Photo By Sgt. Kayla Benson | Col. Kristan L. Hericks, the commander of the 96th Sustainment Brigade, awards Spc....... read more read more
SALT LAKE CITY — Two U.S. Army reservists with the 96th Sustainment Brigade, stationed in Utah, went head-to-head in a Best Warrior Competition, Feb. 5 through 8, 2014. The competition pushed the soldiers to their mental and physical limits.
The competition involved an Army Physical Fitness Test, a land navigation course, a 7-mile road march, an M-16 qualification course, combatives tournament and other soldier tasks.
By competing, the two soldiers, Spc. David J. Bass, a transportation specialist with the 419th Transportation Company, and Spc. Austin J. Haynie, a supply specialist with the 395th Financial Management Support Unit, expanded their knowledge and understanding of the Army by appearing before a board of sergeants major. [expand on board]
“My knowledge of the Army has expanded so much,” said Bass. “I recommend any soldier to do it. Even if you come out here and you don’t win, you learn so much, it’s just amazing.”
“[Appearing before the board of command sergeants major] is part of being a soldier - showing your military bearing, showing your knowledge of army customs, processes and procedures- it’s just part of the all-around soldier,” explained Command Sgt. Major Anthony Goodman, the command sergeant major of the brigade support operations section.
Many of the events took place in less than ideal conditions. Bass and Haynie were not given any breaks between the events of the APFT. The weapons qualification, land navigation and 7-mile road march took place at Camp Williams, Utah, which had ice, mud and approximately a foot of snow. These conditions pushed the competitors to challenge their will-power and physical readiness.
“You’re going to embrace suck but it’s going to make you a better person, it’s going to make you harder, it’s going to make you stronger physically and mentally,” said Bass. “You just got to learn to love the suck, to push through it.”
“Spc. Bass and I did the [physical training] test in under seventeen minutes,” said Haynie. “It’s high pace like that so it’s going to help me excel and advance to the next level.”
By representing their units and participating in the competition, these two reservists are better prepared to advance in their careers.
“I’m getting a lot of feedback on where I’m at,” Haynie said. “I know what I did here- going through the board event, doing the ruck march, doing the high-speed PT test, things like that- they’re going to help me because that’s a personal experience that you’re never going to get taken away from you.”
“They get promotion points and the winner receives an Army Reserve Commendation Medal. They reach the next level and the next level and get a little notoriety in the command as well,” said 1st Sgt. Steven Proffit, first sergeant of the 419th TC and noncommissioned officer in charge of the Best Warrior Competition. “Past winners have been able to go to air assault school or other ‘HOOAH’ schools, which will also give them more and more opportunities for advancement and expand their career.”
“I believe [competing] shows I’m willing to put myself out there… I came in head-strong, I put my heart into it, I was fully committed. Not a lot of soldiers can say that,” said Bass.
Witnessing Bass and Haynie compete motivated those watching. Pvt. 1st Class Abdourahmane Wade, a motor operator specialist with 419th TC who was on the support staff for the Best Warrior Competition, decided he would like to compete in next year’s event.
“It’s going beyond challenging myself,” said Wade. “It’s just that ability to push yourself and make sure that you incorporate all the training that was done and given to you and being able to apply it.”
Bass was announced the winner and will continue to the next level of the competition. He received an ARCOM and points toward being promoted to sergeant.
“There’s a sense of pride that comes over you when you accomplish something that’s just outstandingly hard,” Bass said. “Not a lot of people can say, yeah I did that, I accomplished it, I overcame, I defeated.”
| Date Taken: | 02.08.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 02.09.2014 19:07 |
| Story ID: | 120359 |
| Location: | SALT LAKE CITY, UT, US |
| Hometown: | SALT LAKE CITY, UT, US |
| Web Views: | 361 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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