Army chief visits Fort Lee, 2014 Best Warrior competitors

Photo By Patrick Buffett | Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno chats with Staff Sgt. Jacob West who is representing the 3rd Infantry Regiment (Old Guard) during the 2014 Best Warrior Competition at Fort Lee, Va. Odierno toured one of the BWC test sites today and took the time to thank the event coordinators and evaluators, the support staff and, most importantly, the competitors. Twenty-eight Soldiers representing 14 Army commands vied for the BWC titles of NCO and Soldier of the Year. The competition concludes this evening. (U.S. Army Photo by Patrick Buffett)  

FORT LEE, VA, UNITED STATES

10.09.2014

Story by Patrick Buffett 

Fort Gregg-Adams

FORT LEE, Va. – Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno paid a visit to Fort Lee today to get a first-hand look at the annual Best Warrior Competition.

The first stop on his itinerary was a BWC testing site where competitors were demonstrating their ability to lead troops while overcoming obstacles like transporting filled fuel cans across a rope bridge. He wandered throughout the area, taking the time to thank event coordinators and evaluators, the support staff and, most importantly, the competing Soldiers.

Odierno was accompanied by Sgt. Maj. of the Army Raymond Chandler III, whose office sponsors the annual competition, as well as Maj. Gen. Stephen Lyons, Combined Arms Support Command and Fort Lee commanding general, and Command Sgt. Maj. Terry Parham Sr., CASCOM command sergeant major.

Twenty-eight individuals representing 14 Army commands vied for the titles of NCO and Soldier of the Year during the four-day competition. In addition to the "leaders reaction course" that Odierno observed, the BWC events included the Army Physical Fitness Test, weapons ranges, mystery tasks, and warrior task and battle drill lanes where the candidates demonstrated their knowledge and ability to perform combat survival skills. The competition concludes with an awards ceremony this evening at Fort Lee. A live video feed of the ceremony will be available at www.dvidshub.net.

"Thanks for doing this," Odierno said often as he talked to the competing NCOs who were being tested at the LRC site.

Addressing a small group of competitors, he noted, "I think the fact that you’re here says a lot about you. It means you were selected from a large group of people to participate, so that is noteworthy, first because you wanted to do this and second because of the amount of effort you put into it.

"Part of being noncommissioned officers of the future is taking on challenges because we’re going to continue putting you in places where you have significant challenges. It’s about overcoming the unknown and figuring out solutions. That’s the kind of leaders we want. We want adaptable individuals who can think on their feet; who can accomplish things they may not be prepared to do or may not have seen before. Leaders like you will need to figure it out and make the right decisions.

"That’s why I think this (competition) is so important," Odierno said. "Because the ways we pick who our best noncommissioned officers are is really how they think on their feet and what they can do mentally and physically. That’s the key. … So I appreciate the effort you put into this, and I think it’s important when you get back to your units to talk about it and share this experience. I’m really very proud of you for doing this."

Odierno concluded his visit on the Ordnance Campus at Fort Lee. There, he met retired Command Sgt. Maj. Bennie Adkins, a recent Medal of Honor recipient who was invited to speak at the Best Warrior awards dinner. The final stop also included a walking tour of the Ordnance School and its Welder Training Bay. That was followed by a windshield tour of other training facilities and barracks construction sites prior to the Army chief’s departure.

• Date Taken: 10.09.2014
• Date Posted: 10.09.2014 15:04
• Story ID: 144765
• Location: FORT LEE, VA, US