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    Earning the Title

    Training for Best Sapper

    Photo By Sgt. Luis Solorio | U.S. Army Maj. Elijah McMahan, 10th Special Forces Group (Airbor) Engineer Officer in...... read more read more

    FORT CARSON, CO, UNITED STATES

    01.18.2023

    Story by Sgt. Luis Solorio 

    10th Special Forces Group (Airborne)

    FORT CARSON, COLO -- The U.S. Army has a wide variety of competitions and opportunities for Soldiers to demonstrate their potential and capabilities. Some of these competitions are the Best Soldier, Best Squad, Best Medic, and Best Sapper, held every year in various U.S. Army installations.
    The 4th Infantry Division held their Best Sapper Competition at Fort Carson, Colorado on Dec. 13-16, 2022, challenging Sappers (Elite Combat Engineer Soldiers) in a variety of military engineering duties, such as breaching fortifications, demolitions, and preparing field defenses.
    One of the participants, and winner of the Best Sapper Competition, 1st Lt. David D. Sadvary, Deputy Engineer, assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), saw the opportunity to participate in the competition and had no hesitation in giving his best at aiming for excellence.
    “I missed the opportunity to participate in the Best Sapper competition last year,” said Sadvary. “So I wanted to go out, compete and see how well I could perform.”
    Over the course of four days, Sadvary was pushed both mentally and physically against other competitors in different kinds of tests. These challenges included a non-standard physical fitness test, a demolition exercise, stress shoots, an obstacle course, and the culminating event of a 12-mile ruck march.
    With the support of his seniors and team, Sadvary prepared for three months for the competition.
    “We are trying to work together to create an environment where everyone’s not just looking at the competition, but looking from the outside at all of the potential competitors,” said Maj. Elijah McMahan, 10th SFG(A) Engineer Officer in Charge, fellow competitor, and second place winner for Best Sapper. “We are surrounded by several people that put themselves in a competitive spirit. They test your leadership capabilities in all kinds of environments.”
    McMahan stated that in the 10th SFG(A) Engineer office, there is an existent fitness and work excellence culture. He mentioned the wide range of physical challenges for the entire team. Such as, weightlifting competitions and ruck marches. Additionally, they prepare themselves for many technical aspects of their job.
    Reminiscing about the competition, Sadvary shares the moment when he faced unexpected adversities as well as the best moment of the competition.
    “I think for the most part, the competition was going relatively smooth. I was able to control a lot of things,” said Sadvary. “There was a point when I had a weapons malfunction and lost the opportunity to hit targets but I was able to push through, refocus and continue.”
    Thinking back on the 12-mile ruck march, Sadvary shared his relief.
    “I was really excited to finish the ruck march because I knew it was the last physical event of the competition,” said Sadvary. “That was one of the coldest 12-mile rucks that I had ever done.”
    In an organization such as 10th SFG(A), where the core values; trust, character and excellence, having Soldiers like Sadvary, representing the unit, its values and Fort Carson, is something that one can be proud of, McMahan shared.
    The strong physical and technical demand for excellence are prioritized in competitions, and Sadvary says he was up for the challenge.
    “I think as an engineer, and specially as a Sapper, this is something that is good to be able to say that you at least attempted to do,” said Sadvary. “You get to see where you stand and push yourself physically and mentally.”
    Sadvary’s participation and victory showcase his strong character and his leadership’s trust in him to proudly represent 10th SFG(A), 4ID and Fort Carson in the upcoming National Army Best Sapper Competition.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 01.18.2023
    Date Posted: 02.06.2023 15:29
    Story ID: 437912
    Location: FORT CARSON, CO, US

    Web Views: 57
    Downloads: 0

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