Adjutant General Soldier of the Year Winner

FORT CARSON, Colo. –Competitions and boards are frequent assessments for a Soldier’s potential, and a challenge to rise to. These events test a Soldier’s physical fitness, critical thinking ability, Army knowledge, leadership skills, and job specific aptitude. For one Fort Carson Soldier, she took up the challenge and rose to the occasion.

U.S. Army Spc. Sheyla Ixmatlahua, a human resources specialist (42A) assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division competed with three other Soldiers over three days, encompassing nine events testing their knowledge and physical fitness, ultimately winning the U.S. Army Forces Command Adjutant General Soldier of the Year Jan. 30, 2024, at Fort Liberty, NC.

“I heard about the competition back in November after the promotion board,” Ixmatlahua said. “I was told that it was a competition for Adjutant General Soldiers, and I thought it was a brigade level or local one.”

Ixmatlahua explained that she didn’t realize until afterward that she volunteered for the FORSCOM level competition. As an HR professional, a Soldier needs to be agile, a value-added leader, and an expert who performs Essential Personnel Services. For Capt. Travis Hayes the 1-12th Inf. Reg. battalion Human Resources Officer in Charge, it was an easy choice of who exemplifies the right person for the competition.

“When I got the order for nomination packets for the AG Soldier of the Year competition I already knew exactly who to pick,” Hayes exclaimed. “I immediately got with the battalion command sergeant major and put her name in for the competition. I knew once she got in the competition that she would have no problem succeeding.”

One challenging aspect of competitions is getting ready and having time to do so. Ixmatlahua continued to provide top-notch HR services while deployed, preparing for the brigade to redeploy, and still found the time to study and prepare herself for the competition.

“I think I found out on 19 December that I was going to compete at the end of January,” Ixmatlahua described. “I had about a month to get myself physically and mentally ready as well as have time to still study. I spent many late days in the gym close to or after midnight, and that was after a full day of work and studying.”

After the three-day competition, everyone stood patiently awaiting the results.

“We were all standing in the room with the board members and nervously waiting for the winners to be announced,” Ixmatlahua said. “When my name was called I just stood there because I honestly thought it was going to be one of the other competitors, I was just shocked it was me. I couldn’t be more proud of myself for competing.”

Stepping up to a challenge and showcasing that as a specialist promotable, 'Backbone of the Army' is not just a saying. She strives to be an outstanding NCO, leader, and role model for her Soldiers.

“Everyone was striving for each other’s success during the competition,” Ixmatlahua said. “We were all laughing and having a great time. I felt so proud to be a part of the AG Corps, but also in the Army. I couldn’t have done it without all the support from my leaders and they showed me the leader that I want to be in the Army.”

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