SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii (May 11, 2015) -- Soldier's in today's Army must be agile and adaptable to the changes they may encounter as warriors and leaders.
Seven Soldiers, assigned to 8th Theater Sustainment Command, or TSC, demonstrated these characteristics here, May 4-8, by competing in various events to include an Army Physical Fitness Test, day and night land navigation, zero and qualification with their M16s and a formal board, and a written exam and essay.
Sgt. Michael Hooks, a horizontal construction engineer with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 130th Engineer Brigade, and Spc. Jonathan Renterian, a geospatial engineer with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 130th Engineer Brigade, won the unit's 2015 Best Warrior Competition, earning the title of the 8th TSC's noncommissioned officer, or NCO, and Soldier of the year.
"It changes what parts of the basic fundamentals as a troop you learn growing up," Hooks said. "As an NCO, you get to draw parts of your skills and hone them, that way you get to go back to your unit and refine your Soldiers."
Both Soldiers put their best effort into each event to demonstrate their competency tactically and technically.
"It was a complete 180 [degree] switch to go from driving the [command] sergeant major every day to having to put on a ruck, moving around, running around the land nav course and shooting and all that" Hooks said. "But that's part of being an NCO, and a Soldier is being able to adapt and overcome any situation."
The two Best Warriors were awarded with the Army Commendation Medal, a trophy and other gifts for their accomplishments, at the 45th Sustainment Brigade, 8th TSC Dining Facility, here, May 8.
"Whether you know it or not competitors, you have built readiness over the week and you have really tested yourselves across the five dimensions of strength: physically, emotionally, spiritually, socially and family," said Maj. Gen. Edward F. Dorman III, 8th TSC commanding general. "We have to be able to face challenges that we've never seen before, we have to be able to think on our feet and adjust to the unknown, develop the right solution and bring it to bear so we can execute the mission."
These Soldiers will go on to compete in the U.S. Army Pacific's Best Warrior Competition in early June, against 26 winners from other units in the Pacific theater.
Social Sharing