Photo By Staff Sgt. Bradley Cooney | Spc. Brandon Widman of Delta Company, 179th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade...... read more read more
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BRAGGS, Okla. - Nestled in the Cookson Hills on a gusty and brisk Saturday morning, Soldiers stretch on the dew-soaked grass, preparing for an obstacle course. As they tighten their laces and remove things like pens and notebooks from their uniforms, they mentally prepare for an onerous series of wood and metal obstacles.
Two Soldiers stand at the feet of a towering structure adorned with climbing ropes, ladders and nets. As the Soldiers crouch down in preparation, staring at the rope, a loud voice from the sideline yells, “go!”
This event, along with several others, makes up the annual Oklahoma Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition.
“The best warrior competition is made up of the best Soldiers that the Oklahoma Army National Guard has to offer,” said Sgt. Eric Kimbrel of Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 179th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, and a sponsor of one of the competitors.
Soldiers of exceptional caliber are selected by leadership at the company level to contend against each other in a competition of knowledge, brawn and tenacity.
“I was picked by my first sergeant, so I was happy to represent the 3120th,” said Spc. Mung Khual of the 3120th Engineer Support Battalion, 90th Troop Command. “I’m pretty confident. There is some pretty good competition out here; they all want it as much as I do.”
The Soldiers selected for the Best Warrior Competition engage in a 3-day event, challenging and assessing each competitor’s abilities through rigorous and physically demanding obstacles, which are designed to assess them in the areas of physical fitness, land navigation, warrior tasks, essay writing and weapons qualification.
“Soldiers go through various events like strength and endurance training, weapons qualification as well as some academia,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Tony Riggs, state command sergeant major for the Oklahoma Army National Guard.
Winners of the 2018 Oklahoma Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition are Spc. Brandon Widman, of Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 179th Infantry Regiment, and Sgt. John Eccles, of Bravo Company, 834th Aviation Maintenance, 90th Troop Command. Widman takes the title in the “Soldier” category and Eccles in the “Noncommissioned Officer” category. Both received the Army Commendation Medal for their win.
So until next year, they and their companies have bragging rights throughout the Oklahoma Army National Guard. They will go on to compete in the regional Best Warrior Competition in Arkansas in May.
| Date Taken: | 03.03.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 03.06.2018 17:22 |
| Story ID: | 268057 |
| Location: | BRAGGS, OK, US |
| Web Views: | 429 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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