Photo By Staff Sgt. David McLean | SGT Joshua Kirkpatrick of the 449th Theater Aviation Brigade, North Carolina National...... read more read more
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The North Carolina National Guard’s 2017 Best Warrior Competition is a grueling event for all its participants. The four-day, multi-event contest takes the top Soldiers and Non-Commissioned Officers (NCO) from the state’s major commands and tests them physically and mentally to find the best of the best.
The Best Warrior Competition features obstacle courses, weapon proficiency, military knowledge, and a host of other trials that push the competitors to the edge of their training. Army Sgt. Joshua Kirkpatrick, of the 449th Theater Aviation Brigade, won the NCNG NCO Best Warrior of the year, and his drive to win is about his personal struggle. Kirkpatrick is a type 1 diabetic.
“That was the motivation behind why I came to this competition, because from day one when I was diagnosed with diabetes, constantly they were telling me that I’m unfit for the Army,” said Kirkpatrick. “They said there’s no way I can compete with everybody else, and constantly I showed them I could.”
According to the American Diabetes Association, Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults and was previously known as juvenile diabetes. In this form of the disease, the pancreas does not secrete insulin, and only five percent of people with diabetes have this form of the disease. Under current Army regulations, individuals with diabetes are prohibited for initial entry into military service.
Kirkpatrick was not always a diabetic. He was diagnosed in the summer of 2014, three years after he had enlisted in the NCNG as an AH-64 Apache Longbow Helicopter armament and electrical repair specialist. This medical condition has derailed many of his long-term goals and dreams, and he fights to even stay in the military.
His father, retired Marine Stephen Kirkpatrick, said his son had a goal of becoming an officer and a helicopter aviator, and he enrolled at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte in the Reserve Officer Training Corps program in 2012. He received numerous accolades and awards for outstanding performance and even elevated to the President of the Scabbard and Blade, a fraternal club organization for the ROTC unit. Two years later, his diagnosis changed his course.
“We were all upset about the situation,” his father said. “And he was subsequently told he could not be in the ROTC program with his medical problem and medically dis-enrolled in August 2014.”
This also forced Kirkpatrick to change his major to criminal justice, and his fight to stay in had just begun. The NCNG also started proceedings for discharge from the Guard.
“He felt let down a bit more when his dream to serve his country seemed to be slipping away,” said his father. “With several calls to the chief medical office in Raleigh we faxed and emailed his request for a medical board just before the mandatory discharge deadline date. Through research and study, Joshua ate all the proper foods and drinks. He exercised regularly, always staying in top physical condition. He went and had his blood work done, and surprisingly brought his blood sugar levels down to an acceptable level. The board reviewed his unit’s recommendations and medical findings and found him fit for duty.”
Kirkpatrick was selected by his aviation unit to represent them in the BWC, and he said his disease is not an issue.
“Honestly, there are no difficulties when participating in these events, because I have been dealing with this for so long,” said Kirkpatrick. “It’s really easy for me to control.”
Kirkpatrick said most of the competitors can eat what they want and run it out and not worry about it, but he has to keep an eye on what his body is doing. He also checks his blood sugar levels before meals and bedtime.
“I have to watch what I eat, I can’t have too much sugar or if I go low I have to have sugar,” said Kirkpatrick. “It’s a constant balancing.”
His unit sponsor for the event, Staff Sgt. Robin Pascoe, also said Kirkpatrick was well prepared to deal with the events of the competition.
“I’m just making sure he is pacing himself,” said Pascoe. “I keep asking him about his food and his intake, and his blood sugar. Coming into this, he didn’t need very much help in terms of his training or knowledge, because he already knew all of that stuff. I’m here to remind him of the little things because in high-stress situations, some things can slip your mind. I’m here to keep him motivated, to keep him on top of his game and help him remain strong.”
After winning the competition, Kirkpatrick said he looks forward to the next level in Kentucky for the National Guard Bureau Regional competition.
“As for the next level of competition, I've already proved what I set out to do,” said Kirkpatrick. “Everything else is just further demonstrating my capabilities as a soldier. That being said I'm still going to give it my all.”
| Date Taken: | 03.10.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 04.03.2017 14:03 |
| Story ID: | 228607 |
| Location: | BUTNER, NC, US |
| Hometown: | JACKSONVILLE, NC, US |
| Hometown: | RALEIGH, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 235 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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