Photo By Staff Sgt. Reece Heck | U.S. Army Capt. Anthony Cunningham and Sgt. 1st Class Rush Wyckoff, observer,...... read more read more
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Fort McGregor, N.M. – Twenty-six observer coach/trainers with First Army Division West went head-to-head to determine which team is the “Best in the West” during this year’s Best OC/T Competition, held at Camp McGregor, New Mexico, April 7-9, 2025.
The 13 teams—each consisting of one officer and one noncommissioned officer—put their technical and tactical skills to the test over the course of three days, squaring off during challenges including the Expert Physical Fitness Assessment (EPFA), multiple weapon assessments, an obstacle course, and a ruck march.
“For an OCT to effectively assess another organization's readiness, they must first demonstrate their own individual proficiency,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Vincent Simonetti, division command sergeant major for First Army Division West. “They need to be able to do the leader tasks and participate in collective tasks before they can evaluate others.”
The annual competition aims to reinforce the foundational skills required of observer coach/trainers—those responsible for assessing and advising Army Reserve and National Guard units to maintain combat readiness. By pushing participants through physically and mentally demanding events, the competition ensures OC/Ts are not only capable trainers, but also highly capable Soldiers in their own right.
“All these ‘best’ competitions inspire great competition and excellence—and that's really what we want to do, because we should be the gold standard for OCT teams across our Army,” said Maj. Gen. William A. Ryan III, commanding general of First Army Division West.
The teams gathered from brigades 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.
“These teams here will go back to their organizations and show other teams some of the things that they've done here, some of the skill sets that were challenged here,” Ryan said.
Named after General Omar N. Bradley—the first commanding general of First Army headquarters—the competition pays tribute to the storied history and legacy of leadership associated with the command. Bradley famously led First Army troops during the D-Day landings in Normandy and later served as the first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
“I want to emphasize our commitment to warfighting and lethality,” Simonetti said. “Division West contributes to the readiness of the total Army—active duty, Reserve, and National Guard. The work we do with all three components is truly remarkable.”
After three days of intense competition, Team Ten from 5th Armored Brigade was crowned the “Best in the West.” They will represent First Army Division West at the Army-wide Best OC/T at Fort Stewart, Georgia, where they will go head-to-head with top OC/T teams from across the Army.
“This is a competition—but it’s more than that,” Simonetti said. “Just like Best Ranger or Best Sapper, the Best OCT Competition identifies the top-tier leaders who stand at the summit of excellence.”
Winning teams:
1st place: Team 10, 5th Armored Brigade
Capt. Charles Atkins, 3-362 Infantry Brigade
Sgt. 1st Class Michael Perkins, 3-362 Infantry Brigade
2nd place: Team 9, 189th Infantry Brigade
Maj. Austin Wesley, 3-364 Brigade Engineer Battalion
Sgt. 1st Class Donnelly Thomas, Headquarters
3rd place: Team 8, 189th Infantry Brigade
Capt. Luke Schiueter, 2-358 Armor Regiment
Staff Sgt. Jake Reyes, 2-358 Armor Regiment
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| Date Taken: | 04.08.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.09.2025 14:09 |
| Story ID: | 494916 |
| Location: | NEW MEXICO, US |
| Web Views: | 105 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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