TRADOC commander Gen. Robert Cone, left, and TRADOC Command Sgt. Maj. Daniel Dailey, right, pose with TRADOC NCO of the Year Staff Sgt. Brenden Shannon and TRADOC Soldier of the Year Spc. Jesse Jacklyn. Shannon and Jacklyn represented the Maneuver Ce...

FORT EUSTIS, Va. -- The winners of the 2012 U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command NCO and Soldier of the Year competition were announced Friday during a ceremony at the Fort Eustis Club.

Staff Sgt. Brenden Shannon was named the TRADOC NCO of the Year, and Spc. Jesse Jacklyn was named the TRADOC Soldier of the Year. Both Shannon and Jacklyn are from Fort Benning.

The four-day competition tested the warriors' mettle in graded events that included land navigation, "warrior tasks" and battle drills, and a rapid-fire question-and-answer session before a board of four senior NCOs.

Shannon spoke about his feelings after the announcement was made.

"I'm excited to win," he said. "There's been a higher level of competition every step of the way. I didn't know where I would place. It felt like it was anyone's game."

Shannon and Jacklyn said they trained together constantly for nearly a year, including weekends.

"Preparation is important," Jacklyn said. "You need to train in order to get yourself mentally and physically ready."

Gen. Robert Cone, TRADOC commanding general, spoke about the importance of training.

"Training is a journey and not a destination," he said. "You will train your entire career. This is the culture of the United States Army."

Shannon and Jacklyn will represent TRADOC at the Army's Best Warrior Competition this October at Fort Lee, Va. They will compete against 22 top NCOs and Soldiers from across the Army.

"We challenged these Soldiers," said Command Sgt. Maj. Daniel Dailey, TRADOC command sergeant major, "and they challenged themselves physically, mentally, and in some cases, even spiritually. I think we found the best noncommissioned officer and Soldier to represent TRADOC. ... We train Army professionals, and we are TRADOC."