Eighth Army successfully concluded its 2026 Best Squad Competition, a grueling five-day event held from May 4 to May 8, 2026. The rigorous evaluation took place across multiple installations, including Camp Humphreys, Camp Casey, and Rodriguez Live Fire Complex.
The primary mission of the 2026 BSC was to rigorously test the physical and mental fortitude, tactical proficiency, and teamwork of participating squads to identify the single best squad in the Eighth Army. The winning squad earned the prestigious honor of representing the "Pacific Victors" at the upcoming U.S. Army Pacific Best Squad Competition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, with the ultimate goal of advancing to the Department of the Army level to prove Eighth Army has the best Soldiers in the force.
Throughout the week, top squads from across Eighth Army’s major subordinate commands—including the 2nd Infantry Division, 19th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, 1st Signal Brigade, 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, 65th Medical Brigade, 501st Military Intelligence Brigade, and the Eighth Army Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion—faced a series of demanding, continuous, and realistic simulated operational scenarios.
According to Master Sgt. John Moore, the lead planner whose extensive efforts shaped the rigorous event, the 2026 competition was significantly modernized. Evolving into a continuous, high-intensity tactical operation, the event was designed to produce the Army's most lethal and adaptable small units. Organizers integrated miles of movement throughout the competition to test sustained endurance and overhauled the board processes to prioritize tactical knowledge on demand under extreme duress.
"It’s about lethality and readiness at the lowest level," said Moore, reflecting on the competition's design. "The squad is the foundation of the Army; if your squads can’t shoot, move, and communicate under pressure, your higher echelons are just moving icons on a map. This competition forces teams to be excellent at the basics collectively, building that raw esprit de corps and professional pride that you only get when you're rucking miles of pain alongside your brothers and sisters-in-arms."
Competitors were pushed to their limits in a wide array of events designed to test "Fight Tonight" readiness. Physical fitness and agility were evaluated through the Army Fitness Test, an Air Assault Confidence and Obstacle Course, and a Modified Expert Physical Fitness Assessment. Weapons and marksmanship proficiency were challenged during a dynamic Stress Shoot and comprehensive Weapons Lanes.
Furthermore, navigation and tactical skills were assessed via Day and Night Land Navigation, new battle drills, and unscripted Force-on-Force lanes. By pivoting to these unscripted scenarios, the Eighth Army ensured squads could outthink a dynamic enemy rather than relying on rote memorization. The squads also demonstrated specialized skills in Medical and CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear) Lanes, a Combat Water Survival Test, and a six-mile foot march earlier in the week. The grueling competition culminated on Day 4 with a demanding mystery event consisting of a 6-mile run in plate carriers, testing the competitors with various physical challenges interspersed throughout the route.
Beyond internal standards, the competition carried strategic weight for the region. While U.S. forces do not fight alone on the peninsula, the presence of these elite squads demonstrated a commitment to the Indo-Pacific region. The competition showcased to ROK partners that Eighth Army maintains a high state of combat readiness and small-unit excellence, which is vital for deterring aggression.
Ultimately, the deciding factor was cohesion. "You can have the fastest runner or the sharpest marksman, but they will lose every time to a team that operates as one. Physical fitness is merely the baseline, the non-negotiable price of admission every Soldier must pay," Moore emphasized. "The winning edge belongs to the five Soldiers who act as a single, disciplined squad. When one person falters, the squad doesn’t skip a beat; they shoulder the load. The squad that stands in the winner's circle this year will be the one that mastered the fluid art of teamwork and proved that true lethality is found in cohesion."
The rigorous competition concluded on May 8, 2026, with an award ceremony at the Noncommissioned Officer Academy to crown Eighth Army's Best Squad and recognize the most outstanding Soldiers across the command. Emerging victorious and securing the title of the 2026 Eighth Army Best Squad was the team from the 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment. The winning squad, comprised of Staff Sgt. Sergio Lopez, Sgt. Derek White, Cpl. Matthew Grams, Spc. Ashton Sandlin, and Spc. Galinato Dragotta, will now advance to Joint Base Lewis-McChord to represent the Eighth Army at the USARPAC competition.
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