10th Mountain Division Soldier and Noncommissioned Officer of the Year

Competence is the watchword of every noncommissioned officer in the U.S. Army, but it’s also the guiding principle of every Soldier assigned to the 10th Mountain Division. That same concept guides the foundation of the Soldier and Noncommissioned Officer of the Year competition, held Jun. 15-17, 2024, on Fort Drum, New York. The competition consisted of three main events: an Army Combat Fitness Test, a stress shoot, and a competition board.

Annually, the division holds a series of contests from the company to the division level, where the best of the best is afforded the opportunity to compete and represent today’s Blue Collar Division.

The titles of Soldier and NCO of the Year were awarded respectively to Spc. Logan Palmsteen, a fire control specialist assigned to 3rd Battalion, 6th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, and Sgt. Luke Churchwell, an infantryman assigned to 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division.

The competition’s events require considerable preparation, and Palmsteen noted the amount of work that went into preparing for a competition of this caliber.

“It took a lot, a ton of studying, and training from previous schools I went to. It took all of that to show up and execute for the competition,” said Palmsteen.

For Palmsteen, the contest wasn’t a matter of only his pride, but also a means of paying respect to his family’s legacy of service.

“Both my great-grandfather and grandfather served in the Army, the first in World War II and the other in Vietnam,” said Palmsteen. “Winning this really helps me live up to the legacy of service they built the foundation of.”

Churchwell took the opportunity of his victory to recognize the greatness of the NCOs and issued a call to action for them.

“I’m happy to win, and it means a lot to me, because there are a ton of great NCOs in this division,” said Churchwell. “But it also means that a lot of people who could’ve won didn’t show up, and I hope they do next time.”

Both competitors offered advice to future Soldiers and NCOs looking to compete and win the next competition. Churchwell emphasized sacrifice, while Palmsteen stressed the importance of staying ready and prepared.

“You have to be ready to sacrifice a lot, it starts with your time,” said Churchwell. “When you become ready to do that you become ready to sacrifice whatever is needed.”

“You have to study, learn what it means to be a great Soldier, and you have to truly understand that as a result to win,” said Palmsteen.