FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – Seven Pennsylvania Army National Guard Soldiers completed tryouts Oct. 22, earning their place in a best squad competition scheduled for March 2026 in Lithuania.
The grueling day began at 5 a.m. as Soldiers completed five demanding events over 14 hours with minimal downtime between each.
“Morale was high; everyone was lighthearted but determined,” said Sgt. 1st Class Paul Almquist, a candidate for the squad. “Everybody was super competitive and strived to give it their all while also pushing one another.”
By day’s end, Soldiers had completed an Army Combat Fitness Test, a nine-event obstacle course, a Ranger Physical Assessment, a land navigation challenge with 15 points across mountainous terrain, and a six-mile, 35-pound ruck march. The assessment alone required carrying 40-pound kettlebells, dragging a 180-pound SKEDCO rescue system for 100 meters, and running multiple miles on a winding, uneven trail while carrying a sandbag.
“We put in nearly 20 miles over the course of the day,” said Sgt. 1st Class Erich Friedlein, another tryout competitor. “This tryout was designed so that these demanding events were stacked back-to-back. You need to sustain high levels of physical exertion and mental fortitude to perform well across the board.”
The endurance required to excel in the tryouts and upcoming competition also prepares Soldiers for real-world missions and challenging operational environments.
“It proves you’re able to put in long hours across multiple days while remaining physically and mentally sound enough to function during intense combat operations,” Friedlein said.
All seven Soldiers who tried out have been selected to compete, with Almquist and Friedlein named team captain and co-captain, respectively. The squad plans to meet weekly, leading up to the competition in Lithuania, to conduct physical training and refine core warrior tasks.
The Pennsylvania National Guard and Lithuania have been partners through the Department of War National Guard State Partnership Program since 1993. The long-standing relationship supports military interoperability, joint training, and shared security objectives. The upcoming competition in Lithuania further strengthens the partnership and highlights the continued cooperation between the two forces.
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