Soldiers from across U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, or DEVCOM, finished in the top five of the Army Futures Command Best Squad Competition after the weeklong competition May 12-16, 2025, at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland.
The DEVCOM squad was comprised of Sgt. 1st Class Michael Johnson, DEVCOM Headquarters; Staff Sgt. Jeffery Hallstrom, DEVCOM Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, or C5ISR, Center; Staff Sgt. Kwanique Jones, DEVCOM Armaments Center; Sgt. Joshua Malcomb, DEVCOM C5ISR Center; and Sgt. Patrick Saltmarsh, DEVCOM Soldier Center.
The first day of the competition had squads complete a 12-mile foot march, then conduct M4 carbine zero and qualification tables before wrapping up the day with a stress shoot event that had Soldiers complete physical exercises before shooting at targets of varying distances.
“Physically, we’re all going to be winded after each exercise, so we collectively looked at who shot better at which range to determine who would shoot in what order,” Johnson said. “This event was a dynamic challenge, but I think it brought out the best of everyone within the squad.”
Day two included an Army Combat Fitness Test; an Expert Infantry, Soldier and Field Medical Badges event; mock media interviews; and night land navigation, all of which challenged the squad to quickly determine the best way to tackle each event.
“Coming from different centers across DEVCOM and from different jobs, we were able to rely on each other as far as training and experiences throughout the day in a way that highlighted our strengths,” Jones said. “Even though we have a designated squad leader, we were able to quickly recognize who excelled at what tasks, and that Soldier would take charge during the event.”
Johnson, who served as the squad leader, agreed that each Soldier on the team had strengths best suited for different events.
“Collectively we decided that if there was an event someone was strong at, they were going to lead,” he said. “Even though I’m the squad leader, I know I don’t know everything. So, if we have a squad event that is an infantry task, we’re going to have our infantryman lead the squad regardless of their rank.”
Day three and four included an obstacle course, a squad physical fitness competition and a Command Sergeants Major oral board.
With the conclusion of the competition, each squad member appreciated not just the challenge it provided, but also the opportunity to compete with Soldiers outside of their traditional squad.
“I think this competition built a lot of camaraderie within the squad,” Hallstrom said. “Prior to this, I didn’t know three of my teammates, but now I consider each of them someone I would gladly compete with again.”
Saltmarsh, who didn’t know any of his teammates prior to the competition, expressed similar sentiments towards his team.
“This is part of the Soldier experience: changing locations, working with different people, and doing it all over again,” Saltmarsh said. “With this competition, I feel lucky to have had that opportunity with this team and put it all on the line together.”
In addition to building unit cohesiveness, the competition proved vital to identifying ways to continually improve.
“It’s important that Soldiers compete in the best squad competition because it allows Soldiers from different jobs to come together and learn how to complete the mission,” Jones said. “It also allows our leadership to see areas we can individually and collectively improve upon, as well as identify strengths that we can carry forward.”
According to Jones, the competition did all of that, and more.
“Overall, it was a healthy competition that pushed all the competitors mentally and physically,” he said. “It had a well-rounded group of events and challenges.”
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The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, known as DEVCOM, is Army Futures Command’s leader and integrator within a global ecosystem of scientific exploration and technological innovation. DEVCOM expertise spans eight major competency areas to provide integrated research, development, analysis and engineering support to the Army and DOD. From rockets to robots, drones to dozers, and aviation to artillery, DEVCOM innovation is at the core of the combat capabilities American Warfighters need to win on the battlefield of the future. For more information, visit devcom.army.mil.
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