JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. - Sgt. Oscar Gomez-Lopez, 508th Military Police Battalion, and Spc. Joshua Diaz, 571st Military Police Company, rose above their peers during the 593rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command's 2016 Best Warrior Competition, April 25-29.
The competitors, from 62nd Medical Brigade, 42nd MP Brigade, and Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 593rd ESC, tested their bodies and minds against their peers through nine physical events, a written exam and a board appearance.
Command Sgt. Maj. Roy Rocco, 593rd ESC command sergeant major, explained that competitions like this are important because it pits the best Soldiers against each other.
"We're picking the best of the best," said Rocco. "That's why I made the competition hard; it's going to separate the ones who want it versus the ones who don't."
Each of the competitors shined brighter than the rest during certain events - Diaz was the first to cross the finish line for the 2-mile run and Sgt. Julio De La Cruz, 56th Multifunctional Medical Battalion, rolled up his competition in the octagon during Army combatives.
De La Cruz's plan was to "take one challenge at a time. Once you're done, move on to the next challenge until it's over."
Several Soldiers, while very comfortable completing events that highlighted their strengths, expressed concern with the land navigation event. Spc. David Diaz, 508th MP Detention Battalion, was one who looked forward to it.
The 508th Soldier's experience for land navigation is unique. As a certified diver he uses his navigation skills under water as confidently as he does on land. His pace count and navigation during the daytime course put him within 10 meters of his first point.
"A lot of these tasks are tasks that I've been doing repeatedly or teaching other Soldiers, so a lot comes second nature to me," David said. "Two years ago I took a Soldier to the first ever 593rd Best Warrior Competition, and we won."
Even though he finished strong during the physical events, he was most confident about the mental challenges saying, "my bread and butter is the mental section, I love to learn a lot of knowledge."
After completing the final two challenges, a written exam and board appearance, the scores were tallied and the winner(s) announced during an award ceremony, April 29, at McChord Field's Globemaster Grill.
Gomez-Lopez and Diaz will go on to compete in the I Corps Best Warrior Competition scheduled to be held here May 23-27.
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