Photo By Staff Sgt. Taylor Lakey-Tamacori | U.S. Army Sgt. Jose Saenzcazares, 609th Engineer Company, Nevada Army National Guard,...... read more read more
Sixteen National Guard noncommissioned officers and Soldiers from eight states and territories competed in the 2021 National Guard’s Region VII Best Warrior Competition at Fort Carson, Colorado from May 17-20.
Each state, territory selected their representatives to compete after holding their own competitions.
Sgt. Jose Saenz, an interior electrician assigned to the 609th Engineer Company and Spc. Lesley Northcutt, a cavalry scout with the 1-221 Cavalry, represented the Nevada National Guard.
The competition consisted of many physical and mentally challenging events, such as a marksmanship stress shoot, land navigation, warrior tasks and drills, a physical fitness test and a mystery event—a 2,768-stair, three-quarter mile sprint into the sky.
“Over all, it was a pleasant memory,” Saenz said. “”It was a well thought out, well developed, and planed event.”
Saenz said the competition as a whole was not a difficult task in its entirety. Much of the skills challenges included tasks he mastered while in active duty.
“The mystery event was the hardest on our bodies,” he said recalling the grueling, stair sprint up the Manitou Incline. The trail includes a 2090-foot elevation gain. “It was the last event of the competition and our bodies were already beat.”
Saenz ran the steep incline, which normally takes hikers 40-60 minutes, in only 34:26. He was awarded a challenge award for finishing it in the fastest time as well as one for the fitness challenge.
Though the Nevada Soldiers gave it their all, this year’s victory went to the Utah National Guard who will be representing region VII in the All-Guard Best Warrior Competition summer of 2021 at Camp Navajo near Flagstaff, Arizona.
Saenz provided sage advice for anyone thinking of entering the competition next year: start getting mentally and physically ready now and work on being a well-rounded Soldier.
“Don’t focus on one thing,” he said. “Spread out your training. That way you are ready and open-minded for anything.”
| Date Taken: | 05.20.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 05.27.2021 18:50 |
| Story ID: | 397645 |
| Location: | CARSON CITY, NEVADA, US |
| Web Views: | 145 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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