Photo By Spc. Joseph Green | Soldiers with 2nd Battalion, 44th Air Defense Artillery, 101st Airborne Division (Air...... read more read more
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FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. – Two Soldiers were named Soldier and noncommissioned officer of the quarter for the 2nd Battalion, 44th Air Defense Artillery, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) Sustainment Brigade, Aug. 13, after completing a weeklong competition known as Strike Fear Week on Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
Sgt. Lonnie Francis, a Soldier with Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 2nd Bn. “Strike Fear,” took home the title NCO of the quarter while Spc. Triston Figueroa, also a Soldier with HHB, won Soldier of the quarter.
Strike Fear Week pits one NCO and one Soldier from each of Strike Fear’s batteries against each other in a grueling weeklong competition that includes a physical training test, a qualification competition, an Army knowledge test, completion of the Air Assault obstacle course, a Soldiers manual of common task test and ends with a competition board.
“The hardest part was studying and the board,” said Francis.
Figueroa agreed that the board was the most difficult part.
“It was my first board,” said Figueroa. “I was extremely nervous, but I went in there and was able to conquer it thanks to my first sergeant who pushed me and motivated me the entire time.”
The Strike Fear Week competition, like many other Soldier and NCO of the quarter competitions, is about building esprit de corps and instilling pride in the Soldiers and NCOs competing and in the batteries they represent.
“The competition was about discipline and pride,” said Francis.
“It was about winning it all, not just for me but for my battery,” said Figueroa. “Both of us being in the same battery meant a lot, and we were aiming to sweep the competition from the beginning.”
The competition also gives Soldiers a chance to get to know and work with other Soldiers from different batteries across the battalion.
“It was extremely nice to get there and just talk with the other batteries; it’s not often that we actually get to communicate,” said Figueroa. “We are all competitors but at the same time we are all trying to work together and achieve the same goals.”
Only seven of the 10 Soldiers to begin the tough competition were able to complete the entire week’s events, and while all the Soldiers who made it to the finish deserve credit, there can only be one winner of Soldier and NCO of the quarter.
“Winning means everything – just to be recognized as the best,” said Francis. “Hopefully this will earn me a trip to the promotion board and help me progress my career.
| Date Taken: | 08.13.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 08.19.2015 15:28 |
| Story ID: | 173611 |
| Location: | FORT CAMPBELL, KENTUCKY, US |
| Web Views: | 55 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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