FORT BLISS, Texas – 13 teams of the best Observer Controller/Trainers (OC/T) from First Army Division West are facing off to see who will come out as the “Best from the West”, kicking off the 2025 First Army Division West General Omar N. Bradley Best Observer Coach/Trainer Competition (BOC/TC) held at Camp McGregor, New Mexico, April 7-9, 2025.
26 Soldiers will compete in teams consisting of one officer and one noncommissioned officer, testing their leadership skills, tactical proficiency and physical endurance. The competitors are made up of OC/Ts from across First Army Division West to include Soldiers from the 120th Infantry Brigade, 5th Armored Brigade, 181st Infantry Brigade, 189th Infantry Brigade, and 166th Aviation Brigade.
“For an OC/T to be able to assess another organization’s readiness, they themselves have to be able to demonstrate individual proficiency as an individual Soldier,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Vincent Simonetti, division command sergeant major for First Army Division West. “Both he or she needs to show that they are able to do those individual and leader tasks, but also participate as an assessor of the collective readiness of other organizations.
The First Army Division West Best OC/T challenges participants with a variety of tasks to include a rigorous Expert Physical Fitness Test (EPFT), multiple weapon assessments including the Engagement Skills Trainer (EST) 2.0, and an obstacle course.
This competition is named after General Omar Bradley who was the first commanding general when First Army headquarters came together in January 1944. He is famed for commanded all First Army forces that landed in Normandy during D-Day.
“At the end of the day, we all want to know who stands at the top of the mountain,” explains Simonetti. “We have a formation of very dedicated, and experienced leaders inside of [First Army] Division West, and we want to find out who happens to be the best officer and noncommissioned officer team.”
Division West’s top competitors will attend the Army-wide Pershing Cup at Fort Stewart, Georgia, September 23-25, 2025. They will face teams from across the Army to find out who will be the best OC/T in the Army.
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Date Taken: | 04.07.2025 |
Date Posted: | 04.07.2025 16:17 |
Story ID: | 494777 |
Location: | NEW MEXICO, US |
Web Views: | 16 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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