Hawaii Soldier earns chance to be Army Best Warrior

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Robert Jordan | U.S. Army Sgt. Michael Hooks, a horizontal construction engineer assigned to Headquarters, 130th Engineer Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command, U.S. Army Pacific, from Metropolis, Ill., concentrates during the written exam event at the U.S. Army’s Best Warrior Competition at Fort A.P. Hill, Va., Oct. 5, 2015. The competition is a grueling, weeklong event that tests the skills, knowledge and professionalism of 26 warriors representing 13 commands. (U.S. Army National Guard Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Robert Jordan/Released) #BestWarrior  

FORT A.P. HILL, VA, UNITED STATES

10.06.2015

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Robert Jordan    

North Carolina National Guard

FORT A.P. HILL, Va. – U.S. Army Sgt. Michael Hooks, a horizontal construction engineer assigned to Headquarters, 130th Engineer Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command, from Metropolis, Ill., came to the Army’s Best Warrior Competition not to beat other Soldiers but to better himself.

“The motivation in a competition gives you that extra push to see what you really have,” said Hooks

Over the weeklong period he and his peers will met challenges of brain and brawn, poise and professionalism designed by the silent professionals assigned to the Asymmetric Warfare Group, as well as input from the Army’s senior enlisted leader, Sgt. Maj, of the Army Daniel A. Dailey.

“I want to be the best noncommissioned officer I can be,” said Hooks.

Essays on army professionalism, written tests on the precision execution of land navigation, rapid assembly of weapons from mixed piles of parts required a clear and trained mind.

His body was tested by grueling physical fitness tests, timed contest of push-ups, sit-ups and two-mile run. Smooth, fast movements and controlled breaths changed into slow, shaky struggles for one more rep and gasps for air as he approaches his limit.

“You keeping pushing yourself and your limit is the sky,” said Hooks.

The trials continued with cross-country running to an obstacle course, made slick by days of rain. Scaling sheer walls, rope climbing, diving over, under and through wooden hurdles with the names like ‘the belly buster’ pushed him further.

The next task is land navigation across miles of woods, hills and rain-swollen creeks. Careful preparation using maps where a one-inch mistake translates to more than a mile of long hard marching.

“It is rewarding to know you can be dropped in the middle of the woods and still know you can find your way out,” said Hooks.

The BWC is an annual event highlighting the best Soldiers and Noncommissioned Officers assigned to the Army’s major commands by them successfully completing numerous Soldier tasks during a weeklong period.

• Date Taken: 10.06.2015
• Date Posted: 10.07.2015 09:09
• Story ID: 178317
• Location: FORT A.P. HILL, VA, US
• Hometown: METROPOLIS, IL, US