FORT GORDON, Ga.--One Soldier outpaced all others in competition for top honors in the 35th Theater Tactical Signal Brigade.
The Noncommissioned Officer and Soldier of the Year Board Competition for the 35th Theater Tactical Signal Brigade took place May 18-21. The competition was held to select the most outstanding NCO and Soldier to represent the 35th TTSB at the Network Enterprise Technology Command/9th Signal Command NCO and Soldier of the Year competition in June.
The competition consisted of five scored events including the Army Physical Fitness Test, a written examination, qualifying with the M-16A2 rifle, day and night land navigation, and an appearance in front of six members at a Soldier board. Each event counted for a specific number of points with 500 being the maximum number of points a Soldier can score.
The participants were Sgt. Dazzarie Hill, 35th TTSB Headquarters and Headquarters Company, and Sgt. Spencer Adams, 67th Expeditionary Battalion, who competed for NCO of the Year, and Sgt. Icardo Anaya, 35th TTSB HHC, and Sgt. William Krise, 67th Expeditionary Bn, who competed for Soldier of the Year. Anaya and Krise were both specialists when they were nominated for the competition. Hill won the NCO of the Year and Anaya won the Soldier of the Year.
The first event was the Army Physical Fitness Test. The competitors were graded on the repetitions of pushups and sit ups they could perform in two minutes and a two mile run. Despite an extremely chilly morning, the Soldiers managed to push on through each event.
Later on that day, the Soldiers conducted urban lane training. The participants led their own squad through Training areas 24 and 26 to perform different warrior tasks such as moving under direct fire, reacting to contact, evaluating a casualty, and entering and clearing a building. Hill said that the lane training was the hardest part for her because it was difficult to react to direct fire. "Whenever you're stressed you can go blank," said Hill.
Before the participants began weapons qualification, Krise had to drop out of the competition due to a knee injury he received from the lane training. Krise said he was, disappointed and saddened that he had to drop out. "My goal was to compete," said Krise.
On Range 6 and 7 the remaining participants qualified their weapons with 40 rounds each. After qualifying, the participants had to prove their map reading skills in day and night land navigation. Each participant had to find five coordinates for the day and three for the night.
On the final day, the competitors, dressed in their Class A uniforms appeared before a Soldier board. The board of six senior NCOs graded each Soldier on confidence, military bearing, uniform appearance and how they answered each question.
Adams was leading in most of the events, but Hill managed to get a higher overall score by impressing the board with her military knowledge. Anaya said that going up against the board was definitely the hardest part for him. "You really have to bring your A-game," said Anaya.
After the board, the competitors unanimously agreed that they were all tired and that they were glad it was over. Hill said she was honored to win. "Sergeant Adams is a good guy, I knew it was a tough decision," said Hill. Anaya said he was glad he got to compete with Soldiers he knew and respected. "I feel compelled and blessed about winning," said Anaya.
Sgt. Maj. Oree White, who was on the board, said that all the Soldiers are winners because they did something 3,000 other Soldiers didn't do, and that they should be proud that their units chose them to participate.
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