Photo By Staff Sgt. Eric Jensen | Spc. Joseph Scanlan, of Epping, N.D., and a member of the 164th Engineer Battalion,...... read more read more
DEVILS LAKE, N.D. - The "Best Warriors" in the North Dakota Army National Guard were named yesterday after a three-day competition tested the military skill and knowledge of 18 of the state's top Soldiers at Camp Grafton Training Center, Devils Lake, N.D., Sept. 17-19.
Sgt. Joel Erickson, of West Fargo, N.D., and a member of Detachment 1, 188th Engineer Company (Vertical), based out of Oakes, was the winner of the 2010 Best Warrior Competition in the non-commissioned officer category. In the enlisted-level competition, Spc. Ryan Lindberg, of Fargo, N.D., and a member of the 817th Engineer Company (Sapper), based out of Jamestown, took top honors.
Soldiers representing units in the North Dakota Army National Guard battled to earn the "Best Warrior" title during the state-level competition after distinguishing themselves as the top competitors within the Guard's major commands. During the competition at Camp Grafton, they contended with a range of events designed to gauge their competence and performances in Army tasks and evaluations.
"A lot of them have smiles on their faces," said State Command Sgt. Maj. Gerald Miller. "This is the kind of stuff they signed up to be a soldier for - to test their mettle and to test their skills."
The competition presents an array of challenges beginning with an early wake-up call at 4:30 a.m. on the first day. Guardsmen are rousted from sleep to undergo an Army Physical Fitness Test. From there, they face a board of sergeants major who confront them with a barrage of military knowledge questions. The quizzing continues with a written test covering 50 questions on more military-related topics.
Spc. Nathan Svihovec, of the 816th Engineer Company in Dickinson, remembers the process all too well. He was the runner-up in the enlisted category of the state Best Warrior Competition last year and later went on to the Regional Best Warrior Competition in Alaska after taking the place of the state-level winner. This year, he sponsored Spc. Thomas Hansen, of Richardton, N.D., at the state competition. Competitors are given a mentor from whom to gather support and advice during the event. Usually, the soldiers are from the same unit, which was the case for Svihovec and Hansen.
Svihovec said both roles present a chance to improve Soldiering skills.
"Even being a part of the board where you're throwing questions out, you learn a lot ... how they grade and what they talk about when the competitors leave the room," Svihovec said.
The competition continues with a land navigation course during daylight and nighttime hours, as well as marksmanship, Warrior Tasks (general military tasks all soldiers must know) and a Modern Army Combatives tournament that tests the Soldiers' ground fighting capabilities.
Svihovec said that upon winning the state competition, the Best Warriors begin preparing for the next level - the regional competition. The Guardsmen will be aided in training by sergeants major within the various battalions as well as last year's winners.
"We'll help train these guys and fill them up with our knowledge on what we've learned from being at the regional competition," Svihovec said.
Should the winners not be able to compete, they will be replaced by the runners-up from the state competition. This year, Sgt. Steve Clark, of Jamestown, N.D., and a member of Detachment 1, 816th Engineer Company (Horizontal), based out of Mott, was the runner-up in the non-commissioned officer category. Spc. Matthew Perkins, of Fargo, and a member of the 817th Engineer Company (Sapper), took the runner-up position at the enlisted level.
North Dakota will host the regional competition for Best Warrior in June 2010. The region consists of eight states: Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, Wyoming and North Dakota.
Regional winners go on to compete in the All-Guard Competition and, if they win there, they compete in the All-Army Competition.
Miller notes that North Dakota has had much success in past competitions. In last year's regional competition, both Staff Sgt. Jason P. Lothspeich, North Dakota's 2009 Best Warrior in the non-commissioned officer category, and Svihovec were named runners-up after what Miller called "three grueling, rain-soaked, mosquito-swatting, sleep- and food-deprived days" competing in Fort Richardson and Fort Greely, Alaska.
A winner in the non-commissioned officer category of the state competition in 1991, Miller said that earning the Best Warrior moniker presents recognition among peers and incentive and motivation to rise within the ranks of the North Dakota National Guard.
"We've had soldiers who have competed in these competitions retire as colonels. It makes you realize that you can succeed and you can move forward and you can better yourself," he said.
| Date Taken: | 09.19.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 09.20.2010 20:05 |
| Story ID: | 56654 |
| Location: | DEVIL'S LAKE, NORTH DAKOTA, US |
| Web Views: | 143 |
| Downloads: | 4 |
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