U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Andrea Garcia, a military police soldier, assigned to 68th Theater Medical Command, raises a canteen cup after the item is called out during an equipment check on day zero of the U.S. Army Europe and Africa Best Squad Competition at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, July 29, 2026. The rapid item callout tests Soldiers’ attention to detail and ability to quickly identify and present required equipment before the competition’s events begin.
Teams from across U.S. Army Europe and Africa will meet at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, to compete for the title of Best Squad, July 30-Aug. 6, 2026. The event tests the squad’s effectiveness, communication, and overall cohesion, as well as the individual Soldiers’ technical and tactical proficiency, endurance, and fortitude. This competitive training event exercises a full range of Squad-Level Skills; highlighting professional excellence and knowledge to determine the command’s top teams. Winners of this competition will advance to represent U.S. Army Europe and Africa at the Army Best Squad Competition. One noncommissioned officer and one junior Soldier will be selected out of the final winning squad to be named the Army’s Best NCO and Best Soldier of the Year, respectively. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Griffin Payne)
| Date Taken: | 07.29.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 07.29.2026 15:38 |
| Photo ID: | 9838544 |
| VIRIN: | 260729-A-WQ640-1002 |
| Resolution: | 6000x3684 |
| Size: | 4.17 MB |
| Location: | GRAFENWOHER, BAYERN, DE |
| Web Views: | 24 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, USAREUR-AF Best Squad Competition Day Zero Layout [Image 10 of 10], by SGT Griffin Payne, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.