Photo By Sgt. Brittany Burton | U.S. Army Soldiers conduct the Norwegian foot march during the 2026 Regional III Best...... read more read more
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Camp Butner, NC - Soldiers from across 10 states and territories competed in the Region III Best Warrior Competition from April 26 to May 1, 2026. The competitors at this year’s event became part of U.S. history, representing their state’s National Guard as the best of the best during America’s 250th anniversary.
Hosted by the North Carolina National Guard, the competition brought together 19 enlisted Soldiers and Noncommissioned Officers from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, and the Virgin Islands. Events tested competitors on physical fitness, marksmanship, land navigation, medical tasks, and other warrior skills essential to modern combat operations.
“I tried to physically stay in shape, so I was already training ahead of this. For the competition, the training got a little more specific,” said U.S Army Spc. Sean Hainer, a native of Middlesex, NC, is representing the North Carolina National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 119th Infantry Regiment. “I was trying to go through all the level I tasks that are expected of Soldiers, go over and practice those things. If I had access to it, I would physically go through and practice with those items.”
The Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition is an annual event held at the state level, identifying the top enlisted and Noncommissioned Officers from across the nation. Once each state has crowned its best warrior, they advance to the regional competition, and the winners from each region then compete at the national level.
“As we approach the Army’s 250th birthday and the celebration of the signing of the Constitution of Independence, it’s important to recognize the National Guard’s place at the very beginning of our military history,” said U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Richard Huff, Camp Butner Training Center Garrison CSM. “That legacy continues through the service of today’s Soldiers, especially as these competitors demonstrated the Warrior Ethos at each grueling event during this competition.”
Competitors began each day before dawn, facing a demanding schedule that included an Army Combat Fitness Test, weapons qualification, and the Norwegian Foot March, a timed ruck march over 18.6 miles. Additional lanes assessed proficiency in various tasks that required both technical knowledge and endurance.
“The most difficult was the obstacle course. A lot of the obstacles I have never done on a traditional obstacle course,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Shea Moody, Harlan, KY, native representing the Kentucky National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry Regiment. “I was nervous a little bit on it but ended up getting all of the obstacles, finishing it, and had a pretty good time.”
The significance of becoming the National Guard’s best warrior is not taken lightly. The Soldiers competing began preparing months in advance.
“I give a lot of credit to the 83rd Troop Command and the way that they gave us dedicated time and space to get repetitions on weapons, call for fire, all of those things,” said U.S. Army Spc. Brandon Brown, a Santa Rosa Beach, FL, native and representing the Florida National Guard’s 2nd Battalion, 54th Security Force Assistance Brigade. “I put a lot of effort into training at home, studying the Expert Infantry Badge standards, studying the regulations.”
The National Guard, with its 363-year history, has been developing warriors from its inception. Although the best warrior competition is an individual-versus-individual event, it is one way the National Guard builds esprit de corps and highlights the Guard’s readiness as an operational force within the Army.
“We do a lot of back to the basics (to prepare), from the start…basic training to now,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Pedro Miranda, Puerto Rico native representing the Puerto Rico National Guard’s Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 292nd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion. “The more you practice, the better you do.”
The Camp Butner NCOs planned and executed 25 events that were designed to assess the competitor’s technical proficiencies, mental toughness, physical endurance, and adherence to Army values throughout the competition. The days were long for the planners, but every person understood why.
“We’re looking for Soldiers who demonstrate the total package,” said Lt. Col. Toumnakone Hester, Camp Butner Training Center Garrison Commander. “It’s about decision-making, confidence, and competence.”
“As the Army and America mark 250 years of service, these Soldiers represent the continuation of that legacy,” added Hester. “They carry forward a tradition that began long before any of us served.”
Competitors in this year’s Region III Best Warrior Competition include: Enlisted Category Spc. John Hart - Alabama Spc. Brandon Brown - Florida, *Winner Spc. Mitchell O’Neal - Georgia, *Runner Up Spc. Caleb Green - Kentucky Spc. Carlos Harrison - Mississippi Spc. Sean Hainer - North Carolina Spc. Fabian Velez-Collazo - Puerto Rico Spc. Tahze Vaughan - South Carolina, *Warrior Spirit Award Spc. Scott Sheber - Tennessee
NCO Category Sgt. Robert Handrahan - Alabama, *Winner Staff Sgt. Stephen Spinogatti - Florida Staff Sgt. Sean Hayes - Georgia Staff Sgt. Shane Sink - Mississippi Sgt. Samuel Manning - North Carolina Staff Sgt. Pedro Miranda Orengo - Puerto Rico Sgt. 1st Class Ervin Baker - South Carolina Staff Sgt. Christopher Wheeker - Tennessee, *Runner Up Staff Sgt. Esau Brooks - Virgin Islands
| Date Taken: | 12.31.1969 |
| Date Posted: | 05.07.2026 13:26 |
| Story ID: | 564191 |
| Location: | STEM, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 22 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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