MARIETTA, Ga. – The Georgia Army National Guard has named its best warriors for State Best Warrior Competition on March 13, 2026. After a challenging week-long competition at the Cumming Readiness Center in Cumming, Georgia; Catoosa Volunteer Training Site in Ringgold, Georgia; and Clarke Range Complex, Anniston, Alabama, two soldiers rose above the others and emerged victorious.
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Sean Hayes representing the Macon-based 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Georgia Army National Guard clinched the title of Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, while U.S. Army Spc. Mitchell Oneal representing the Macon-based 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Georgia Army National Guard was named Soldier of the Year. Both were awarded the Georgia Meritorious Service Medal during the ceremony at Clay National Guard Center in Marietta, Georgia.
“It was a tough competition,” Hayes said. “My mindset going in was to try as hard as I can and be the best I can be.”
Over five days, Hayes and Oneal competed in events against fellow Georgia Department of Defense service members representing all five of the state’s brigades and major commands of the Georgia Army National Guard, along with competitors from the Georgia State Defense Force, Georgia Air National Guard, and Georgian Defence Forces.
“The competition was super hard,” Oneal said. “It was an honor to compete against the soldiers that I did.”
Hayes and Oneal will face off against guardsmen from Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, and the Virgin Islands at the 2026 Region III Best Warrior Competition hosted by the North Carolina National Guard later this year.
Georgia State Defense Force Sgt. Steven Naturman received the peer-awarded Chad Mercer Award for exemplary performance in the competition. It is given to those who exemplify the warrior spirit and show resilience against all odds.
The award is named in memory of U.S. Army Sgt. Chad Mercer, a Georgia Guardsman who competed multiple times in the State Best Warrior Competition. Mercer died in June 2005 during Operation Iraqi Freedom while assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment, 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.
“It means the world,” Naturman said. “It shows that I can help soldiers and hopefully mentor them to be better versions of themselves.”
“This is the first time it's been joint and multinational,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Matthew Eubank, co-noncommissioned officer in charge of the competition.” It takes it to a whole other level of competition.”
The competition demonstrates the readiness and lethality of the Georgia DoD and country of Georgia Defence Force soldiers by testing the competitors with physical fitness assessments, written exams, and other warrior tasks and battle drills.