Cyber Soldier Took Up the Gauntlet…and Enjoyed It

Photo By Steven Stover | FORT GORDON, Ga. – Competitors need to expect the unexpected. “The Jared is an operational fitness challenge. It’s a CrossFit event,” said Sgt. 1st Class Ian Sabin, 782nd Military Intelligence (MI) Battalion, noncommissioned officer in charge of the 780th MI Brigade’s Best Warrior Competition. “The actual event itself is 70 push-ups, and the push-ups are not your typical Army push-ups. The push-ups are going all the way down, releasing your hands so your chest is hitting the ground, and then pushing back up. It’s also 40 Army PRT (physical readiness training) rowers. That’s one rotation. You have to do four rotations to complete the regime, followed by pushing and pulling a 200 pound sled, within a one-hour time limit.”  

FORT MEADE, MD, UNITED STATES

12.28.2017

Story by Steven Stover 

780th Military Intelligence Brigade (Cyber)

FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. – Merriam-Webster defines taking up the gauntlet as someone who is “willing and ready to fight, argue, or compete with someone or to do something that is difficult but necessary: to accept or respond to a challenge.”

Sgt. Johnny Long of Mesquite, Texas, assigned to Detachment Hawaii, 782nd Military Intelligence (MI) Battalion, 780th MI Brigade, was that someone who accepted the challenge to be the Army’s Best Warrior. He began a ten month journey from his selection as the detachment representative, through the battalion, brigade, North Region U.S. Army Intelligence & Security Command (INSCOM), INSCOM, and U.S. Army Cyber Command competitions, and culminated with his participation at the U.S. Army-level Best Warrior Competition in October.

Long has a bachelor’s degree in physics and joined the Army in 2013 after teaching high school because he wanted to serve. He is a Korean Linguist who aspires join a SOT-A (Special Operations Team-Alpha), which is a signals intelligence–electronic warfare element of Army Special Forces. For Long, the BWC has been a series of opportunities, and he’s had a lot of fun.

Although Long did not win at the Army-level, it was a significant accomplishment to beat out the best of the best through each level of competition, and this spring units throughout the Army will be looking for the next Soldier and noncommissioned officer to pick up the gauntlet.

However, what does it take to get there?

• Date Taken: 12.28.2017
• Date Posted: 12.28.2017 11:26
• Story ID: 260483
• Location: FORT MEADE, MD, US