Photo By Nicholas Salcido | Staff Sgt. Alec Brinkman, a winner in last year’s Best Warrior competition, shows...... read more read more
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By Elyssa Vondra
Fort Jackson Leader
A three-day competition to determine the best of Fort Jackson’s best wrapped up Oct. 25.
Sixteen Fort Jackson competitors faced off in Fort Jackson’s best warrior competition.
One winner was left standing in each category – Drill Sergeant of the Year, Non-commissioned Officer of the Year, and Soldier of the Year.
Staff Sgt. Dakota Bowen from 3rd Battalion, 39th Infantry Regiment, of Elkhart, Indiana took first place in the NCO category. Staff Sgt. Abigail Ponce from 2nd Battalion 13th Infantry Regiment, of Galax, Virginia, won Drill Sergeant of the Year. Soldier of the Year went to Spc. Cedric Miller from MEDDAC, of Oswego, Illinois.
Payoff came in the form of bragging rights, the chance to move forward in competition and the potential for career growth.
The competition was comprehensive, organizers said. It tested physical strength, domain knowledge and military skills.
“You have to be a well-rounded soldier,” said Sgt. Maj. Sidi London, Fort Jackson’s operations sergeant major. “We want the best.”
Soldiers endured long hours of physical and mental strain to be named the best.
Grit got them through.
“Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard,” said Brig. Gen. Milford H. “Beags” Beagle Jr., Fort Jackson commander at the winner announcement brief. “There’s a lot of talented people out there that won’t work hard, and that talent is wasted … hard work will beat it every single time.”
Competitors took on the Fit to Win 2 Course and the Confidence Obstacle Course for time.
They qualified their weapons — zeroed them and target-shot 40 times — and completed a 12-mile ruck march and the Army Physical Fitness Test.
An oral examination in front of a board of six sergeant majors rounded out the events.
Competitors received a list of potential topics to study from.
Until they arrived, they didn’t know what they would be asked.
Every incorrect answer meant points lost from their scores. Questions ranged from Army policy to weaponry.
Bowen said the “vast amount of tasks” and the variety added to the challenge.
The short breaks in-between further increased the difficulty, Miller added.
Each event was worth 50 points. Members of the board delegated how points were awarded.
“We leave it up to that grader,” London said. “(Competitors) can even lose points for attitude … everything counts.”
Points were tallied at the end to determine the winners, who will advance to the next round of competition at TRADOC. “They represent Fort Jackson,” London said.
Winning is a great way to earn future promotions, he added.
It “builds your profile,” London said. “You want to be the number one.”
He emphasized that win or lose, even making it to this round of competition is an achievement.
“The mere fact that you’re here (competing) is already a plus,” he said.
Only the installation’s top leaders make it.
Every participating unit at Fort Jackson has its own competition and sends its highest-ranking performers out as representatives.
London himself was a competitor, “way back when.” Some of the events have changed over the years, but the determination required to get through them has stood the test of time, he said.
The winners had some advice for future participants.
“You need to come outside of the box,” Ponce said. Breaking free of comfort zones is key.
“Don’t be intimidated of the competition,” Bowen said.
Some Soldiers may be deterred because they don’t want to be told they’re subpar, he added, but the spotlight is nothing to fear.
“(The competition) lets you know where your strengths are and it identifies your weaknesses,” Bowen said. It allows for growth.
Miller said learning his strengths and weaknesses was the highlight of the competition.
| Date Taken: | 11.01.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 11.02.2018 15:24 |
| Story ID: | 298680 |
| Location: | FORT JACKSON, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 195 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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