Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Leticia Samuels | U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Nicole Kimble, a recruiter assigned to the North Carolina...... read more read more
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RALEIGH, N.C. – The electricity surges through the air as North Carolina National Guard (NCNG) Soldiers assigned to subordinate units of the 60th Troop Command (TC) warmed-up while preparing to compete against the best of their comrades in the 60th TC Best Warrior Competition (BWC) at the Claude T. Bowers Military Center, here Feb. 4-5 2017.
The annual brigade-level competition gathers Soldiers from the NCNG’s most diverse brigade to recognize Soldiers who truly live by the Army values and embody the Warrior Ethos. The Soldiers participate in a range of events leading to the selection of the best qualified noncommissioned officer (NCO) and Soldier to represent the 60th TC during the next level of the competition.This brigade has some dynamic Soldiers,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Kevin Whitaker, the Command Sgt. Maj. of 60th TC. “This is a very special group of Soldiers and NCOs.”
Whitaker continued saying that seeing senior NCOs becoming involved when he was a junior soldier is part of the reason he is so interactive with Soldiers today.
“It made me want to be better,” said Whitaker. “It made me want to work harder. This, the BWC, reminds me of what it is all about.”
A welcome from the brigade’s senior leader and staff started the morning of day one, then straight into an Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT), that measured upper and lower body muscular endurance by completing three events. Competitors have two minutes to complete the push-up and sit-up events, followed by the completion of a two-mile run.
Once the APFT is completed, competitors immerse themselves in the events. Competitors circulated throughout a round robin of events consisted of selected U.S. Army task and drills, to various weapon systems assembly and disassembly, map reading, radio etiquette and a display of speed writing skills.
“The most humbling event was the weapons stations,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Betuel Monje, a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear NCO assigned to the 42nd Civil Support Team. “I was a cavalry scout for about four years. I was a parachute rigger many years ago, so I used to be very proficient and very competent in them (weapons) but just getting my hands on them this last time being the first time I have touched them in five and half years, was very humbling. It was very mentally demanding.”
Competitors stepped off during the frigid and wet, early morning hours of day two completing a rugged six-mile ruck-march testing each Soldier’s endurance pushing the boundaries of their mental and physical abilities.
Competitors concluded the competition by appearing before a board consisting of senior enlisted leaders from 60th TC. Soldiers are asked questions about military regulations, military history and current affairs.
“(Staff) Sgt. (Nicole) Kimble by far has a no-quit attitude,” said Master Sgt. Robert Crocker, the recruiting noncommissioned officer in charge assigned to the North Carolina Army National Guard’s (NCARNG) Bravo Company, Recruiting and Retention Battalion (RRB). “She strives to be the best she can be in every single task. I give her a little bit of a hard time; because I know it challenges her and pushes her to do more. She wants to be the best that she can be.”
The competition filters through every echelon starting at the company level, moving to battalion level, brigade/regiment level, state/division level, regional level and finally, the national level. Similar to the television series “American Ninja Warrior”, the next levels of competition become more demanding and grueling.
“The Soldiers of today are good, and the NCNG’s future is bright,” said Whitaker. “These Soldier’s are an indication that they will continue to accomplish any mission.”
Competitors team with a sponsor from their unit to start the training process. Sponsors are a vital part of pushing competitors to the next level when training for the competition.
“It’s been great being able to see her grow as a Soldier,” said Sgt. Kasey Franklin, a fire direction specialist assigned to the HHB, 5-113th FAR. “She has grown a lot and her confidence has grown exponentially.”
Staff Sgt. Kimble, a recruiter assigned to the NCARNG’s Detachment 11, RRB, and Spc. Roberto Sto Domingo, an explosive ordinance device technician assigned to the 430th Ordnance Company, were crowned as the 60th TC’s Best Warriors.
“For me, it’s not about winning,” said Kimble. “It’s always about putting in 100 percent into what I do. Even if I know something, I’m still going to go back and study.”
“It makes me feel good about myself and this will be good for my unit,” said Sto Domingo. “All that work paid off, so it is validating.”
The BWC allows Soldiers and NCOs from an array of military occupations to showcase their resiliency and knowledge in a competitive way while boosting morale, cohesiveness and promoting “esprit de corps” toward each other and their units.
| Date Taken: | 02.06.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 02.16.2017 15:00 |
| Story ID: | 223827 |
| Location: | RALEIGH, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 222 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, 60th TC: Finding the rising warriors, by SFC Leticia Samuels, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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