WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, N.M. (September 29, 2022) The U.S. Army’s top Squads competed at locations across the world to select this year’s U.S. Army 2022 Best Squad Competition (BSC) participants. The finalists, 10 squads consisting of five Soldiers; squad leader in the rank of sergeant first class or staff sergeant; team leader in the rank of sergeant or corporal, and three squad members in the rank of specialist and below have proven themselves during subordinate competitions throughout the year and will now represent their commands as they compete for the coveted title of, U.S. Army Best Squad, Soldier of the Year and Noncommissioned Officer of the Year.
Overseen by Sgt. Maj. of the Army (SMA) Michael Grinston, the 2022 BSC challenges Soldiers with completing the Army Combat Fitness Test, a 12-mile foot march, rifle qualification, proctored assessment phase, hands-on Squad tasks, written exam and essay, and board interviews with sergeant majors from across the Army. The SMA intent is to promote morale and cohesion within the participating commands and reinforce the importance of squad tactics within our profession.
“I want units to really think about what makes up a squad. ‘This is My Squad’ isn’t just about the traditional infantry squad. It’s about those small groups of Soldiers who really know and care about each other and hold each other to a high standard of proficiency, discipline, and fitness,” said Grinston. “By the time the squads get to the Army level, we know they’re tactically sound. So, we’re going to challenge them in ways maybe they haven’t been challenged before, see how they respond when they’re stressed in other ways.”
The 2022 U.S. Army BSC is from September 29, 2022, through October 6, 2022, at Fort Bragg, N.C., and continues October 7, 2022, to October 12, 2022, in Washington, DC. The top four teams will travel to the National Capital Region and compete in the final board as well as attend the Association of the United States Army Best Squad Luncheon with the SMA on October 10, 2022, where the Best Squad, NCO and Soldier of the year will be announced.
Background:
This event was formally known as Best Warrior Competition (BWC), and is an annual event used to select the U.S. Army Best Squad as well as the Noncommissioned Officer of the Year and Soldier of the Year. The competition tests the squad’s proficiency in their warrior tasks and battle drills and identify the most cohesive, highly trained, disciplined, and fit team that is ready to fight and win – while demonstrating commitment to the Army Values and Warrior Ethos.
For the past 20 years, the annual BWC has recognized Soldiers who demonstrate commitment to embodying the Army values and Squad Ethos and representing the Force of the Future. In revamping the competition to meet the everchanging needs of the Army and build cohesive teams, the Army’s BSC continues the established legacy of the BWC by highlighting tight-knit groups of professionals who treat each other with dignity and respect, have high esprit de corps and are highly trained.
During Best Squad Competition, squads complete a fitness assessment, 12-mile foot march, weapons proficiency, hands-on Squad tasks, written exam, and essay, and culminate with a board interview with sergeants major from across the Army.
The Army Squad Ethos states, "I will always place the mission first, I will never accept defeat, I will never quit, and I will never leave a fallen comrade." The Squad Ethos is a set of principles by which every Soldier lives.
Each Soldiers’ individual readiness is vital to the readiness of the Army as a whole. One element of readiness is physical readiness: maintaining the level of fitness required to effectively perform your duties as a Soldier and a member of a team.
The competition tests the squad’s proficiency in their warrior tasks and battle drills and identify the most cohesive, highly trained, disciplined, and fit team that is ready to fight and win – while demonstrating commitment to the Army Values and Warrior Ethos.
Readiness is a priority for the Army. The Army is a people-based institution and individual Soldier readiness is the foundation of Army Readiness. The Army works every day to build an agile, adaptive Army of the future and the required tasks throughout this competition challenges the competitors to meet those standards.
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