Photo By Michael Williams | Maj. Gen. Augustus L. Collins, the adjutant general of Mississippi presents Staff Sgt....... read more read more
CAMP SHELBY, Miss. – Nine of the Mississippi Army National Guard’s finest warriors gathered at Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center March 23 to compete in the 2015 Mississippi Army National Guard State Best Warrior Competition.
The three-day event brings together noncommissioned officers and junior enlisted Soldiers from across Major Support Commands (MSCs) throughout the state to compete against their peers in military tactics and training. NCOs and junior enlisted competed in separate, but similar, competitions.
During the best warrior competition, competitors were tested on their physical fitness, board interviews, land navigation and a number of tasks that are essential for survival on the battlefield, such as evaluating a casualty and weapon marksmanship.
“We are trying to distinguish who is the best in the Mississippi Army National Guard,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Allen Amis, 3rd Noncommissioned Officer Training Academy commandant. “It’s very difficult and demanding, but it’s something I think a Soldier would enjoy - competing against other Soldiers.”
Day one of the competition, Soldiers dressed up in their dress blue’s to appear before a board of command sergeants major.
“Pay close attention,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Ronald Coleman, 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team senior enlisted noncommissioned officer. “I’m going to give you some facing movements.”
“Right face! Right face! Right face!” barks Coleman as other command sergeants major carefully inspect the competitors dress uniform for discrepancies.
After answering nine questions, each competitor had to recite either the Noncommissioned Officer Creed or the Soldiers Creed based upon their rank.
The second day of competition began early, at 4 a.m., as competitors put on their physical fitness uniforms to compete in the Army Physical Fitness Test while graders, spectators and sponsors gathered at the finish line.
This was just the beginning of a physical, exhausting and mental three-day event for the Soldiers. For one Soldier, it was a challenging introduction to the competition.
“This is my first time competing in the best warrior,” said Staff Sgt. Larry Nix, who is assigned as an infantry instructor at 2d Infantry Training Battalion, 154th Regional Training Institute (RTI). “I wanted the experience and to compete with the best Soldiers in the state of Mississippi.”
Nix is competing against five other noncommissioned officers and feels that he is competing against the best of the best.
“This competition is very competitive,” said Nix, a resident of Petal. “I’m competing against the best NCO’s in the state of Mississippi. They placed themselves above the best and want to compete against the best. So it is very competitive.”
To ensure the best of the best attend the event, Soldiers are screened and tested at company, battalion and major support command levels before competing at the state level, where the winner will advance to regionals.
Nix said that Soldiers thinking about competing even at the beginning phase must start preparing themselves mentally and physically.
“I would encourage all my fellow Soldiers to compete in the best warrior competition,” Nix said. “Start training now; especially on weapons, physical fitness and shooting. This event is a physically and mentally demanding competition.”
Spec. Justin Speck, representing Company D, 106th Support Battalion, said this competition has definitely opened up his eyes toward preparation.
“This was my first time competing in the best warrior competition and it was very challenging and enduring,” said Speck. “I should have prepared myself better, but hopefully next year I will come back and win.”
From senior leadership down to squad leader, Speck said that he has received tremendous support from his unit.
“My first sergeant, command sergeant major and squad leaders were really supportive,” said Speck. “They met me at Camp McCain and helped me focus on things I needed to work on.”
This year’s competition brought back two competitors from last year: Army Staff Sgt. Ashley Porter, a 154th RTI instructor, and Army Spec. Ethan Scott, Headquarters Company, 890th Engineer Battalion.
Last year, Porter was the first female to ever compete in the Mississippi Best Warrior Competition. Even though she didn’t win last year, she hoped she set a good example for other females to compete.
“I hope there are five or 10 females competing next year,” said Porter. “I definitely want to encourage any female out there to be a part of this competition. They may look at it and think they can’t do it because it’s usually all males, but it’s Soldiers skills so I hope more females come out and do it.”
This year, not only is Porter competing but she’s not alone. There is another female Soldier standing in the ranks - Sgt. LaShondra Marshall, a resident of Yazoo City and a member of the 168th Engineer Brigade.
Porter said she is proud of Marshall’s accomplishments and hopes to see her again next year.
“Sgt. Marshall did a great job and I hope to see her next year sitting at one of these tables,” said Porter.
Through pride, determination and resilience, Porter was awarded the 2015 Best Warrior Competition Noncommissioned Officer of the Year and was recognized as the first female in the Mississippi Army National Guard to win the award.
Determination is what brought Scott back to the Best Warrior Competition. With just a few points that separated him from winning last year, Scott said he was determined to be back to win it all.
“Last year I came in second place by a couple of points and this year I was really motivated not to let that happen again,” said Scott, who is studying to be a nurse at Mississippi State University.
It didn’t. Scott was recognized as the 2015 Best Warrior Competition Soldier of the Year by Maj. Gen. Augustus L. Collins, the adjutant general of Mississippi, during a banquet March 25.
Both Porter and Scott will represent the Mississippi Army National Guard at regionals later this year.
| Date Taken: | 03.27.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 03.27.2015 22:24 |
| Story ID: | 158442 |
| Location: | CAMP SHELBY, MISSISSIPPI, US |
| Web Views: | 292 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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