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Wisconsin Army Guard members vie for Best Warrior honors

April 21, 2023 //
Vaughn R. Larson, Department of Military Affairs
20230421-Z-ST689-1036 - Sgt. Payton Wehr
Sgt. Taylor Reichow, a Wisconsin Army National Guard Soldier assigned to Bravo Battery 1st Battalion, 121st Field Artillery, plots a point during the land navigation event for the Wisconsin National Guard’s 2023 Best Warrior Competition at Fort McCoy, Wis., April 21. The Wisconsin Army National Guard’s annual Best Warrior 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. 112th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment photo by Sgt. Payton Wehr

by Wisconsin National Guard Public Affairs

FORT MCCOY, Wis. — This morning, Wisconsin Army National Guard Soldiers from units across the state began a grueling three-day gauntlet known as the Best Warrior Competition.

The competition tests each Soldier’s endurance while measuring their physical, mental and professional capacity as they demonstrate their proficiency in various tasks. Physical fitness, marksmanship and land navigation are among the tasks competitors will face as the weekend progresses.

“The Soldiers and noncommissioned officers that we have here today are among the best that we have in the entire Wisconsin Army National Guard,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Curtis Patrouille, the Wisconsin Army National Guard’s senior enlisted leader. “What’s great about this event is that the competition brings out the best in our Soldiers, and this is a time to compete among the best.”

20230421-Z-ST689-1088 - Sgt. Payton Wehr
Staff Sgt. Michael Petersen, a Wisconsin Army National Guard Soldier assigned to Charlie Troop, 1st Squadron, 105th Cavalry, speaks with other Soldiers following his completion of the land navigation event for the Wisconsin National Guard 2023 Best Warrior Competition at Fort McCoy, Wis., April 21. Peterson was the first to complete the land navigation event. The Wisconsin Army National Guard’s annual Best Warrior 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. (112th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment photo by Sgt. Payton Wehr)

The Best Warrior Competition at Fort McCoy is not open to the public, but photos and live updates will be posted throughout the weekend on the Wisconsin National Guard’s Facebook page.

“I’m really looking forward to the next few days,” Patrouille said. “We are going to challenge our Soldiers and NCOs as they have never been challenged before, and select the top performers from this elite group.”

The Soldiers named Best Warrior and Best Noncommissioned Officer will advance to the Regional Best Warrior Competition next month at Camp James A. Garfield in Newton Falls, Ohio.

Wisconsin Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition 2023 - Staff Sgt. Amber Peck
Spc. Christopher Kniprath, a Wisconsin Army National Guard Soldier assigned to Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 147th Aviation Regiment, plots a point on his map during the land navigation event for the Wisconsin Army National Guard’s 2023 Best Warrior Competition at Fort McCoy, Wis., April 21. The Wisconsin Army National Guard’s annual Best Warrior 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. 112th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment photo by Staff Sgt. Amber Peck

Best Warrior competitors include:

Sgt. Hendrik Boese, 732nd Combat Support Sustainment Battalion (La Crosse, Wisconsin)

Sgt. Logan Butler, 1st Battalion, 147th Aviation (Spring Valley, Wisconsin)

Sgt. Jeffrey Demeyers, Company A, 132nd Brigade Support Battalion (Franklin, Wisconsin)

Spc. Connor Ford, Troop A, 1st Squadron, 105th Cavalry (Belleville, Wisconsin)

Staff Sgt. Austen Jahnke, Company B, 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry (Stevens Point, Wisconsin)

Sgt. Benjamin Kilcoyne, Company B, 173rd Brigade Engineer Battalion (Minneapolis)

Spc. Christopher Kniprath, 1st Battalion, 147th Aviation (Barneveld, Wisconsin)

Sgt. Tyler Leadholm, 950th Engineer Company (Holmen, Wisconsin)

Spc. Conner Losen, Company B, 173rd Brigade Engineer Battalion (La Crosse, Wisconsin)

Spc. Ronan Magiera-Kmiecik, Company C, 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry (Onalaska, Wisconsin)

Spc. Matthew Marks, Detachment 1, Company C, 1st Battalion, 147th Aviation (Wautoma, Wisconsin)

Spc. Nikita Nielsen, Battery A, 1st Battalion, 120th Field Artillery (Sparta, Wisconsin)

Staff Sgt, Michael Petersen, Troop C, 1st Squadron, 105th Cavalry (Arlington, Wisconsin)

Spc. Jordan Reed, 732nd Combat Support Sustainment Battalion (Galway, Illinois)

Sgt. Taylor Reichow, Battery B, 1st Battalion, 121st Field Artillery (Oshkosh, Wisconsin)

Sgt. Ryan Rowe, Headquarters Company, 724th Engineer Battalion (Bloomington, Minnesota)

Spc. Hunter Schultz, 641st Troop Command Battalion (Chetek, Wisconsin)

Sgt. Dasia Smith, Company E, 1st Battalion, 147th Aviation (Duluth, Minnesota)

Sgt. Alicia Sobczak, 641st Troop Command Battalion (Madison, Wisconsin)

Sgt. Elizabeth Soter, Battery C, 1st Battalion, 120th Field Artillery (Racine, Wisconsin)

Spc. Jack Staus, Battery B, 1st Battalion, 121st Field Artillery (Oconomowoc, Wisconsin)

Staff Sgt. Amanda Stock, Recruiting and Retention Battalion (Monona, Wisconsin)

Sgt. Tyler Uhls, Company C, 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry (Sparta, Wisconsin)

Spc. Jonathan Walter, Company C, 132nd Brigade Support Battalion (Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin)

Spc. William Warner, Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry (Seymour, Wisconsin)

Spc. Hunter White, 950th Engineer Company (Cumberland, Wisconsin)

Staff Sgt. Crystal Zacharias, Headquarters Detachment, 426th Regiment Regional Training Institute (Clayton, Wisconsin)

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