350th Civil Affairs Command battles it out by the Alamo

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Felix Fimbres | Command sergeants major from the 350th Civil Affairs Command, grill a best warrior candidate during the oral board portion of the Best Warrior Competition at Camp Bullis, March 25, 2012.  

SAN ANTONIO, TX, UNITED STATES

03.25.2012

Story by Staff Sgt. Felix Fimbres 

U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne)

CAMP BULLIS, Texas — Spc. Cecil Shaw, of the 451st Civil Affairs Battalion in Pasadena, Texas, found himself limping towards the finish line with sweat covering him from head to toe. While this was a race, his competitors rallied behind him and cheered him to the finish. Even though the U.S. Army Best Warrior Competition season may be ripe with a series of highly competitive affairs, the underlying camaraderie that every soldier carries with him isn’t trumped by who finishes first.

This is especially true for Sgt. Joseph Schrock of Headquarters, Headquarters Command of the 350th, a veteran of multiple best warrior competitions. This will be his second time competing against the best the 350th CACOM has to offer. After narrowly taking 2nd last year, Schrock is back and ready to give whomever wins not only a fair fight but also a helping hand.

“If they can beat me — great, and if they want me to sponsor them and help them get thru it because I’ve already been here, then I’m all about that too. The end state is getting the right guy from the 350th to keep advancing and being the best in the Army,” explained Schrock.

Staff Sgt. Andrew J. Paulson, of Grapevine, Texas, is a civil affairs team sergeant with the 413th in Lubbock, Texas and last year’s 350th CACOM best warrior, has come back to not only give whomever was chosen a good challenge, but to experience a unique Army tradition.

“What we do during the Best Warrior Competition is why most people join the military, so if you want to get a real good taste — get back to the basics. Do a best warrior competition. It’s all about soldiering,” said Paulson.

Over the course of three days, the best warriors put their soldiering skills to the test by completing basic events like the Army physical fitness test and the ruck march, but also combat skills like marksmanship and combatives, and were also mentally challenged with written exams and oral boards.

Oral boards provide the sergeants major of the 350th CACOM a chance to put their soldiers under stress by asking a barrage of questions that must be met with confidence and knowledge. A soldier never wants to be to be grilled by a sergeant major, let alone four at the same time.

“You have to know your Army regulations and field manuals, but most of all you have to be confident, no matter what,” said Cpl. John Diaz, from El Paso, Texas, and is a civil affairs team sergeant with the 410th

Certainly knowing the material helps, and no other soldier has had a more intense study regiment then Staff Sgt. Bartholomew Rhode from Columbus, Neb., the senior intelligence sergeant for the 486th Civil Affairs Battalion in Tulsa, Okla., took his preparation to a whole new level.

“I studied online, but I also downloaded the audio files from the Army study guide website and listened to them whenever I could — during runs, at work, and even in my sleep,” said Rohde, just minutes after exiting the sergeants major lion’s den, unscathed and supremely confident in his performance.

In fact, one thing all of these soldiers can take away from these events is a new-found understanding of their capabilities.

“It’s a challenge in every way. It teaches you what you can be capable of doing. You will find out how strong you are,” said Sgt. Arnaldo Rivera, is a civil affairs team leader with the 402nd in Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico who lives in San Juan.

As the sun began to set over Texas, it was time to announce the two winners. After much deliberation and a careful examination of each soldiers performance, two winners emerged from the pack; Staff Sgt. Bartholomew Rhode of the 486th Civil Affairs Battalion in Tulsa, Okla., and Spc. Shad A. Barrows of the 413th CA Battalion in Lubbock, Texas.

And while victory may be sweet for Rhode and Barrows, it will also be short lived, another battle waits just over the horizon. They are the first two of 16 soldiers who will be selected to meet at Fort Bragg, N.C., to find out who will become the U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne)’s next best warrior.

• Date Taken: 03.25.2012
• Date Posted: 04.10.2012 13:29
• Story ID: 86522
• Location: SAN ANTONIO, TX, US
• Hometown: SAN JUAN, PR
• Hometown: BIG SPRING, TX, US
• Hometown: COLUMBUS, NE, US
• Hometown: EL PASO, TX, US
• Hometown: GRAPEVINE, TX, US
• Hometown: HOUSTON, TX, US