FORT BRAGG, N.C. ̶ After a grueling week-long competition, two Soldiers from the National Training Center (NTC) at Fort Irwin, Calif., were named U.S. Army Forces Command's (FORSCOM) Soldier of the Year and Noncommissioned Officer of the Year for 2016.
Staff Sgt. Joseph Gonzalez, NTC Operations Group, and Spc. Alan D. Ibarra-Lepe, 1916th Support Battalion, took top honors and were among twelve Soldiers from across FORSCOM who vied Aug. 22-26, 2016, in the FORSCOM "Best Warrior" competition at Fort Bragg, N.C.
The grueling competition focused on Army fundamentals, testing individual tasks -- including high standards of physical, technical and tactical readiness.
Noncommissioned Officers and enlisted Soldiers from across the United States --- from as far as U.S. Army Fort Drum & 10th Mountain Division, N.Y., to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. -- matched their expertise to become FORSCOM's NCO of the Year and Soldier of the Year for 2016.
The competitors represented three Army corps -- I Corps, III Corps and XVIII Airborne Corps -- as well as First Army; the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk; the National Training Center; the 32nd Army Air & Missile Defense Command (AAMDC); the 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives Command; and their subordinate commands.
"To get here was really hard," said Gen. Robert B. Abrams, commanding general of FORSCOM. "The twelve here are all winners and they were all outstanding. It was an all-in effort and there was no quit in any of them. They had to deal with the unknown, uncertainty and ambiguity. It really was an incredible competition."
The winners will move on later this year to compete at the Department of the Army NCO/Soldier of the Year Best Warrior Competition later this year.
To compete in the FORSCOM-level event, the NCO's and Soldiers each had to win a series of unit-level competitions beginning at their battalion, brigade, division and corps.
During the competition, NCO's and Soldiers tested their skills in a board interview, foot march, obstacle course, physical fitness test, written exam, and warrior tasks at a variety of locations on Fort Bragg.
The event was supported by B Troop, 3rd Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division.
The other competitors included:
• Sgt. Adam C. Ballard, 52nd Air Defense Artillery, Fort Bliss, Texas, representing the 32nd Army Air & Missile Defense Command;
• Staff Sgt. Francis G. Trunck, 2-289 Training Support Battalion, First U.S. Army, Rock Island, Ill.;
• Staff Sgt. Woodruff L. Musser, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y., representing the XVIII Airborne Corps;
• Staff Sgt. Joshua M. Urtz, 7th Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., representing I Corps.
• Spc.Tomas De Jesus Perez, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga., representing XVIII Airborne Corps;
• Spc. Joshua M. Diaz, 571st Military Police Company, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., representing I Corps;
• Sgt. Christopher S. Forbes, 7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, Fort Bragg, N.C., representing 32nd AAMDC;
• Spc. Christopher T. Kenney, 85th Civil Affairs Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas, representing III Corps;
• Private 1st Class Collin R. Morgan, 2nd Infantry Regiment, Joint Readiness Training Center, Fort Polk, La., and
• Spc. Kyle L. Oday, 52nd Ordnance Group, Fort Campbell, Ky., representing 20th CBRNE.
The 2016 FORSCOM NCO/SOY board members were:
• Command Sgt. Maj. Scott C. Schroeder, Headquarters, U.S. Army Forces Command, the president of the board;
• Command Sgt. Maj. Michael A. Grinston, command sergeant major, I Corps;
• Command Sgt. Maj. Michael A. Crosby, command sergeant major, 4th Infantry Division;
• Command Sgt. Maj. Brian T. Severino, command sergeant major, XVIII Airborne Corps;
• Command Sgt. Maj. Sam K. Young, command sergeant major, First U.S. Army;
• Command Sgt. Maj. Edison M. Rebuck, command sergeant major, National Training Center; and
• Command Sgt. Maj. Jeremiah E. Inman, command sergeant major, Joint Readiness Training Center.
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