U.S. Army Forces Command Best Squad Competition 2023

Photo By Sgt. Jaidon Novinska | Command Sgt. Maj. Todd Sims (left), the senior enlisted advisor to the U.S. Army Forces Command runs alongside Spc. Christian Brown during the 12-mile Ruck March, a Soldier with the Idaho Army National Guard assigned to U.S. Army Central competing in the U.S. Army Forces Command Best Squad Competition, Aug. 18, 2023, on Fort Campbell, Kentucky. The 12-mile Ruck March was the last physical event in the competition, testing Soldiers’ physical and mental strength. Each Soldiers’ individual readiness is vital to the effectiveness of the squad, and the readiness of the Army as a whole. Physical readiness is important to maintain when building high-functioning squads and assists Soldiers when performing duties as a member of a team. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Jaidon Novinska)  

FORT CAMPBELL, KENTUCKY, UNITED STATES

08.18.2023

Story by Spc. Mason Nichols 

U.S. Army Forces Command

FORT CAMPBELL, K.Y. – Nine Squads, 45 Soldiers from across the U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) competed in a series of physically and mentally strenuous events as part of the FORSCOM Best Squad Competition, Aug. 14-18, 2023, hosted by the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) on Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

This week-long competition assessed all nine squads on their technical and tactical proficiency, as well as their ability to work as a disciplined and cohesive team. According to Master Sgt. Brandon Johnson, a coach for the team representing the U.S. Army Central (ARCENT), leadership and guidance from squad leaders played a key role for all the teams to compete at this level.

“These squad leaders, team leaders, have had to do the number one facet of being a leader, which is to train their Soldiers,” said Johnson.

All the events in the best squad competition directly correlates to real life battle situations in order to assess critical thinking, physical fitness, and mental resilience.

“For a higher-level competition such as this, where you don’t know what’s going to happen, where you don’t know how your [Soldiers] bodies are going to react; time together to train and be a leader is key,” said Johnson.

Following multiple days of familiarization on the various lanes they would compete against, competitors woke up bright and early to the test of a stress shoot, a weapons assembly challenge, and land navigation. The stress shoot consisted of burpees, a kettlebell-carry, sprints, a sked drag and multiple target engagement lanes. As the competitors ran onto the lanes they could get a better view of the challenge ahead, ready to face it head on.

“You’re going to be sweating, you’re going to be tired, but you’re going to love the whole thing,” said Sgt. Skyler Sheets, a competitor from Long Beach, California with the 52nd Ordnance Group (EOD), 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives Command (CBRNE).

During day two of the competition, squads dropped in with a splash. Starting off the day with a Helocast from a CH-47 Chinook into Kentucky Lake near Dover, Tennessee. The competitors pushed themselves physically and mentally to reach the shore safely. Helocasting is an insertion technique developed by airborne troops where Soldiers step off the aircraft's ramp at a low altitude and low speed directly into the water below. Each squad must work together and get every member of their team through the obstacle.

“Jumping out of the helicopter was super fun, a little bit of adrenaline pumping, hit the water, you get up, it's like, wow I just did that,” said Sgt. Jacob Boatman, a competitor from Beaumont, California with 52nd Ordnance Group (EOD), 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives Command (CBRNE).

Following a challenging, wet day, Soldiers from competing squads began qualifying on various weapons systems and speeding through a grueling physical fitness challenge. The squads pushing themselves through these events competed through every level with drive and purpose.

“It's just trying to inspire soldiers by being out there with them doing the things that they are doing, kind of get them motivated,” said Sgt. 1st Class Cody Beadle from Niles, Michigan with 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), XVIII Airborne Corps. “It definitely improves the morale within our unit because everyone has their home team, they can root for right now; it's just inspiring everyone within the organization.”

The fourth day of the challenge was filled with mystery as the competing squads woke up at dawn to run and exercise as part of the Expert Physical Fitness Assessment (EPFA). The EPFA is a combat-focused physical assessment for Soldiers wearing the Army Combat Uniform, boots, body armor and helmet.

Following this unsparing challenge, the competitors moved to a range with no knowledge of the coming call for fire exercise. Call for Fire is when Soldiers request support through a radio from field artillery units, or a Fire Direction Center to suppress an enemy with cannon fire by giving target location and description. This mystery event tested the competing squads ability to respond quickly and effectively to unknown challenges.

“Our unit cohesion with each other, we understand each other's strengths and weaknesses, where one of us falls we’re always there to catch each other and carry each other through,” said Beadle. “It's a great experience, you really learn about yourself, but more importantly, you learn about the guys to your left and right and how impactful they are in pushing you to become better.”

On the final day of the competition Soldiers from the Idaho Army National Guard assigned to ARCENT took the lead in the competition after a 12-mile ruck march and a board of Command Sergeants Major and Sergeants Major who graded their overall military knowledge of Soldier skills.

Command Sgt. Maj. Todd W. Sims, the FORSCOM senior enlisted advisor, spoke at the closing ceremony on the competitors' camaraderie and dedication throughout the week-long competition.

“Seeing these Soldiers out here this week, the competitiveness, warrior spirit, and cohesion they have with each other,” said Sims. “It inspires me and makes me proud to wear this uniform, it is a testament to their hard work and dedication and also to their leaders.”

The winning squad from ARCENT will now represent FORSCOM at the Department of the Army Best Squad Competition this September.

“It feels very validating to me and my team for the amount of preparation and hard work that we put into getting ready for this competition, said Staff Sgt. Joshua Hutchings from Boise, Idaho, squad leader of the winning team. “[The] amount of drive, motivation, and ambition that each one of us on the team showed to persevere and go from event to event despite the fatigue, the lack of sleep and any challenge that came before us.”

(Spc. Kasimir Jackson contributed to this story.)

• Date Taken: 08.18.2023
• Date Posted: 08.19.2023 15:50
• Story ID: 451726
• Location: FORT CAMPBELL, KENTUCKY, US
• Hometown: BERRIEN SPRINGS, MICHIGAN, US
• Hometown: BOISE, IDAHO, US
• Hometown: FORT CAMPBELL, KENTUCKY, US
• Hometown: LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA, US