Photo By Spc. Aloree Amodt | Pfc. Jared Campbell of the 786th Quartermaster Company leads the way in the road...... read more read more
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - The 96th Sustainment Brigade invited strong willed Army Reserve soldier, Pfc. Jared Campbell, to the Best Warrior competition through a series of recommendations and company wide challenges.
“The competition has been motivating for me. This isn’t all stuff we do every two weeks like active duty soldiers. It’s good to brush up on them every once in a while,” said Campbell, a food service specialist from the 786th Quartermaster Company.
The Best Warrior Competition challenged Campbell in eight different categories: physical fitness, warrior tasks, a written test, an appearance board, reflexive weapons firing, land navigation, a 10 mile road march, and combatives.
The Army physical fitness test is designed to show a soldier's physical fitness, motivation, determination and overall soldier readiness. The challenge made soldiers wear their Army Combat Uniform with tennis shoes rather than their usual physical fitness uniform. The change of uniform created a challenge in itself since the ACU weighs more than the PFU.
“I was [also] recommended for my [physical fitness tests]. I have one of the best PT scores in my company,” said Campbell.
Campbell came into the competition facing an added challenge, bronchitis. This made the modified Army physical fitness test a greater challenge for Campbell, but he pushed through and dealt with being ill.
“He came in sick and gave [the competition] his all. He didn’t finish first on the physical fitness test or the road march, but he stuck in there and was determined,” said 1st Sgt. Steven Proffit of the 786th QM Company.
Land navigation presented another challenge for Campbell. Competitors received five points to plot on a map, using a protractor and a compass. Campbell searched for each plotted point on his own, along the rugged hills dotted with evergreens and slowly melting snow and ice. Verifying that the point was the correct one, Campbell recorded numbers stamped on dog tags that were tied to a post.
Completing a challenge, a warrior task, conducted by drill sergeants of the 2/414th, 95th Division at each point added to the daunting task of a timed navigation course. Each Warrior task made Campbell respond to questions and execute a scenario. Campbell responded to a detainee that hid many knives on his person: in his jacket, on his hip, hidden in his boots, and in the line of his pants. Campbell forced the detainee to succumb to his orders by having another soldier guard the detainee while he cuffed and searched the detainee for the hidden weapons.
Though competing against each other, the soldiers didn’t hesitate to step in to help a struggling comrade.
“I never felt like I was competing against [Campbell], especially since I am an [non-commissioned officer]. In fact, I even tried to help him a bit,” said Sgt. Steven Fairbanks, a wheeled vehicle mechanic with the 786th QM Company, who guided Campbell as he plotted his points on his navigation map for the land navigation competition.
“He gave a lot of effort,” he said. “He was there giving his all the whole time.”
Marching uphill, through mud, snow and ice is no easy task. Adding 35 pounds of gear and an M16 rifle for 10 miles of twist and turns while sick and being timed just make it worse. Campbell exuded dedication and pride after pushing through the elements and health concerns.
“[Campbell] never gave up. He’s a hard worker and dedicated. He always wants to do the right thing. He is what a soldier should be,” said Proffit.
Campbell received a certificate for participation and a brigade coin, an honor bestowed on Soldiers recognized for tasks they have completed for going above and beyond the call of duty.
Campbell celebrated his one–year anniversary in the Army Reserves while participating in the Best Warrior Competition. He plans to transfer to active duty and later hopes to commission as an officer. He has yet to be called up for a deployment.
“For the time he has been in he is definitely headed in the right direction as a Soldier,” said Proffit.
| Date Taken: | 03.06.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 03.07.2011 12:23 |
| Story ID: | 66626 |
| Location: | SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, US |
| Web Views: | 155 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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