Soldier versus winter in the 372nd Engineer Brigade Best Warrior Competition

By Spc. Lindsey SchulteJanuary 27, 2014

Soldiers compete in 372nd Engineer Brigade's Best Warrior Competition
1 / 21 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Knute K. Weick, senior enlisted adviser of the 372nd Engineer Brigade, speaks during the awards banquet marking the finale of the 372nd's best warrior competition at Fort McCoy, Wis., March 14, 2013. (U.S Army photo by Spc... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Soldiers compete in 372nd Engineer Brigade's Best Warrior Competition
2 / 21 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Spc. Mitchell R. Fromm, representing the 428th Engineer Company, receives a handshake from Command Sgt. Maj. Knute K. Weick, senior enlisted adviser with the 372nd Engineer Brigade, during the awards banquet for the 372nd's best warrior com... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Soldiers compete in 372nd Engineer Brigade's Best Warrior Competition
3 / 21 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Spc. Mitchell R. Fromm representing the 428th Engineer Company Wis., and Sgt. Tyler J. Tidgwell representing the 327th Engineer Company, pose for a photo with Command Sgt. Maj. Knute K. Weick, senior enlisted adviser for the 372nd Engineer ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Soldiers compete in 372nd Engineer Brigade's Best Warrior Competition
4 / 21 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A U.S. Soldier participating in the 372nd Engineer Brigade's best warrior competition marches through the night using a flashlight as a guide, during the road march event held at Fort McCoy, Wis., March 14, 2013. The competitors took part in the 6-mi... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
2013 Best Warrior Competition Road March
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2013 Best Warrior Competition Road March
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2013 Best Warrior Competition Road March
7 / 21 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Spc. Gary Goins with the 389th Engineer Battalion rests after participating in a six-mile ruck march during the 372nd Engineer Brigade's Best Warrior Competition at Fort McCoy, Wis., March 14, 2013. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Clifford Coy/Re... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
2013 Best Warrior Competition Road March
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2013 Best Warrior Competition Road March
9 / 21 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Pfc. Jeffrey Ballard, left, with the 983rd Engineer Battalion, walks to the finish line of a six-mile ruck march alongside Maj. Gen. David Conboy, the commander of the 416th Engineer Command, during the 372nd Engineer Brigade's Best Warrior... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
2013 Best Warrior Competition Road March
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2013 Best Warrior Competition Road March
11 / 21 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Sgt. Andres Rivera, left, with the 469th Engineer Company, speaks with Maj. Gen. David Conboy, the commander of the 416th Engineer Command, after completing an event during the 372nd Engineer Brigade's Best Warrior Competition at Fort McCoy... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
2013 Best Warrior Competition Road March
12 / 21 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Maj. Gen. David Conboy, right, the commander of the 416th Engineer Command, speaks with Sgt. Andres Rivera of the 469th Engineer Company during the 372nd Engineer Brigade's Best Warrior Competition at Fort McCoy, Wis., March 14, 2013. (U.S... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Soldiers compete at 372nd Engineer Brigade's Best Warrior Competition
13 / 21 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Staff Sgt. Nicholas M. Dershem, with the 304th Engineer Company fires his M4A3 carbine during the weapons qualification event at the 372nd Engineer Brigade's Best Warrior Competition at Fort McCoy, Wis., March 13, 2013. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. True ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Soldiers compete at 372nd Engineer Brigade's Best Warrior Competition
14 / 21 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Pfc. Jeffrey J. Ballard, with the Forward Support Company, 983rd Engineer Battalion fires his M4A3 carbine assault rifle during the weapons qualification event at the 372nd Engineer Brigade's Best Warrior Competition in Fort McCoy, Wis., Ma... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Soldiers compete at 372nd Engineer Brigade's Best Warrior Competition
15 / 21 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Spc. Mitchell R. Fromm, with the 428th Engineer Company aims at a target down range during the the weapons qualification event at the 372nd Engineer Brigade's Best Warrior Competition at Fort McCoy, Wis., March 13, 2013. (U.S. Army photo by... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Soldiers compete at 372nd Engineer Brigade's Best Warrior Competition
16 / 21 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Spc. Mitchell R. Fromm, with the 428th Engineer Company prepares to engage a target down range during the the weapons qualification event at the 372nd Engineer Brigade's Best Warrior Competition in Fort McCoy, Wis., March 13, 2013. (U.S. Ar... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Soldiers compete at 372nd Engineer Brigade's Best Warrior Competition
17 / 21 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Pfc. Jeffrey J. Ballard, with the Forward Support Company, 983rd Engineer Battalion, fires a round from his M4A3 carbine assault rifle during the weapons qualification event at the 372nd Engineer Brigade's Best Warrior Competition in Fort M... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Soldiers compete at 372nd Engineer Brigade's Best Warrior Competition
18 / 21 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Spc. Gary L. Goins with the 389th Engineer Battalion places his M4A1 carbine assault rifle on the V-notch stake during the weapons qualification event at the 372nd Engineer Brigade's Best Warrior Competition in Fort McCoy, Wis., March 13, 2... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Soldiers compete at 372nd Engineer Brigade's Best Warrior Competition
19 / 21 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. ARmy Spc. Jesse A. Bleed representing the 100th Chaplin Detachment, moves toward his way-point during the day land navigation event at the 372nd Engineer Brigade's best warrior competition, held at Fort McCoy, Wis., March 13, 2013. (U.S. Army ph... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Soldiers compete at 372nd Engineer Brigade's Best Warrior Competition
20 / 21 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Sgt. Andres C. Rivera, with the 469th Engineer Company moves toward his way-point during the Day Land Navigation event at the 372nd Engineer Brigade's Best Warrior Competition in Fort McCoy, Wis., March 13, 2013. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Tr... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Soldiers compete at 372nd Engineer Brigade's Best Warrior Competition
21 / 21 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Spc. Mitchell R. Fromm, with the 428th Engineer Company, plots his coordinate points on a map during the Day Land Navigation event at the 372nd Engineer Brigade's Best Warrior Competition in Fort McCoy, Wis., March 13, 2013. (U.S. Army phot... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT MCCOY, Wis., - Competitors overcame the winter climate conditions to claim the 372nd Engineer Brigade's Best Warrior title at Fort McCoy on March 10-14, 2013. Soldiers competed in the weeklong competition in the two categories as junior enlisted soldiers and non-commissioned officers.

