Photo By Sgt. Amber Sanders | Sgt. 1st Class Kyle Vanderlaan of the Army Reserve Careers Division conducts a mock...... read more read more
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JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. – Sgt. 1st Class Kyle Vanderlaan had just left training. He was preparing for his second division level Best Warrior competition. On his cruiser motorcycle, Vanderlaan was traveling about 45 miles per hour when all of a sudden a vehicle cut him off making a left turn in front of his motorcycle.
The Best Warrior competition consists of enlisted Soldiers in the ranks of private to sergeant first class who have won at their local command levels. The Competition began June 23 and runs through June 27. The winner will move on to compete at the U.S. Army Best Warrior this year at Fort Lee, Virginia.
Vanderlaan, a native of Calebonia, Michigan, joined the Army Reserve in 2004 as a human resource specialist. He has since graduated from college with bachelor degrees in criminal justice and psychology. He has also deployed to Kosovo, and become an Army career counselor. During his time in service he has earned numerous awards and decorations.
Vanderlaan said being an Army Reserve Soldier means he sets standards higher, balances a separate life and strives to be tactfully and technically proficient. He also said he chose to compete in Best Warrior to evaluate his soldiering skills.
“I am competitive,” Vanderlaan said. “ Competition allows me to compare my abilities and to improve where needed.”
Training for the competition was not a difficult task for him. His normal routine keeps him in shape.
“I workout six days a week,” Vanderlaan said. “ I do MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), jiujitsu, strength training and instruct a circuit training class at my reserve unit three times a week.”
Vanderlaan said he loves working out and a lot of his motivation comes from his wife, Kayleigh Vanderlaan.
“We workout together,” he said. “She is my best friend.”
With the motivation he receives from his wife and his drive to never give up, despite the adversities he has faced, Vanderlaan refuses to quit.
| Date Taken: | 06.25.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 06.25.2014 10:07 |
| Story ID: | 134336 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, NJ, US |
| Hometown: | CALEDONIA, MI, US |
| Web Views: | 1,128 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Despite Adversities, by SGT Amber Sanders, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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