The fourth annual U.S. Army Reserve Best Warrior Competition kicked off this week at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin. Twenty-eight contestants from across the country are just a few days away from dertermining who is truly the best of the best.
Today we’re featuring a post from the Army Reserve Command “Best Warrior” Competiton blog that is reporting the week’s events. Head over to the blog when you have some time, but for now, check out these inspring words from Sgt. First Class Melissa Russell.
Staff Sgt. Jason R. Fiedler, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 310th Expeditionary Sustainment Command at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Ind., takes aim with his M-4 rifle on day five of the 2010 Army Reserve Best Warrior Competition. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Ron Burke, USARC
Reflecting on the knowledge and skill required to compete in an event like this, I figure if I were to train for next year’s Best Warrior competition I might do okay. I could train to max a PT test, or maybe do well on the written essay. But it’s the sum of the knowledge, strength and dexterity required to compete that Best Warriors exemplify, that would (unfortunately) do me in.
These Warriors are physically fit – marathon runners, martial artists, a triathlete, a four-time college conference pole vaulting champion and an Ultimate Frisbee player. They are also highly educated – among the competitors are a Russian linguist, an aviation technician, nurse, and a pilot.
It also doesn’t hurt that many of these elite competitors have seen combat – much of the competition mirrors real-life experiences: Sgt. Fiedler was awarded the Bronze Star; Staff Christopher Bender is Ranger and Drill Sergeant qualified; Spc. Mathew Parks is a combat lifesaver; and Staff Sgt. Eric White, part of a deployed engineer team that found 177 improvised explosive devices, was engaged by the enemy 19 times.
The final thing that distinguishes these Soldiers is their unique status as Citizen-Soldiers. As members of families and communities (video: Sgt. Acree talks about family, friends ) across America, employment and life experience enhance readiness and allow Reserve Soldiers to develop additional skills that benefit them both in their military and civilian status (video: Sgt. Acree talks about employer, community).
You can read the rest of the post here: http://bit.ly/9YfqqP. You can also visit the Best Warrior Flickr site to view more images from the competition: www.flickr.com/photos/myarmyreserve.
