JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas (April 21, 2021) -- Four Mission and Installation Contracting Command Soldiers are competing virtually in the Army Contracting Command’s 2021 Best Warrior Competition April 27.
The Best Warrior Competition recognizes Soldiers who demonstrate commitment to the Army values, embody the warrior ethos, and represent the force of the future.
Soldiers from the 418th and 419th Contracting Support Brigades competed in brigade-level command sergeant major boards assessing each Soldier's breadth and depth on areas such as military leadership, Army history, tactical communications, battle-focused training, U.S. government and the Constitution, and land navigation.
This year’s competitors are Staff Sgts. Samuel Rios and Katharine Shockley advancing from the 419th CSB BWC. Rios won the competition and is assigned to the 900th Contracting Battalion at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Shockley was the runner-up and is assigned to the 922nd CBN at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
Staff Sgts. Frank Gomes and Timothy Hollingsworth are the 418th CSB BWC winner and runner-up, respectively. Gomes is assigned to the 923rd CBN at Fort Riley, Kansas. Hollingsworth is assigned to the 902nd CBN at Joint-Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.
Winners from each brigade will proceed to compete at the ACC BWC.
“These competitors exemplify best of the best and the MICC’s commitment to constant improvement, even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Master Sgt. Enrique Torres, the MICC operations NCO and competition coordinator. “The winner and runner up will compete at the next level, where they will undergo an even more stringent command sergeant major board appearance, essay and written exam, physical fitness assessment, warrior tasks and battle drills, weapons range and mystery event.”
Shockley, a former military police Soldier and Newcastle, California, native said what motivated her to compete is competition.
“I have always been involved in any sort of competition available,” Shockley said. “I fully believe there is no better way to see where you are lacking and where you can improve than to put it to the test. These competitors are the best of the best, and I hope to see myself as a contender as well.”
Gomes, a California native, said he hopes that his participation will motivate others to do the same.
Hollingsworth, originally from Olympia, Washington, said he is also motivated by putting himself in challenging situations to help him develop. He added if he is successful in accomplishing his goal as one of the Army’s best warriors, it would represent to the Army that you don’t have to be combat arms to be the best.
Rios said he is driven by the physical aspect of the best warrior competition.
“My main motivation to compete in best warrior competitions is the physical aspect that is usually offered,” Rios said, who calls Hammond, Indiana, home. “With the current climate I understand that this is not possible. However, participation of this competition will hopefully show my superiors the motivation I have to constantly sharpen and refine my skills as an NCO and my willingness to contribute to the organization as a whole.”
In most years the competition consists of Soldiers completing an Army Combat Fitness Test, a 12-mile foot march, a rifle qualification, several hands-on warrior tasks, a written exam and essay, and board interviews. Today’s COVID-19 environment forced officials at the MICC and ACC levels to adjust the competition.
The winner of this event will move onto the Army Materiel Command BWC at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, July 19 to 23.
About the MICC
Headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas, the Mission and Installation Contracting Command consists of about 1,500 military and civilian members who are responsible for contracting goods and services in support of Soldiers as well as readying trained contracting units for the operating force and contingency environment when called upon. As part of its mission, MICC contracts are vital in feeding more than 200,000 Soldiers every day, providing many daily base operations support services at installations, facilitate training in the preparation of more than 100,000 conventional force members annually, training more than 500,000 students each year, and maintaining more than 14.4 million acres of land and 170,000 structures.
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