U.S. Army Spc. Cristopher Curiel, an infantryman, assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division, receives the Meritorious Service Medal from Command Sgt. Maj. Christopher Mullinax, command sergeant major of U.S. Army Europe and Africa, after being named Soldier of the Year during the U.S. Army Europe and Africa Best Squad Competition awards ceremony at Tower Barracks, Grafenwoehr, Germany, Aug. 6, 2026. The title distinguished Curiel as U.S. Army Europe and Africa’s top junior Soldier following a command-wide test of technical skill, tactical proficiency, endurance and fortitude.
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: | 08.06.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 08.11.2026 04:33 |
| Photo ID: | 9854177 |
| VIRIN: | 260806-A-WQ640-1007 |
| Resolution: | 2687x3684 |
| Size: | 3.72 MB |
| Location: | GRAFENWOEHR, BAYERN, DE |
| Web Views: | 5 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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