Snow blanketed the half-mile running track the night before the competitors were scheduled to take the Army Physical Fitness test. The event had to be pushed back two hours to ensure salt could be laid down to prevent injuries.

"There was a lot of salt, but it's good they're looking out for our safety," said Spc. Mitchell R. Fromm, representing the 428th Engineer Company out of Wausau, Wis., who raced to the finish line of the two-mile run marking his "fastest run to date."

Fromm, a native of Marathon City, Wis., has been running in the cold weather to train not only for this competition, but also for the "Salute the Troops" half-marathon he plans to run in Fon Du Lac, Wis., in May.

Not all the soldiers were as experienced in managing the winter weather. One competitor was disqualified under the cold conditions, but not Sgt. James E. Vargas, representing the 312th Engineer Company out of Duluth, Minn.

"The cold hurts the lungs, freezes the lungs. I made the mistake of breathing through my mouth," said Vargas.

Battling each other in Modern Army Combatives after dealing the cold weather added to the test of endurance.

"Cold weather kinda sucks, took everything out of me," said Staff Sgt. Nicholas M. Dershem representing the 304th Engineer Company out of Lima, Ohio.

Ft. McCoy's high hills and deep snow was the biggest challenge for many of the competitors during the land navigation event. With the recent winter storms raging across the Midwest, snow had built up between one to two feet, making it more difficult for the competitors to find and reach their way-points.

"Knee deep and hills, even being six foot one, it was knee deep," said Spc. Gary L. Goins representing the 389th Engineer Battalion out of Davenport, Iowa.

There would normally be a night land navigation event but it had to be canceled because of the hazardous, snowy conditions.

Weapons qualification in the snow was a first for many of the competitors, but not for Spc. Jesse A. Bleed, representing the 100th Chaplain Detachment out of Fort Snelling, Minn., who sees the benefits of shooting green targets in the white snow.

"The snow helps the targets pop out better, easier to see," said Bleed. Soldiers even had to adjust fire for the formal appearance board event.

Instead of trampling through the messy snow and puddles of melted ice, the soldiers changed into dress uniforms in the back of the building while waiting for their turn in front with the board. Soldiers then changed back into the Army combat uniform before heading back across the snow to their

barracks to await the results.

One soldier received an award early. Staff Sgt. David W. Maybury, representing Headquarters Support Company, for the 367th Engineer Battalion, out of St. Cloud, Minn., was presented with the 372nd Engineer Brigade Purple Heart Coin from Command Sgt. Maj. Knute K. Weick. During his

deployment to Ramadi, Iraq in 2006, Maybury's vehicle was T-boned by a vehicle blown IED.

The winners of the competition, however, were not announced until the awards banquet. Spc. Fromm won the Junior Enlisted 372nd Engineer Brigade Best Warrior title, while Sgt. Tyler J. Tidgwell, representing 327th Engineer Company out of Onalaska, Wis., won the non-commissioned officer Best Warrior

title.

Both winners have earned the chance to compete at Regional Best Warrior Competition in April which will be hosted by the 416th Theater Engineer Command.