From left to right, Command Sgt. Maj. Vincent Simonetti, First Army Division West senior enlisted advisor; Capt. Charles B. Atkins; winner, Gen. Omar N. Bradley Best Observer, Coach/Trainer Competition officer with 5th Armored Brigade; Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Perkins, winner, Bradley Best OC/T Competition noncommissioned officer with 5th AR BDE; Col. Douglas F. Serie, commander, 5th AR BDE; Command Sgt. Maj. Deondre L. Long, 5th AR BDE senior enlisted advisor, proudly display the first place trophy at the Gen. Omar N. Bradley Best OC/T Competition Award Ceremony, Fort Bliss, Texas April 9.

Command Sgt. Maj. Vincent Simonetti, First Army Division West senior enlisted advisor, presents the Army Commendation Medal to Gen. Omar N. Bradley Best Observer Coach/Trainer runner up team consisting of Maj. Austin C. Wesley and Sgt. 1st Class Donelly Thomas, of the 189th Infantry Brigade during an award ceremony at Fort Bliss, Texas April 9.

U.S. Army Capt. Peyton Cavanaugh (left), and Staff Sgt. Matthew Wilcox, with 2-362 Field Artillery Regiment, 5th Armored Brigade, descend the weaver obstacle during the Gen. Omar N. Bradley Best Observer Coach/Trainer Competition held at Camp McGregor, New Mexico, April 8, 2025. The annual competition, hosted by First Army Division West, aims to identify officers and noncommissioned officers who demonstrate outstanding OC/T skills, military performance, leadership, and achievement in their daily duties, and serves as a qualifier for the Army Best OC/T competition held at Fort Stewart, Georgia. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Tyler Brahic)

U.S. Army Capt. Anthony Cunningham and Sgt. 1st Class Rush Wyckoff, observer, coach/trainers assigned to the 1-383th Training Support Battalion, 120th Infantry Brigade, First Army Division West, share a sight adjustment tool at the M4 rifle zero range during the Gen. Omar N. Bradley Best Observer, Coach/Trainer Competition held at Camp McGregor, New Mexico, April 7, 2025. The annual competition, hosted by First Army Division West, aims to identify officers and noncommissioned officers who demonstrate outstanding OC/T skills, military performance, leadership, and achievement in their daily duties, and serves as a qualifier for the Army Best OC/T competition held at Fort Stewart, Georgia. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Reece Heck)

U.S. Army Capt. Brandon Stacy, an observer coach/trainer with 2-393 Brigade Engineer Battalion, 120th Infantry Brigade, clears a room during the Military Operations in Urban Terrain portion of the Gen. Omar N. Bradley Best OC/T Competition held at Camp McGregor, New Mexico, April 8, 2025. The annual competition, hosted by First Army Division West, aims to identify officers and noncommissioned officers who demonstrate outstanding OC/T skills, military performance, leadership, and achievement in their daily duties, and serves as a qualifier for the Army Best OC/T competition held at Fort Stewart, Georgia. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Danielle Rayon)

U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Edward Harrison (left), 1-351 Brigade Support Battalion, 181st Infantry Brigade, and Capt. William Allen, 3-340 Brigade Engineer Battalion, 181st Infantry Brigade, drag a Soldier under fire in the casualty evacuation event during the Gen. Omar N. Bradley Best Observer Coach/Trainer Competition held at Camp McGregor, New Mexico, April 8, 2025. The annual competition, hosted by First Army Division West, aims to identify officers and noncommissioned officers who demonstrate outstanding OC/T skills, military performance, leadership, and achievement in their daily duties, and serves as a qualifier for the Army Best OC/T competition held at Fort Stewart, Georgia. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Tyler Brahic)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Josua McCaden, and observer coach/trainer with 3-393 Brigade Engineer Battalion, 120th Infantry Brigade, low crawls during the Expert Physical Fitness Assessment of the Gen. Omar N. Bradley Best OC/T Competition held at Camp McGregor, New Mexico, April 8, 2025. The annual competition, hosted by First Army Division West, aims to identify officers and noncommissioned officers who demonstrate outstanding OC/T skills, military performance, leadership, and achievement in their daily duties, and serves as a qualifier for the Army Best OC/T competition held at Fort Stewart, Georgia. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Danielle Rayon)

Observer, Coach/Trainers assigned to the First Army Division West, zero their weapons during the Gen. Omar N. Bradley Best OC/T Competition held at Camp McGregor, New Mexico, April 7, 2025. The annual competition, hosted by First Army Division West, aims to identify officers and noncommissioned officers who demonstrate outstanding OC/T skills, military performance, leadership, and achievement in their daily duties, and serves as a qualifier for the Army Best OC/T competition held at Fort Stewart, Georgia. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Reece Heck)

