Tennessee National Guard Hosts Best Warrior Competition

Photo By Edgar Castro Palencia | Best Warrior Competition 2016, award ceremony  

NASHVILLE, TN, UNITED STATES

04.05.2016

Story by Staff Sgt. William Jones  

Tennessee National Guard Public Affairs Office

The Tennessee Army National Guard conducted its Best Warrior Competition last week. Units from all over the state sent their best and brightest Soldiers and Noncommissioned Officers to 117th Regional Training Institute in Smyrna to compete in the grueling four day contest to see who was the best of the best. When the smoke cleared Sunday afternoon, two Soldiers from the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment had won.
Staff Sgt. Caleb Jernigan of Nashville is an infantryman assigned to Bravo Troop, 1st Squadron, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment in Clarksville. He was selected to be the Noncommissioned Officer of the year. Specialist Mathew Austin of Clarksville is also an infantryman assigned to Bravo Troop. He was selected to be the Soldier of the Year.
The competition began with a physical fitness test which quickly dovetailed into a timed ruck march. Over the next three days, the competitors were judged on their ability to perform several common Soldier tasks, wrote essays on what it means to be a Soldier, qualified on the M16 rifle and the M9 pistol, and finally -- wearing their Army Service Uniform -- they answered questions from a panel of command sergeant majors.
Moments after the board ended, all of the participants were given coins by the Deputy Adjutant General, Brig. Gen. Tommy Baker. The winners were then presented with Army Commendation Medals by the State Command Sergeant Major, Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Gentry.
Spc. Austin is a junior at Austin Peay State University. He plans to attend law school after graduation. Staff Sgt. Jernigan is a Metro Police Officer in Nashville. The next phase of the competition will be a regional competition later this year.

• Date Taken: 04.05.2016
• Date Posted: 04.06.2016 14:27
• Story ID: 194514
• Location: NASHVILLE, TN, US
• Hometown: CLARKSVILLE, TN, US
• Hometown: NASHVILLE, TN, US
• Hometown: SPRINGFIELD, TN, US