Staff Sgt. Joshua Van Buskirk, U.S. Army
QUICK SKETCH: Duty position: 35N, Signals Intelligence Analyst Organization: Alpha Company, 781st Military Intelligence Battalion (Cyber), Vanguard, Fort George G. Meade, Maryland Motto: Ubi Ceteri Non Possunt | “When Others Cannot” Hometown: Edmond, Oklahoma Where did you attend high school: Crossings Christian School, Okla. Certifications/Training: 11C, Indirect Fire Infantryman
FORT A.P. HILL, Va. – Army Staff Sgt. Joshua Van Buskirk serves in the 781st Military Intelligence (MI) Battalion (Cyber), Vanguard, Fort George G. Meade, Maryland, and he is the squad leader for the squad which competed and won the 780th MI Brigade (Cyber) Best Squad Competition held March 3 to 5, 2026. Van Buskirk’s squad will represent the brigade at the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command BSC, April 15 to 21, 2026.
Staff Sgt. Van Buskirk is also the brigade’s 2026 Noncommissioned Officer of the Year.
According to the U.S. Army Best Squad website (https://www.army.mil/bestsquad/), the competition assesses “each squad on their technical and tactical proficiency, as well as their ability to work as a disciplined and cohesive team.”
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SERVE AND WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO JOIN? Service to me means being a patriot and putting the needs of your country and of your people above yourself and doing what your country asks of you
WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE GOALS? My future goals include attending SLC (U.S. Army Senior Leader Course), owning a house, and attending Airborne School
IS THERE ANYONE YOU'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE? A ROLE MODEL? OR A FAVORITE QUOTE? I would like to recognize my parents, my first team leader SSG Van Why, and my company first sergeant and commander for their continued support of me. My Favorite quote is “ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”
ACHIEVEMENT: HOW DID YOU PREPARE FOR THE BEST SQUAD COMPETITION AND WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO OTHERS I prepared for the competition by doing consistent and challenging PT as well as identifying my own weaknesses and that of my team and focusing on those.
SERVICE: WHAT WILL YOU REMEMBER MOST ABOUT THE BEST SQUAD COMPETITION? The most memorable part of the competition was training weapons late at night with my team. Seeing the level of professionalism and dedication to staying up late and training after a long day is something I find inspiring and amazing.