Photo By Staff Sgt. Jessica Traylor | U.S. Army Spc. Syrus Butts, a cannon crewmember with Bravo Battery, 2nd Battalion,...... read more read more
FRANKFORT, Ky. – Two Kentucky Army National Guardsmen represented the state in the Region III Best Warrior Competition (BWC) at the McCrady Training Center in Eastover, South Carolina, April 21-26.
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Thomas Barrett-Weber, a multiple-launch rocket system crewmember with Alpha Battery, 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery Regiment, and Spc. Syrus Butts, a cannon crewmember with Bravo Battery, 2nd Battalion, 138th Field Artillery, represented Kentucky after competing and coming in as top Soldier and NCO during the Kentucky Best Warrior Competition.
One of them achieved regional runner-up after competing against the top Soldiers from seven other states and two U.S. Territories.
Both Soldiers endured five days of demanding technical and tactical challenges, testing their fitness, Soldier skills, and resilience. Challenges included the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT), knowledge boards, essays, obstacle courses, individual weapons qualifications, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) tasks, German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge (GAFPB) tasks, day and night land navigation, ruck marches, medical lanes, urban rifle marksmanship, public affairs interviews, and more.
Beyond competing among the best Soldiers from the region, Butts and Barrett-Weber both talked about how one of their favorite parts of the BWC experience were being around the Soldiers who were participating, and the camaraderie that resulted from the competition.
Despite being complete strangers and competitors, the group shared a unique bond. Throughout the competition, there were moments when someone may not have been as proficient with a given task, but there was always someone else who excelled in the same task and stepped in to help them succeed.
“Nobody gatekeeps information, they genuinely want to help one another so they can compete with the best version of that Soldier,” said Barrett-Weber.
The senior enlisted advisor to the adjutant general, State Command Sgt. Maj. Jesse Withers, was on hand to support the Soldiers and spoke about the camaraderie and cohesion developed by the competition.
"The regional Best Warrior Competition is about more than identifying the top Soldier and NCO in our region,” said Withers. “It's a valuable opportunity for Soldiers to build camaraderie and teamwork and push themselves to excel individually and as a cohesive unit. Participants create relationships beyond state lines—built on shared challenges, mutual respect, and common dedication to service.”
Butts achieved runner-up, scoring only one point shy of winning the competition overall. He won several events throughout the BWC, including the 12-mile ruck march, medical lanes and medical evacuation, day land navigation, the obstacle course, and a couple of the marksmanship competitions.
He prepared by taking advantage of training opportunities presented to him by participating in extracurricular activities with the Eastern Kentucky University Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program, especially in terms of physical training. Butts routinely participated in organized workouts and team competitions, as well as the Mountain Man Memorial March, which contributed to a high level of readiness for BWC.
“Stay positive and recognize there is always something more you could do, whether it’s an extra mile in the mornings, or an hour spent studying,” said Butts. “Set yourself a goal, stick to it, and keep yourself motivated with a purpose.”
Both Kentucky Guardsmen emphasized the importance of training and preparation, as well as pursuing continuous improvement.
“Don’t ever stop trying to improve today’s version of yourself,” said Barrett-Weber. “There is always someone that is going be better than you at something, so don’t worry about competing with them. Continually work on being a better version of you, and after a while, you’ll be able to look back and see how far you’ve come.”
The South Carolina Army National Guard hosted this year’s regional event which brought in Soldiers from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
| Date Taken: | 06.10.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.10.2025 16:12 |
| Story ID: | 500241 |
| Location: | KENTUCKY, US |
| Web Views: | 49 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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