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FORT GORDON, Ga. -- Competitors need to know the U.S. Army Warrior Tasks and Battle Drills. "I would recommend the best warrior competition to others," said Sgt. Johnny Long, Detachment Hawaii, 782nd Military Intelligence Battalion. "It's a unique ex...
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FORT GORDON, Ga. -- Competitors need to expect the unexpected. "The Jared is an operational fitness challenge. It's a CrossFit event," said Sgt. 1st Class Ian Sabin, 782nd Military Intelligence (MI) Battalion, noncommissioned officer in charge of the...
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GLEN ARM, Md. -- Competitors need to be ready for 12-mile ruck marches, because each competition had one. "Ultimately, there is going to be one Soldier and one noncommissioned officer selected to move forward," said Sgt. Major Craig Hood, the operati...
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GLEN ARM, Md. -- Competitors should expect to race through a timed obstacle course. "All the competitors came here with the same mindset, with the same goal in mind," said Sgt. Johnny Long, Detachment Hawaii, 782nd Military Intelligence Battalion. "W...
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FORT A.P. HILL, Va. -- Competitors can expect stress shoot exercises and U.S. Army Warrior Tasks and Battle Drills before, during and after their 12-mile ruck marches. "These competitions are never easy," said 1st Sgt. Peter Novak, Headquarters and H...
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FORT A.P. HILL, Va. -- Competitors should expect multiple U.S. Army Combative engagements. "It's been great so far. It's been rough, exhausting, it's been extremely challenging, a little miserable and I think that's the point at this level," said Sgt...
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FORT BELVOIR, Va. -- Competitors can count on there being an Army Physical Fitness Test. "The Army established the Best Warrior Competition to identify the best warrior," said Sgt. Maj. Jesse Potter, operations sergeant major for the 780th Military I...
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FORT BELVOIR, Va. -- Competitors really need to know their U.S. Army Warrior Tasks and Battle Drills. "I know that parts of it have been rougher than I expected, parts that were more fun than I expected. You never know exactly what to expect at each ...
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FORT BELVOIR, Va. -- Competitors can expect to be looked over and grilled by senior enlisted leaders. "I think back to when I competed in boards, we were very knowledgeable,…but the knowledge of the Soldiers today is high…the bar is ver...
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FORT GEORGE. G. MEADE, Md. -- Competitors can expect awards and accolades after a grueling win. "Going all-out, getting miserable together," said Sgt. Johnny Long, Detachment Hawaii, 782nd Military Intelligence Battalion. "Every one of these guys has...
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FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. -- Merriam-Webster defines taking up the gauntlet as someone who is "willing and ready to fight, argue, or compete with someone or to do something that is difficult but necessary: to accept or respond to a challenge."
Sgt. Johnny Long of Mesquite, Texas, assigned to Detachment Hawaii, 782nd Military Intelligence (MI) Battalion, 780th MI Brigade, was that someone who accepted the challenge to be the Army's Best Warrior. He began a ten month journey from his selection as the detachment representative, through the battalion, brigade, North Region U.S. Army Intelligence & Security Command (INSCOM), INSCOM, and U.S. Army Cyber Command competitions, and culminated with his participation at the U.S. Army-level Best Warrior Competition in October.
Long has a bachelor's degree in physics and joined the Army in 2013 after teaching high school because he wanted to serve. He is a Korean Linguist who aspires join a SOT-A (Special Operations Team-Alpha), which is a signals intelligence--electronic warfare element of Army Special Forces. For Long, the BWC has been a series of opportunities, and he's had a lot of fun.
Although Long did not win at the Army-level, it was a significant accomplishment to beat out the best of the best through each level of competition, and this spring units throughout the Army will be looking for the next Soldier and noncommissioned officer to pick up the gauntlet.
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