FORT CARSON, Colo. -- Spc. Tyler Simmons has been a Soldier for a little more than two years. In that span, he's deployed to Afghanistan, pinned on higher rank and become a father.
He's also proven himself as one of the 4th Infantry Division's top warriors.
"My whole Family, grandfather, mom, dad, are all veterans," he said. "I knew the military was always something I wanted to do, but I guess I figured I always had time. When I hit 23, I thought if I didn't do it then, I might not ever."
So he enlisted, went to Fort Benning, Georgia, for basic training and arrived at Fort Carson a few months later.
When he started at the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, he had never heard of the Best Warrior Competition, but it didn't take him long to set himself apart from his peers.
"I wouldn't say he's cocky, but he's definitely confident," said 1st Sgt. Matthew O'Neil, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Bn., 12th Inf. Reg. "He fits that 'whole Soldier' ideal, physically fit, prideful and driven to be the best."
A mere seven months after competing in his battalion's Soldier of the Month competition, Simmons will be representing the 4th Inf. Div. and Fort Carson at the III Corps Best Warrior Competition June 22-26, 2015.
The competition consists of a physical fitness test, combat testing lanes, a written exam, mystery event, and an arduous oral board that covers a wide range of Army topics. Simmons rolled through Best Warrior competitions at the battalion and brigade levels earlier this year before knocking off five competitors for the 4th Inf. Div. title May 29, 2015.
O'Neil figures Simmons has the physical and combat skills portion of the competition down, but he excels perhaps most in the oral-board segments.
"When we deployed last year, he was one of those guys who didn't let stressful situations get to him," O'Neil said. "He maintained a focused and positive attitude and helped pull people through those stressful situations."
Simmons is known as the platoon jokester, by the way, but O'Neil inferred that he possesses a rare combination of social skills, where timing and appropriateness converge with professionalism.
"He's got that competitive edge, never settles, always wants to learn more and get better," O'Neil said. "He's become a great model for our Soldiers throughout the battalion."
That attitude and his skills seem to have carried over into the Best Warrior competition.
"I like to think I keep my composure pretty well," Simmons said. "The oral boards can be intimidating, but I tend not to lose focus or get stressed out under pressure."
Preparation is also key. Since the oral boards grill Soldiers on everything from the Army's substance abuse program to weapons, first aid and emergency relief programs to name a few, competitors must study a large and varied range of topics.
"I study a lot and my wife, Shalae, helps me with that," he said. "I also get support from my platoon sergeant, Sgt. 1st Class Brendan Velasquez, and my team leader, Sgt. John Ratzlaff. They've both been helpful and encouraging through all of the competitions so far."
Simmons is scheduled to attend Ranger school following the III Corps competition, unless he wins. O'Neil will have to reschedule him if that happens as Simmons would move on to the U.S. Army Forces Command and possibly Army levels.
For the immediate future, Simmons hopes to earn the rank of sergeant, but plans to separate eventually, move back to his native Oklahoma, earn a criminal justice degree and work as a police officer in Oklahoma City.
"I'm just excited about the next level of competition," he said. "I'm going in with 100-percent effort and my wife and Family continue to provide the ultimate level of support."
Social Sharing