2nd SBCT Soldier wins USARPAC’s paralegal challenge

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Kyle Richardson | Spc. Glen Swanson, from Germantown, Md., a paralegal specialist assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, competed and won the United States Army Pacific’s Paralegal Warrior Challenge in Hawaii Sept. 15-19. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Kyle Richardson, USARPAC Public Affairs/Released).  

WAHIAWA, HI, UNITED STATES

09.26.2014

Story by Staff Sgt. Carlos Davis 

2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii – An Army paralegal specialist job is to maintain law and order and ensuring the punishment fits the crime. However, when it comes to basic soldiering skills one paralegal stands out in front of the rest.

Spc. Glen Swanson, from Germantown, Md., a paralegal specialist assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, competed and won the United States Army Pacific’s Paralegal Warrior Challenge in Hawaii Sept. 15-19.

A challenge that has been dominated by 2nd SBCT Soldiers for the past three years, Swanson knew it was his turn to carry the torch.

“I have been really lucky to be surrounded by great leaders and peers who push me to reach my potential,” he said. “They always supported me in whatever I was doing to prepare for this challenge.”

Swanson leaders describe him as highly motivated and they believe there isn’t anything too big that he can’t accomplish.

“He is the type of Soldiers who wants to do everything,” said Staff Sgt. Deborah Denny, from Tucson, Ariz., the paralegal noncommissioned officer for HHC. “He has big plans, next he wants to complete Air Assault School and I believe he can achieve anything he set his mind to. He pushes himself harder than anyone else and he accepts the challenge from his leaders.”

Swanson and 21 other competitors from around the Pacific area of operations were tested on warrior tasks, assembly and disassembly of weapons, weapon qualification, written examinations, a question and answer board, the Army physical fitness test, a road march, and a general knowledge examination on their specific military occupation, and a 100-meter swim test for time.

“Its things we do everyday as Soldiers,” said Swanson. “All Soldiers should be able to ruck, every Soldier should be able to run and do well on their pt test.”

Swanson accomplishments in the competition have left a lasting expression on Soldiers who are new to the unit.

According to Denny, she has a new Soldier who has came to the unit in the last couple of months and already said he wants to go out there and compete in the next competition.

“My plan is to share my experiences with Pvt. Daven Gates, who is planning to represent 2nd SBCT next year in the competition, and all the silly mistakes I made in the competition I will be sure he will not make them,” Swanson added.

• Date Taken: 09.26.2014
• Date Posted: 09.29.2014 16:58
• Story ID: 143666
• Location: WAHIAWA, HI, US
• Hometown: GERMANTOWN, MD, US
• Hometown: TUCSON, AZ, US