FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. -- As the clock rounded over to 4:30 a.m. on April 21, with the sun not even risen and the chilled breath of competitors filling the air, a voice sounded out with "Go!" and Soldiers from across the Army began a nonstandard physical fitness test of pushups, situps, pullups, and a 3-mile run.
The physical fitness test kicked off day one of the three-day 2015 Best Sapper Competition at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. The competition took place over more than 50 miles of wooded, mountainous terrain, and ran for 50 consecutive hours. 46 teams made up of 92 Engineer Soldiers all looked to claim the title of being the Army's best Sappers.
Four of Fort Campbell's best represented the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at this year's competition.
First Lt. Jonathan Pantano and 2nd Lt. Ryan Jesse, represented the 326th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, and 1st Lt. Dustin Ballentine and Master Sgt. Christopher McLain, represented the 21st Engineer Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team.
"We didn't jump on board until a couple weeks prior to the competition, which made it tough to prioritize what to go over, but I think we prepared as well as we could have been," Ballentine said.
At a minimum, all contestants had to meet Army Physical Fitness Test standards and meet height and weight standards. Soldiers must also have been a Sapper Leader Course graduate and/or completed advance individual training for an engineer military occupational specialty.
Additionally, competitors must be able to complete the Army Combat Water Survival Test and complete a 12-mile foot march - typically called a ruck march - carrying a minimum of 40 pounds of equipment within three hours.
Ballentine said they conducted several ruck marches and reviewed the Sapper Handbook and Soldier's Manual of Common Tasks to help them prepare.
"I think we did a great job considering the preparation time we had," Ballentine said. "We may have been cut in the first round, but we gave it our best and didn't quit."
Jesse and his teammate, Pantano, made similar preparations to what the 3rd BCT "Rakkasans" did, but he said for any future competitors, there's one thing to really focus on.
"Ruck!" Jesse said. "Ruck a lot with heavy weight and consistently consider what would make your train up more difficult because that is exactly how the Sapper instructors develop the events."
Adding to Jesse's advice, Ballentine said start training five or six months in advance.
"The level of endurance the Best Sapper Competition requires is extreme," Ballentine said. "Rehearse each expected event with your teammate as much as possible. I would say with reasonable certainty that all those signature skills you learned in the general subjects phase of Sapper school will show up in the competition in one form or another."
Ballentine got some great refresher training on some technical Sapper tasks and made some great connections with other Sapper leaders across the force, he said.
"It was a fantastic training event with some stellar Sappers from across the Army," said Ballentine. "I'm glad I was able to be a part of it."
Competitors went through several phases that put their knowledge of engineer skills to the test. Day one consisted of a physical fitness test followed by a water event, ruck and an all-day round robin event with eight stations covering various subjects like rappelling, medically treating casualties and knot tying.
The competition progressed with a night land navigation course, more technical skills events, a 20-mile ruck march, followed directly by a six-mile run and a written exam.
Jesse said motivation was key in getting through each challenge.
"You had to accept that even though it hurt, the quicker you completed each event, the closer it was to being over," he said. "Having a teammate with a really good sense of humor helped alleviate some of the 'suck.'"
While the competition originated in 2005 as a means for Sapper Soldiers to showcase their technical skills, it has progressed to not only determine the next Best Sapper team, but to challenge and test the service members' knowledge, physical strength and mental fortitude.
"The event was definitely harder than anticipated," Jesse said. "I feel that we still have some unresolved issues with the Best Sapper Competition and can't wait to get back next year to show the Engineer Regiment what the 326th BEB is really all about."
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