SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Sgt. Douglas McBroom was named the 2011 Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command NCO of the Year and Private 1st Class Francisco Espino captured SDDC Soldier of the Year honors during a ceremony May 27 at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
McBroom and Espino -- both assigned to the 690th Rapid Port Opening Element, 597th Transportation Brigade -- earned their titles following the week-long SDDC Best Warrior competition May 23-27 at JB Langley-Eustis and Fort A.P. Hill, Va.
During the competition, six SDDC Soldiers representing four of the command’s five brigades competed in a variety of tasks, including combatives (hand-to-hand combat); news media training; an NCO and Soldier of the Year review board; the Army physical fitness test; a 6-mile ruck march; weapons qualifications; and a variety of battle drills that tested each competitor’s knowledge of general Soldier skill areas.
McBroom and Espino will go on to compete at the upcoming Army Materiel Command Best Warrior competition, and the winners from that event will compete for top honors during the U.S. Army competition later this year.
During the SDDC Best Warrior awards ceremony May 27, SDDC Command Sgt. Maj. James Riddick congratulated each of the SDDC Best Warrior competitors and challenged the winners to prepare for the next level of competition.
“The Soldiers who win at the next level are the Soldiers who will sacrifice the most,” said Riddick.
He told the two top Soldiers they should enjoy their win now, but after the Memorial Day weekend, it’s time for them to get to work and prepare for the upcoming AMC competition.
“I expect you to go out there and hone your skills,” added SDDC’s top enlisted leader. “I know you have the ability to win [at the next level], but I want you to know it’s going to require sacrifice. You’re going to have to study more; you’re going to have to workout more; you’re going to have to go to the [weapons] range more.”
With that, Riddick noted the highlights of each competitor and announced the two top Soldiers.
The Soldiers selected to compete for the SDDC Best Warrior competition mastered a series of benchmarks throughout the year and were handpicked to represent their brigades in the SDDC competition.
In addition to McBroom and Espino, the cast of SDDC Best Warrior competitors included: Sgt. 1st Class Elizabeth Wister, 598th Trans. Bde.; Staff Sgt. Lonika Harris, 599th Trans. Bde.; Sgt. Richard Gonzalez, 595th Trans. Bde.; and Spc. Anthony Macchio, 595th Trans. Bde.
Each competitor received 597th Trans. Bde. and SDDC command team coins, Army and Air Force Exchange Service movie passes, an SDDC “One Mind, One Heart, One Purpose” value card, and a certificate of recognition. Additionally, the SDDC NCO and Soldier of the Year each received a $500 savings bond; an SDDC plaque; a $100 gift card, t-shirt, lapel pin, military service assistance team coin, music Internet download card, and sports bag from GEICO; and a replica musket from Pioneer Services.
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