Photo By Cashmere He | Cpl. Patrick Graves, a Soldier assigned to the 704th Military Intelligence Brigade,...... read more read more
FORT MEADE, Maryland – “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how strong the man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the area, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
These were the words of Theodore Roosevelt, quoted by the Commander of the 704th Military Intelligence Brigade, Col. Rhett Cox during his opening remarks for the Soldiers who competed for top honors at the unit’s Best Warrior Challenge competition, March 13-17.
Three noncommissioned officers and three Soldiers braved freezing temperatures, ice and blankets of snow to complete several challenges which included an Army Physical Fitness Test, a land navigation course, stress shoot exercises, various warrior tasks and battle drills, a 12-mile foot march, and a board on general military knowledge.
“I saw the competition as a way to develop myself as a leader because everything I do as a NCO is to help better lead my Soldiers,” said Sgt. Cameron Steele, a native of Kennesaw, Georgia, assigned to the 742nd Military Intelligence Battalion, 704th MI Bde. Steele was named the NCO of the Year. “Anything that happened during this competition, win or lose, was for them.”
Steele’s sponsor, Staff Sgt. Matthew T. McCarthy, a signals intelligence analyst from Syracuse, New York, assigned to the 742nd also, vocally motivated his Soldier through the competition. Steele’s only response: “Airborne all the way.”
“He has a ‘can do’ attitude and a willingness to take on the task, whatever it is, and complete it to the fullest,” McCarthy said. “By winning the NCO of the year he has really set the example for the rest of the Soldiers in his platoon, knowing that his hard work paid off.”
The week of unforeseen weather conditions in the area threw some curve balls for the competition, causing a delay of events for an entire day. But that did not stop Spc. Mateusz Kupiszewski, a Polish immigrant from Riverhead, New York, assigned to the 742nd, from striving to win, and earning the title of Brigade Soldier of the Year.
“Although the bragging rights for me as his sponsor are great, it was my Soldier, Spc. Kupiszewski, that did the heavy lifting, that did the warriors tasks, that rucked, and continuously competed,” said Sgt. Christopher Puccio, a 742nd signals intelligence analyst from Martinsville, Virginia. “I’m honored to have him as my Soldier.”
When asked if there was anyone he would dedicate his win to, Kupiszewski said, “I’d like to dedicate this win to my sponsor who helped me get to this point, it feels amazing to bring this win to my battalion.”
| Date Taken: | 03.27.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 03.27.2017 14:25 |
| Story ID: | 228191 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 215 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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