The Army's Best Warriors in the National Capital Region were honored at a ceremony held at Fort McNair Oct. 13, 2011.
Sgt. 1st Class Chad Stackpole, Sergeant of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown is the Joint Force Headquarters - National Capital Region (JFHQ-NCR) Best Warrior Competition (BWC) winner and NCO of the year, and Sgt. Casey Hargaden, assigned to Headquarters Company, 1-3 Battalion, 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) is the JFHQ-NCR BWC winner and Soldier of the year.
"It was a great competition and a unique experience," said Stackpole. "It was great to represent my unit at the Dept. of Army level, but it was also great to show my Soldiers that their leaders can do what we are asking them to do."
The U.S. Army Military District of Washington (MDW) BWC winner and NCO of the year is Sgt. Matthew Rossi, command group, and MDW BWC winner and Soldier of the Year is Cpl. James Collinsworth, 212th Military Police Detachment.
"Honored! I'm completely humbled and proud to be this year's MDW's Best Warrior Competition winner and NCO of the year," said Rossi. "Soldiers competing in these types of events can really put their Soldier skills to the test. I'm just thankful that MDW let me be a part of something this great,"
All of the Soldiers competed at the MDW Best Warrior Competition held at Fort A.P. Hill, July 18-22. Stackpole and Hargaden went on and represented the NCR at the Dept. of Army competition held at Fort Lee, Va. Oct. 3 - 7, 2011.
The Best Warrior competition tests Soldiers Army aptitude, conquering urban warfare simulations, board interviews, physical fitness tests, written exams, and Warrior tasks and battle drills relevant to today's operating environment. It is also the process which the Army uses to name their Soldier and NCO of year at all levels of command.
Army wide BWC winners this year are NCO of the Year Sgt. Guy Mellor, representing the National Guard and 1st Battalion, 145th Field Artillery, Utah National Guard. The Soldier of the Year is Spc. Thomas Hauser, representing Forces Command and the 563rd Military Police Company, 10th Mountain Division.
"I try to instill in the younger Soldiers to compete against the standards, not against the Soldier next to you," said Stackpole. "I tell them to just go for it and compete. You know you will make mistakes, but that is how you learn, and that is how the Army gets even better than it is."
Social Sharing