Photo By Sgt. David Turner | Drill sergeants with the 95th Training Command practice running through an event lane...... read more read more
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FORT BRAGG, N.C. – Is a two-week annual commitment enough to turn a Citizen-Soldier into a capable, combat-ready, and lethal Warrior ready to compete against the Army’s best-of-the-best?
That is what the U.S. Army Reserve Command has done for the past 10 years to prepare a select few of its Soldiers and noncommissioned officers to compete with the Army’s best. And the command’s efforts have paid off. Since 2008, the U.S. Army Reserve has produced four Department of the Army Best Warrior winners – to include two in 2015 and 2016.
By bringing together Soldiers who have won their respective command’s competitions, the 2017 U.S. Army Reserve Best Warrior Competition (ARBWC), held here June 11-17, sets up it’s own Soldiers to compete and win against the best the Army has to offer.
U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers from around the country and overseas in a variety of military occupational specialties compete each year to earn the titles of Best Warrior in the categories of Soldier and NCO. To get there, they must win competitions at their lower-echelon commands; after winning the ARBWC, they compete against winners of the Army National Guard and active-duty components to become the Army-wide Soldier and NCO of the Year.
USARC pulls together assets and resources to make each competition as realistic and relevant as possible. Typically, U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers train for two weeks a year, on missions oriented toward their specific, combat support-related jobs. At the ARBWC, however, competitors will have access to things they wouldn’t usually see on other training missions, or participating in training normally reserved for active-duty Soldiers.
“Everything the Army Reserve owns, we can task,” said Sgt. 1st Class Casey Martin, one of two NCOICs for the ARBWC. Holding the competition at Fort Bragg is one advantage – Martin and his team are able to use the excellent training ranges and facilities, as well as other installation assets.
“I think this year, some of them may be surprised,” said Sgt. 1st Class Ryan Herron, alternate NCOIC of the BWC. “There are some things they may have never seen before, and it’s really going to put them to the test.” Herron served as one of the trainers at last year’s ARBWC, and went on to prepare that year’s winners for the Army-wide BWC.
One of the best things USARC has to offer the competitors, Herron said, is a cadre of drill sergeants to motivate and evaluate them. This year, 43 of the 47 drill sergeants participating come from the U.S. Army Reserve’s 95th Training Division.
“This is a great training opportunity for the drill sergeants as well,” said Master Sgt. Randall Rader, of Enid, Oklahoma, a drill sergeant with the 95th and leader of this year’s drill sergeant cadre.
“As Reserve Soldiers, we aren’t exposed to things outside of basic training sometimes,” Rader said.
During their two-week mission here, drill sergeants don’t just follow the competitors and evaluate the events. They must also be trained on a variety of weapons and equipment, and be able to evaluate the Warriors to the highest standards.
For a week before competitors arrived, they set up and rehearsed training lanes to make sure Warriors get the most of each lane.
During the competition, their job will be almost as demanding and challenging as it is for the Warriors. That means 22-hour days, long marches, simulated combat scenarios, multiple weapons ranges, and several “mystery events” designed to test the Warriors’ ability to think on their feet. All the while, the USARC cadre and drill sergeants must take care of Soldiers’ safety while ensuring a challenging but fair competition.
“Drill sergeants are brought in for their impartiality and their professionalism, being able to grade and hold to one standard” said Martin. “That’s something that comes with the badge.”
Rader is pleased for the opportunity for his drill sergeants to participate, but seems equally excited for the Warriors and the event itself.
“I think people will be surprised at the level of just cool things that are going to take place, the level of events,” said Rader. “The Army Reserve has spared no expense to make this happen, and I think once the Warriors see the events they’re going to compete in, there’s going to be a ‘hooah factor,’ and it’s going to be very cool.”
With increased levels of challenges and intensity, this year’s competition may help produce the Army’s next Soldier or NCO of the Year. If so, that probably would not surprise Rader.
“Reserve Soldiers always surprise me,” he said. “They are always dedicated. I think Army Reserve Soldiers are some of the most impressive Citizen-Soldiers we have.”
| Date Taken: | 06.10.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 06.11.2017 15:17 |
| Story ID: | 237292 |
| Location: | FORT BRAGG, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 253 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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