Photo By Maj. Bryant Wine | U.S. Army Col. Jason Baker (far right), brigade commander of the 48th Infantry Brigade...... read more read more
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The Georgia Army National Guard’s Macon-based 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team hosted a competition March 5-6, 2022, to determine the brigade’s best warrior and noncommissioned officer. U.S. Army Sgt. James Meacham and Spc. Keenan Baxter, both assigned to the Winder-based Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment, won the competition.
“I think it is important to put on a best warrior competition because at the very core of what we do, we raised our right hand to defend our nation against all enemies foreign and domestic and uphold the Constitution of the United States,” said U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. John Ballenger, brigade command sergeant major of the 48th IBCT. “In order to do that, we have to be a fighting force and hone our skill craft.”
Competitors spent months training and competing at the battalion level to qualify for the brigade competition. The competition tested on individual Soldier tasks and skills such as treating and evacuating a casualty, disassembly and reassembly of a M4 carbine rifle, and radio operation.
The competition opened with the Army Combat Fitness Test. The following morning, the Volunteers conducted a 12-mile ruck march.
“What our best warrior gets after is our top six: shoot, move, communicate, medicate, decontaminate and sustain,” said Ballenger.
Meacham won the best NCO competition. He is an infantryman with 1-121 IN and resides in Brunswick, Georgia. In 2020, Meacham won the brigade best warrior competition and represented the 48th IBCT at the state competition.
Baxter won the best warrior competition. Hailing from Lawrenceville, Georgia, he is a mortar infantryman with 1-121 IN.
Meacham and Baxter received a Georgia Commendation Medal and a brigade coin from Col. Jason Baker, brigade commander of the 48th IBCT, for winning the competition. Both Soldiers will represent the 48th IBCT at the Georgia Army National Guard’s best warrior and NCO competition to be held March 20-25.
Participants from the brigade competition include:
Spc. John Dabbs, Charlie Troop, 1st Squadron, 108th Cavalry Regiment.
Spc. Benjamin Cates, Alpha Troop, 1st Squadron, 108th Cavalry Regiment.
Spc. Christopher Gore, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 118th Field Artillery Regiment.
Spc. Mathew Fernandez, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 118th Field Artillery Regiment.
Sgt. Tommy Wilson, Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment.
Spc. Trevin Moore, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment.
Spc. Mario Mora, Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment.
Spc. Abisai Bocanegra, Bravo Company, 148th Brigade Support Battalion.
Cpl. Stephen Ennis, Bravo Company, 148th Brigade Support Battalion.
“Every one of those NCOs and Soldiers that competed are rock stars,” said Ballenger. “I would put them against anybody not only in the state but in the nation.”
| Date Taken: | 03.07.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 03.07.2022 13:37 |
| Story ID: | 415942 |
| Location: | MACON, GA, US |
| Hometown: | BRUNSWICK, GA, US |
| Hometown: | LAWRENCEVILLE, GA, US |
| Hometown: | MACON, GA, US |
| Hometown: | WINDER, GA, US |
| Web Views: | 311 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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