Photo By Cpl. Emaney Wilson | Multiple U.S. Army units best field artillery teams participate in the Army Fitness...... read more read more
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WASHINGTON — To bolster lethality and better prepare its field artillery units for modern war, the Army incorporated more complex combat scenarios into its annual Best Redleg Competition at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, May 4-May 8.
The new tests included expanded night operations, testing Soldiers’ responses to various chemical and biological threats and joint fires integration.
“We intentionally introduced several new elements to raise the bar and more closely replicate the demands of the modern battlefield,” said Army Brig. Gen Jason Williams, commandant of the U.S. Army Field Artillery School at Fort Sill. “Compared to the inaugural competition two years ago, this competition featured more complex and realistic scenarios.”
For instance, Soldiers had to finish a land navigation course individually instead of as a team. Soldiers in the 13J fire control specialist and 13F joint fire support specialist career fields faced more advanced joint fires integration missions and time-limited scenarios, requiring them to rapidly adapt and work with team members.
More than 230 Soldiers from 14 units across the Army competed in the second annual contest, which tested their technical knowledge, weapons proficiency and endurance. Soldiers also had to perform an Army combat fitness test, medical sustainment skills evaluation and a 12-mile ruck march.
“The intent was to ensure that our best Redlegs are not just technically proficient but also agile, fit and ready to lead in the most demanding operational environments,” Williams said. “These changes reflect the evolving requirements of large-scale combat operations and ensure our training and assessment remain ahead of the threat. This competition is fundamentally about lethality.”
The Army’s Field Artillery School will review the competition results to evaluate the state of its institutional training programs and to validate Soldiers’ ability to perform effectively across different platforms. Competition planners tested Soldiers on their ability to respond and adapt to changing battlefield conditions. Field artillery troops had to move from different locations quickly to set up and move equipment. Joint fire support specialists had to process fire missions manually and digitally, while also troubleshooting automated systems.
“This competition is not just a showcase of talent, it is a critical readiness event that directly supports the Army's transformation priorities and ensures that our field artillery branch remains prepared to deliver decisive fires in support of the joint force,” Williams said.
25th ID stampedes to team victory Experience and physical fitness helped the 25th Infantry Division field artillery team from Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, win the 13B cannon crewmember, M119A3 105 mm lightweight howitzer category team title. Army 1st Lt. John McKenna, a fire direction officer assigned to the 25th ID, said his troops separated themselves from the competition during combat scenarios as well as during the ruck endurance march.
“I'm super proud of them; I think we absolutely killed it,” McKenna said. “Any time there was a moment where something didn't go as planned or didn't go as well as we'd hoped, our guys just took it on the chin, figured it out and then moved on to the next station. And that's really all I can ask of them.”
Cannon crew members engaged in a two-day, live-fire exercise that spanned across all three howitzer systems. The contest tested the cannon crewmembers on different firing positions in different combat scenarios, including direct fires, emergency fire missions and responses to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats.
McKenna said Army Sgt. Laakea Asuega and Army Staff Sgt. Israel Ramirez, who both competed in the first Best Redleg competition in 2024, led the squad with their technical skill.
“I think a lot of our guys know their job, and they know their job very well,” McKenna said. “We're also a relatively fit group. So, any of the lanes, like the Army fitness test and the 12-mile [ruck] today, we're able to excel pretty well.”
Soldiers from the 11th Airborne Division from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, took first place in both the 13B M777A2 155 mm lightweight howitzer and the 13J fire direction center categories, while the 3rd Infantry Division team from Fort Stewart, Georgia, won the 13B M109A6/A7 paladin category. Finally, competitors from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, placed first in the 13F – fire support team division.
| Date Taken: | 05.12.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 05.12.2026 11:58 |
| Story ID: | 565013 |
| Location: | FORT SILL, OKLAHOMA, US |
| Web Views: | 34 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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