U.S. Army Capt. Anthony Cunningham, an observer coach/trainer assigned to 1-383 Training Support Battalion, 120th Infantry Brigade, climbs a rope during the obstacle course portion of the Gen. Omar N. Bradley Best OC/T Competition held at Camp McGregor, New Mexico, April 8, 2025. The annual competition, hosted by First Army Division West, to identify officers and noncommissioned officers who demonstrate outstanding OC/T skills, military performance, leadership, and achievement in their daily duties, and serves as a qualifier for the Army Best OC/T competition held at Fort Stewart, Georgia. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Danielle Rayon)

U.S. Army Capt. Adam Martin, an observer, coach/trainer assigned to the 3-364th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 189th Infantry Brigade, reads a map at the call for fire portion during the Gen. Omar N. Bradley Best Observer, Coach/Trainer Competition at Camp McGregor, New Mexico, April 8, 2025. The annual competition, hosted by First Army Division West, aims to identify officers and noncommissioned officers who demonstrate outstanding OC/T skills, military performance, leadership and achievement in their daily duties, and serves as a qualifier for the Army Best OC/T competition, Fort Stewart, Georgia. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Elliott Kim)

Fort McGregor, N.M. – Twenty-six observer coach/trainers with First Army Division West went head-to-head to determine which team is the “Best in the West” during this year’s Best OC/T Competition, held at Camp McGregor, New Mexico, April 7-9, 2025.

The 13 teams—each consisting of one officer and one noncommissioned officer—put their technical and tactical skills to the test over the course of three days, squaring off during challenges including the Expert Physical Fitness Assessment (EPFA), multiple weapon assessments, an obstacle course, and a ruck march.

“For an OCT to effectively assess another organization's readiness, they must first demonstrate their own individual proficiency,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Vincent Simonetti, division command sergeant major for First Army Division West. “They need to be able to do the leader tasks and participate in collective tasks before they can evaluate others.”

The annual competition aims to reinforce the foundational skills required of observer coach/trainers—those responsible for assessing and advising Army Reserve and National Guard units to maintain combat readiness. By pushing participants through physically and mentally demanding events, the competition ensures OC/Ts are not only capable trainers, but also highly capable Soldiers in their own right.

“All these ‘best’ competitions inspire great competition and excellence—and that's really what we want to do, because we should be the gold standard for OCT teams across our Army,” said Maj. Gen. William A. Ryan III, commanding general of First Army Division West.

The teams gathered from brigades across First Army Division West, to include Soldiers from the 120th Infantry Brigade, 5th Armored Brigade, 181st Infantry Brigade, 189th Infantry Brigade, and 166th Aviation Brigade.

“These teams here will go back to their organizations and show other teams some of the things that they've done here, some of the skill sets that were challenged here,” Ryan said.

Named after General Omar N. Bradley—the first commanding general of First Army headquarters—the competition pays tribute to the storied history and legacy of leadership associated with the command. Bradley famously led First Army troops during the D-Day landings in Normandy and later served as the first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

“I want to emphasize our commitment to warfighting and lethality,” Simonetti said. “Division West contributes to the readiness of the total Army—active duty, Reserve, and National Guard. The work we do with all three components is truly remarkable.”

After three days of intense competition, Team Ten from 5th Armored Brigade was crowned the “Best in the West.” They will represent First Army Division West at the Army-wide Best OC/T at Fort Stewart, Georgia, where they will go head-to-head with top OC/T teams from across the Army.

“This is a competition—but it’s more than that,” Simonetti said. “Just like Best Ranger or Best Sapper, the Best OCT Competition identifies the top-tier leaders who stand at the summit of excellence.”

Winning teams:

1st place: Team 10, 5th Armored Brigade

Capt. Charles Atkins, 3-362 Infantry Regiment

Sgt. 1st Class Michael Perkins, 3-362 Infantry Regiment

From left to right, Command Sgt. Maj. Vincent Simonetti, First Army Division West senior enlisted advisor; Capt. Charles B. Atkins; winner, Gen. Omar N. Bradley Best Observer, Coach/Trainer Competition officer with 5th Armored Brigade; Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Perkins, winner, Bradley Best OC/T Competition noncommissioned officer with 5th AR BDE; Col. Douglas F. Serie, commander, 5th AR BDE; Command Sgt. Maj. Deondre L. Long, 5th AR BDE senior enlisted advisor, proudly display the first place trophy at the Gen. Omar N. Bradley Best OC/T Competition Award Ceremony, Fort Bliss, Texas April 9.

2nd place: Team 9, 189th Infantry Brigade

Maj. Austin Wesley, 3-364 Brigade Engineer Battalion

Sgt. 1st Class Donnelly Thomas, Headquarters

3rd place: Team 8, 189th Infantry Brigade

Capt. Luke Schiueter, 2-358 Armor Regiment

Staff Sgt. Jake Reyes, 2-358 Armor Regiment

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