Staff Sgt. Joel Demillo, from the Sustainment Center of Excellence and competitor in the 2017 TRADOC Best Warrior Competition starts off the second day of the contest with an Army Physical Fitness Test at Fort Jackson's Darby Field. The BWC is taking...
Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Wagner, from the U.S. Army Cadet Command, and Sgt. 1st Class Richard Barcus, from the U.S. Army Recruiting Command square off on the mat during the Army Combatives portion of the 2017 TRADOC Best Warrior Competition July 18...
Spc. Charles Record, from the Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Benning, Ga. and competitor in the TRADOC Best Warrior Competition treats a mannequin for its injuries during medical evaluations at Fort Jackson's Medical Treatment Simulation Facil...
Staff Sgt. Ryan McCarthy, left, from the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence, and Sgt. 1st Class Cory Kirby, with the Asymmetrical Warfare Group, run neck and neck during the Army Physical Fitness Test portion of the 2017 TRADOC Best Warrior Compe...
The top non-commissioned officers and junior enlisted Soldiers throughout Training and Doctrine Command began competing for the title of TRADOC's Best Warrior during a competition held on post starting Monday.
Twenty-two Soldiers arrived on post Sunday with their medical skills testing beginning Monday and their combatives prowess on display Tuesday.
Even though the Soldiers are trying to outdo each other it hasn't dampened their camaraderie.
"The best part about the competition has been the people," said Spc. Morgun Yogore, from the Intelligence Center of Excellence in Fort Huachuca, Arizona. "The people have been great."
Sgt. 1st Class Richard Barcus, from the U.S. Army Recruiting Command, also found his fellow competitors to be a blessing.
(Mark Maricone contributed to this article)
"The competition is good, all the competitors came here to win and are very supportive of each other," he said while waiting to go before a board of senior NCOs, who would test his Army knowledge. "It's a great atmosphere."
For some Soldiers just getting to the competition was an accomplishment.
"It feels good to be selected, and know that I did the best that I could to get me here," said Pfc. Austin Kissinger, a truck driver with the Sustainment Center of Excellence at Fort Lee, Virginia.
Before the competition ends Friday the Soldiers will face the Fit to Win 2 obstacle course, Fort Jackson's Victory Tower, zero and qualify on their weapons, go through situation training exercises to test their practical knowledge, before finally throwing on their packs for a ruck march.
Some Soldiers like Barcus face adversity in the classic American military style -- with dry humor.
"I am looking forward to the ruck march," he said, "because it means it's over and we get to find out who won."
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