CAMP ATTERBURY, Ind. -- Two Army musicians will compete at the Department of the Army's Best Warrior Competition after winning the Army Materiel Command's title of Soldier and noncommissioned officer of the year.
Spc. Adam Walton and Staff Sgt. Jeremy Baharloui, both percussionists with the 389th Army Band at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, earned their titles after enduring a three-day challenge competitors described as grueling, exhausting and humbling.
Before naming the winners of the command's Best Warrior Competition, AMC Command Sgt. Maj. James K. Sims told the 10 Soldiers who competed they had all demonstrated commitment, dedication and resiliency.
"When you were tired, you continued to push yourselves. When things were tough, you did not give up," Sims said at an awards dinner capping the competition at the Indiana National Guard installation renowned for its training facilities. "You never quit. You never said, 'I can't.'"
Competitors from organizations across AMC participated in 28 events, employed five different weapons systems, expended about 5,000 rounds of ammunition and traversed more than 40 miles of diverse terrain. They faced event after event without prior knowledge of what was coming next.
Soldiers received an initial briefing Aug. 24, which served as Day Zero, before the three-day competition began before dawn the next day.
Day one began with a physical fitness test, followed by land navigation and firing ranges that tested their abilities on machine guns, rifles, pistols and the Army's newest grenade launcher, the M320.
Those weapons systems were among the biggest challenges for Baharloui, who noted musicians don't get much practice with military arms.
Baharloui was an alternate competitor who came to the event on a two-week notice. He spent much of his preparation time studying for the board.
"The competition was grueling -- mentally and physically," he said. "It was a matter of extremely hard work and commitment."
The final day began Aug. 27 with a 12-mile ruck march followed by a formal military board, where competitors faced questions from six other command sergeants major from throughout the organization.
"Three or four years ago, I would never have thought I was capable of anything like this," Walton said after being named the top Soldier. "This is a testament to the people who trained me. They provided that motivation."
Walton said the two land navigation events gave him the most challenge. "It was a difficult course with rough terrain. It was that, and the mental aspect."
Sims said all competitors were able to identify personal weaknesses and gather lessons to take back to their units.
"Use these lessons to teach, coach and mentor your subordinates," he told competitors. "This is exactly what the competition was designed to do … to make you better Soldiers and noncommissioned officers."
Sgt. 1st Class Enes Memic was named the runner up noncommissioned officer of the year. Memic is a contracting specialist with Mission and Installation Contracting Command at Fort Polk, Louisiana. Memic represented the Army Contracting Command.
Sgt. Austi-Ana Lamb was named the runner up Soldier of the Year. Although she is a noncommissioned officer, Lamb won the Soldier of the Year title for Military Surface Distribution Command while she was a specialist, and therefore competed at the Soldier level for AMC. Lamb is a transportation management coordinator assigned to the 690th Rapid Port Opening Element at Fort Eustis, Virginia.
The DA-level Best Warrior Competition is scheduled for Oct. 4-12 at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia.
Other competitors included the following:
Staff Sgt. Armond Evansscott, a marine cargo specialist assigned to the 841st Transportation Battalion at the Naval Weapons Station in Charleston, South Carolina. Evansscott represented the Military Surface Distribution Command.
Sgt. 1st Class Jermaine L. Ferguson, a human resource specialist assigned to Headquarters Company of the U.S. Army Security Assistance Training Management Organization at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Ferguson represented the U.S. Army Security Assistance Command.
Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Tamangided, a telecommunications operations chief assigned to the Communications Electronics Command at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland.
Sgt. 1st Class Jermaine Holland, a maintenance supervisor assigned to the Tank Automotive and Armaments Command Life Cycle Management Command in Warren, Michigan.
Spc. Jack J. Hopper, a human resource specialist assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Army Sustainment Command at Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois.
Sgt. 1st Class Curtis Benjamin, a maintenance supervisor assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company Army Sustainment Command at Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois.
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