JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO CAMP BULLIS, TX –Every year 22 of the best and brightest Soldiers and non-commissioned officers come together at Fort A.P. Hill, VA, to go head-to-head in the Army’s Best Warrior Competition (BWC). These Soldiers and non-commissioned officers represent each of the Army’s major commands and participate in a series of events designed to test their capabilities and combat-readiness. Before they receive their ticket to Fort A.P. Hill, however, each competitor must win competitions at lower levels, which includes the battalion, brigade, and division levels.
Soldiers representing the seven brigades commanded by the Army Reserve’s Military Intelligence Readiness Command (MIRC) gathered at Joint Base San Antonio – Camp Bullis, TX, to participate in the MIRC BWC April 17, 2021, through April 23, 2021.
The MIRC provides trained, equipped, and ready U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers and units to meet the operational intelligence requirements of combatant commands and the national intelligence community. The seven brigades of the MIRC consist of more than 6,300 Soldiers from across the continental United States, Hawaii, and Europe. Though the Soldiers come from a wide variety of backgrounds and geographical locations, they all jumped at the opportunity to be a part of this year’s event.
“This competition gives Soldiers the ability to come out here and do things that Soldiers love to do the most,” said Command Sgt. Major Brian Bertazon, Military Intelligence Readiness Command, “They get to come out here and fire their weapons and practice those core survival tasks. A lot of Soldiers really join the Army to do those types of things.”
Throughout the week-long competition some of the best Soldiers assigned to the MIRC participate in a wide variety of events, such as M4 qualification, the obstacle course, hand grenade qualification, ruck marches, land navigation, and much more. These events test the competitors’ capabilities and combat-readiness to help the cadre determine who will be named the MIRC Best Warrior. Though the goal is to evaluate the abilities of the participating Soldiers and name a winner, all the competitors learn and grow from this experience.
“It’s good to get out here and fight against my fears,” stated Spc. Karhl Wayman, National Intelligence Support Group/National Security Agency - TX, after completing the obstacle course. “It gets a little scary at the top of some of these obstacles, and you have to just push through that and finish it. You have to face that fear.”
One major difference this year compared to previous years, is the implementation of the Sgt. Major of the Army Michael A. Grinston’s, “This is My Squad (TIMS),” initiative. TIMS focuses on building more cohesive teams throughout the U.S. Army by encouraging a more intense squad based training program to foster stronger bonds through shared hardships and experiences.
“The idea behind this is pushing responsibility and focus back into the squad,” explained Bertazon, “We are only as strong as our weakest link. One team, one fight.”
Though the TIMS initiative is in the implementation phase, it will work in conjunction with the traditional Best Warrior Competition for this year at least. This means the MIRC competitors are working extra hard to complete the BWC events, while also undergoing Best Squad Competition events as the MIRC strives to send the best Soldiers possible on to the U.S. Army Reserve competitions.
“The competitors came out here and they gave 110 percent, and I am sure that they are going to continue to give 110 percent,” said Staff Sgt. Julia Jost, Military Intelligence Readiness Command, a member of the MIRC BWC cadre, “It is great being out here to see Soldiers so motivated.”
| Date Taken: | 04.23.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 04.26.2021 13:56 |
| Story ID: | 394589 |
| Location: | CAMP BULLIS, TEXAS, US |
| Hometown: | CAMP BULLIS, TEXAS, US |
| Hometown: | FORT BELVOIR, VIRGINIA, US |
| Hometown: | FORT MEADE, MARYLAND, US |
| Hometown: | GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, US |
| Hometown: | PHOENIX, ARIZONA, US |
| Hometown: | SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, US |
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This work, MIRC Best Warrior Competition: Striving to be the Best, by SPC Travis Terreo, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
