held at Fort McCoy, Wis. as part of the U.S. Army Reserve Best Warrior Competition.