FORT CUSTER, Mich. – The Michigan Army National Guard has named Staff Sgt. Ben Driscoll, Company D, 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry Regiment, its Noncommissioned Officer of the Year; and Spc. Ryan Savage of the 1072nd Maintenance Company, its Soldier of the Year.
Seventeen Soldiers and noncommissioned officers vied for the titles during the Michigan Army National Guard Best Warrior Challenge Competition April 10-12 at Fort Custer Training Center, Augusta, Mich.
The competitors were measured against their peers in events testing aptitude in a broad range of Army skills including accountability, physical fitness and agility, day and night land navigation, weapons familiarization, weapons qualification, stress fire, an essay, and a 12-mile ruck march.
The culminating event for competitors was a 12-mile ruck march with a 35-pound ruck. “That ruck march was the toughest thing I have ever done,” said Spc. Ryan Savage. The Soldiers only had three hours to complete the march. If the Soldier did not complete the ruck march, he or she was disqualified from the competition.
Michigan Army National Guard Commanding General Maj. Gen. Gregory Vadnais and State Command Sgt. Maj. Daniel Lincoln presented each of the competitors with a coin for excellence and commended them for outstanding performance and dedication before announcing the winners at the final ceremony April 12.
Lincoln stated that all the competitors were winners for just competing, but that only two can advance to the regional competition being held May 11-14 at Camp Atterbury, Ind. He added that this year’s competitors were the best he has ever seen.
The competitors acknowledge that it is a very challenging and stressful weekend but that the stresses of the weekend, and all of the preparations leading up to the competition are not without huge rewards. The rewards not only come from recognition earned by their leadership and newly found knowledge, but also memories that will last a lifetime.
“I appreciate the opportunity to compete against, and share knowledge and experiences with other Soldiers. Any opportunity to train with others from different backgrounds and units is always an eye opener for me, and I am certainly walking away from this competition with more tools to use in the future. And to pass along to other comrades,” said Driscoll.