Bodybuilder Army recruiter earns sweet reward

Photo By Nelson Ballew | Sgt. 1st Class Guilliano Janvier, station commander for U.S. Army Recruiting Station-Daytona Beach, Fla., displays medals he won during the 2018 Dexter Jackson Classic, 28 July on the campus of the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Fla. Janvier placed 1st in the Masters 35+ and 2nd in the Open Class D categories.  

JACKSONVILLE, FL, UNITED STATES

07.28.2018

Story by Nelson Ballew 

U.S. Army 2nd Recruiting Brigade

It’s 3:30 in the morning and the sizzle of ground turkey is the only sound in the kitchen.
Up since 3 o’clock, Sgt. 1st Class Guilliano Janvier, a 2nd Recruiting Brigade recruiting station commander, is awake in a dark house preparing his daily meals. Over the past six weeks, the preparation of making the six daily meals has been a ritual.
Janvier follows this food preparation regimen since he doesn’t like leftovers. The meals, consisting of ground turkey, white rice and either green beans or asparagus have helped him shed 15 pounds to his current weight of 170.
That and the fact he does not consume processed sugar or soda for the entirety of the six-week training period.
He plans on eating a hamburger and having something sweet when the competition is over.
Finished in the kitchen, Janvier heads to the gym and enters as the doors open at 5. You would think he would be all alone, but other regulars are working their own daily routines. His workouts normally run about two hours and then it’s time to shower and head to work.
Throughout the day about every two and a half hours he stops what he is doing; closes the door and eats one of the meals he prepared that morning. “My Soldiers know that they just need to give me a few minutes to eat my meal, and then I can get back to whatever needs my attention,” Janvier said.
There is always a concern that a Soldier’s obsession or hobby will interfere with their job performance. According to 1st Sgt. Corey Coffman, Army Recruiting Company-Daytona Beach, Florida, that is not the case with Javier.
“He is finished with all the preparation and weightlifting before the duty day even begins,” Coffman said. “The attention to detail he puts into his own personal fitness carries over into every other aspect of his responsibilities as a leader. He is an outstanding noncommissioned officer. I wish I had more like him within my formation.”
The routine makes for long days. On average during the six week train-up to the bodybuilding competition, he gets about four hours of sleep each night. With all that, Janvier displays the same energy levels at 9 at night that he does early in the morning.
Janvier has been competing off and on since 2015. Coming off the last break he is competing again because he says it keeps him accountable to staying healthy and staying true to his goals: to earn his pro card and become a bodybuilding trainer and gym manager. Eventually he hopes those he trains will compete as well.
With 19 years in the Army, it has taken a long time to reach this particular point.
On July 28 at the University of North Florida campus in Jacksonville, the six weeks of discipline and compromise paid off. Janvier competed in the Masters 35-plus division and Open Class D physique categories of the Dexter Jackson Classic.
There is all kinds of activity backstage of the competition. Both men and women are in various stages of clothing and individual tasks awaiting their individual turn. Some stand in line to get a last coat of spray tan or gloss; others flex and pose in mirrors; many are performing exercises intent on pumping blood into muscles ripped and toned during their preparation for the night’s competition.
Finally they call Janvier’s number and he lines up with his competitors. As each enters the stage, music pumps from speakers. One at a time contestants take the stage and provide poses to the judges before moving to a waiting line to the sides of the stage. Janvier completes his turn and then moves to join the others. After all the competitors in each category have gone, the judges call the top five to form a line across the front of the stage. Janvier moves to take his place as his name is called. The five are instructed to perform poses, movements and several times to change positions with a fellow competitor. The goal for each is to end up in the center of the line and the top position. When the group is excused, Janvier is in the center of the Masters 35-plus division lineup.
When the night is over, Janvier is rewarded for his six weeks of discipline. He is awarded first in the Masters 35-plus and second in Open Class D.
And with that he is ready for his reward; his wife has brought him brownies.

• Date Taken: 07.28.2018
• Date Posted: 12.27.2018 13:41
• Story ID: 305370
• Location: JACKSONVILLE, FL, US