500TH MIB-Theater Best Warrior Competition
By Staff Sgt. Maurice G Gaddy
SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii - - The 500th Military Intelligence Brigade-Theater (MIB-T) announces its Best Warrior Competition winners after a grueling four-day competition held March 9-12.
Sgt. Guillermo Lopez, was selected as the Noncommissioned Officer of the Year and newly promoted Sgt. Noah Lanagan, was selected as the Soldier of the Year, both from 715th Military Intelligence Battalion.
This year’s event kicked off with a motivational speech from the 500th MIB-T Command Sgt. Maj. J. Rodney Parker, at Watts Field.
CSM Parker said, “To win this year’s Best Warrior Competition it’s going to take more than just being physically prepared; you will also need to be mentally prepared as well.”
A total of 6 Soldiers participated in the event, which consisted of various grueling challenges that pushed them passed their physical and mental limits, with a few surprises along the way.
The first event of the competition was the Army Combat Fitness Test. The competitors muscled through the test, getting a taste of the mental, physical, and emotional challenges to come.
After a quick breakfast, the competitors headed over to the arms room to draw their weapons. After the competitors drew their weapons, they were then transported to KR-8A range on Schofield Barracks. Upon arrival, their first task was weapons assembly and disassembly for the M249 light machine gun, M220 machine gun, and the M4 Carbine, while being timed. Competitors then moved to zero and qualification on the M4 carbine, completing the first day of competition.
Day two started on the obstacle course; this event required competitors to navigate obstacles using full-body strength, balance, hand-eye coordination, endurance and mental toughness during the timed course.
“It surprised me on how well I was able to perform during the obstacle course,” said Lopez. “I did better than I thought I would do.”
After all the competitors completed the intense, challenging obstacle course they finish the day with the Army Warrior Task and Battle Drills (AWTB) lane and a combat run. The AWTB tested each competitor’s execution of critical shoot, move, communicate, and medicate skills. The 1.5-mile combat run was done in full ACUs (Army Combat Uniform), boots, and Improved Outer Tactical Vest (IOTV) with all plates.
According to Lanagan. “Looking at the schedule as a whole was daunting. There were a lot of things to do, and they were back to back with hardly any breaks.”
After a long and tiring day two, the competitors started early the next morning with an 8-mile ruck march, completing in under two hours with a 35-pound rucksack and weapon. After some chow and hygiene, competitors completed a graded essay and written exam, conducted a TA-50 layout inspection, day land navigation, and finished a long day late at night with night land navigation.
Lopez stated, “I really just had to focus on the specific task when it was given and try not to worry about the next task or what the other competitors were doing.”
The final day of the competition began with a mystery event, the Combat Water Survival Test. Competitors had to jump into the pool wearing the Army Combat Uniform, and swim with a dummy weapon, using their uniform to improvise a flotation device. After completing the mystery event, the competitors and sponsors had to change into their Army Service Uniforms (ASU) and prepare for the board.
The best warrior competition would come down to the last event, which would be drill and ceremony.
“During the drill and ceremony lane, I was nervous, because I messed up, so I didn’t expect to win this competition, “said Lanagan. “I was preparing myself to congratulate one of my battle buddies, so I was surprised when Command Sgt. Maj. Parker announced me as a winner.”
The best warrior competition is about demonstrating mastery of fundamental Army skills. The winners proved across the four-day competition that they were masters of not only warrior tasks and battle drills, but also perseverance and resilience. The competition prepares Soldiers to exhibit the total Soldier concept no matter what MOS the Soldier holds.
“If you ever have the opportunity to compete in competitions like this, I would definitely suggest that you take advantage of it,” stated Lanagan. “If you don’t have a main goal or a reason to do it for, I would just say just do it for the experience, because you are going to learn so many things day by day as you go.”
Congratulations to Lopez and Lanagan for being this year’s best warrior competitions overall winners. They will represent the 500th MIB- T and advance to compete in the 8th Theater Sustainment Command Best Warrior Competition on a division wide level.
| Date Taken: | 03.13.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 07.14.2020 21:52 |
| Story ID: | 373916 |
| Location: | HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 102 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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