FORT MCCOY, Wis. -- Most professionals are not the best in their field with only a year on the job. One Soldier is challenging the idea that it takes years of experience to make you the best.
Army Reserve Pfc. Jorge Arciniegas, combat medic, 841st Engineer Battalion, 412th Theater Engineer Command, is competing in the 412th and 416th Combined Best Warrior Competition at Fort McCoy, after being in the Army only 13 months.
"It's been great," said the Sunny Isles Beach, Fla., resident. "I graduated (advanced individual training) about three or four months before coming here … I arrived (at my unit) and tried to make a good first impression and show I had motivation and tried to do good things. So they sent me to this Best Warrior Competition."
At the 841st Best Warrior Competition, Arciniegas competed against approximately 20 other junior enlisted Soldiers and advanced above his peers to the next level of the competition.
"(It's impressive) for being so new in the Army and having such little time in the Army," said Army Reserve Sgt. 1st Class Charles Rosser, platoon sergeant, 758th Engineer Company, 412th Theater Engineer Command who is Arciniegas' sponsor for this event.
Rosser didn't meet Arciniegas until they arrived for the competition, but said he's been impressed by his expertise and morale.
"From what I've seen of him, for being such a young Soldier, he's very knowledgeable in Army warrior tasks, in Army standards," said Rosser, a Miami native. "He's shown a lot of motivation since he's been here. The weather conditions and the (tasks) they've given him to do have not affected his morale or his motivation one bit. He's very eager to learn and just excited to be here."
Arciniegas said he is excited to be at the competition, but winning is not his primary motivation.
"I'm here because I want to get a lot of good experience I can take back to my unit," said Arciniegas. "My first priority is so I can learn and get experience and help other people. Even though I'm lower enlisted, I still want to help people become better, and also for myself, so I can learn from it and be stronger and become a good NCO soon, hopefully."
While Arciniegas is an Army Reserve Soldier, his Army career is very important to him. His short-term goal is to become a noncommissioned officer, while in the long term, he is aspiring to one day obtain the rank of command sergeant major.
Arciniegas contributes his success in the competitions thus far with the support he received from NCOs.
"As soon as I went to my unit, I immediately had good NCOs supporting me and teaching me good things and trying to make me a good follower and good leader," he said. "Especially here, there's a lot of good NCOs I talk to … everyone here is here for a reason. They're here because they want to be here and they want to do well, so it's a barracks full of motivated Soldiers. That's always good to be around and immerse yourself in."
While Arciniegas has been impressed with the NCOs in the competition, they have also shown him experience is important.
"What was a challenge for me was the different skills. A lot of people here have had a few years of experience so they've had a lot of time to actually practice at their unit more and use it," said Arciniegas. "Whereas for me, I just got done with basic training and AIT. I've been taught great things and I've had great leaders along the way, but I haven't had as much time to practice and mold and perfect my skills."
While Arciniegas doesn't feel he is as practiced as other competitors, he does feel the competition is making him a better-trained Soldier.
"I think the Best Warrior Competition is a really good experience for NCOs and lower enlisted because it gives you a chance to get some extra training," he said. "Sometimes, in the units, there isn't as much time or there are other mandatory things to get done. It's good to set time aside for this and actually get some pretty good training in."
Related Links:
412th Theater Engineer Command News & Information
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