Photo By Sgt. 1st Class R.J. Lannom | Georgia Army National Guardsman Sgt. Courtney Gray, a light wheel mechanic with the...... read more read more
The Georgia Army National Guard’s Marietta-based 78th Troop Command completed its brigade-level 2020 Best Warrior Competition at Fort Stewart, Ga., Feb. 18-22, 2020.
Sergeant Joshua Nicoli, a light-wheel maintenance noncommissioned officer, and Spc. Samantha Jackson, a unit logistics specialist, was named the 2020 NCO and Soldier of the Year. Both Soldiers are assigned to the Tifton-based 110th Combat Service Support Battalion. They will advance to the Georgia Army National Guard 2020 Best Warrior Competition scheduled in April at Fort Stewart.
Nicoli and Jackson completed five days of physically and mentally challenging events. These events ranged from written essays and in-person board appearances to land navigation, weapons qualifications, and a modified Army Combat Fitness Test, which the Soldiers completed before moving directly into a timed 12-mile road march.
“This week has been the most challenging thing I’ve done so far in my career,” said Nicoli. “It was great to do things that we can’t normally do on drill weekends.”
High rainfall amounts and unusually cold weather at Fort Stewart the week of the competition added to the difficulty of the event.
“I have never crawled through so much water in my life,” said Jackson. “Most of the obstacles during the individual movement technique lane were underwater.”
Evaluating military tasks stresses the importance of training. It reinforces every Soldier has the mission to close with and engage the enemy, regardless of their occupational specialty.
“This week has shown me the importance of maintaining my fitness and the importance of Army training,” said Sgt. Eric Vogel, a musician with the Marietta-based, 116th Army Band. “It’s a perishable skill that needs to be trained repeatedly.”
Winners of the state Best Warrior Competition will advance to the National Guard Regional Best Warrior with the opportunity to compete at the Army-level BWC. Georgia has a successful track record, sending Soldiers and NCOs to national level competitions in the last two of the previous three years.
| Date Taken: | 02.22.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 02.26.2020 09:54 |
| Story ID: | 363918 |
| Location: | FORT STEWART, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 103 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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