Previous Winners

Formerly known as the "Best Warrior Competition", the Best Squad Competition is focused on team building and consists of physical fitness events, marksmanship drills, medical tasks and written exams. Twelve teams, including one each from the Army Reserve and National Guard compete.

Competitors for Soldier of the Year include the ranks of private through specialist, and compeitiors for Noncommissioned Officer of the Year include ranks corporal through sergeant first class. All Army active duty, National Guard and Reserve component Soldiers are eligible to compete. Below are all previous competition winners.

2023 Winners

2023 Best Squad of the Year

U.S. ARMY SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND USASOC

team photo

Division emblem

Squad Members Left to right: Sgt. Jacob Phillips, Spc. Chancellor McGuire, Staff Sgt. Andre Ewing, Spc. George Mascharka, Spc. Shane Moon

2023 NCO of the Year

Sgt. Jacob Phillips USASOC

Sgt. Jacob Phillips

Assigned Unit: 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment

Military Occupation Specialty: Infantryman (11B)

U.S. Army Special Operations Command USASOC logo

2023 Soldier of the Year

Sgt. Chancellor McGuire USASOC

Sgt. Chancellor McGuire

Assigned Unit: 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment

Military Occupation Specialty: Infantryman (11B)

U.S. Army Special Operations Command USASOC logo

NCO and Soldier of the Year Hall of Fame

NCO of the Year Winners

2022: Sgt. Garrett Paulson, MEDCOM
2021: Sgt. Adam Krauland, USARPAC
2020: Sgt. 1st Class Alexander Berger, USASOC
2019: Staff Sgt. Dakota Bowen, TRADOC
2018: Sgt. 1st Class Sean Acosta, USASOC
2017: Staff Sgt. Ryan C. McCarthy, TRADOC
2016: Sgt. 1st Class Joshua A. Moeller, USARC
2015: Staff Sgt. Andrew Fink, USARC
2014: Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Carpenter, USASOC
2013: Sgt. 1st Class Jason J. Manella, USARC
2012: Staff Sgt. Matthew M. Senna, USAREUR
2011: Sgt. Guy Mellow, ARNG
2010: Staff Sgt. Christopher McDougall, MDW
2009: Sgt. 1st Class Aaron Beckman, USAREUR
2008: Staff Sgt. Michael Noyce Merino, ARNG
2007: Staff Sgt. Jason Seifert, MDW
2006: Sgt. 1st Class Jason Alexander, FORSCOM
2005: Sgt. Jeremy Kamphuis, USAREUR
2004: Staff Sgt. Andrew Bullock, TRADOC
2003: Staff Sgt. James Luby, MDW
2002: Sgt. 1st Class Jeffery T. Stitzel, MDW

Soldier of the Year Winners

2022: Sgt. Samuel Alvarez, FORSCOM
2021: Sgt. Justin Earnhart, INSCOM
2020: Sgt. James Akinola, MEDCOM
2019: Spc. David Chambers, FORSCOM
2018: Cpl. Matthew Hagensick, USASOC
2017: Spc. Hazen Ham, TRADOC
2016: Spc. Robert Miller, USARPAC
2015: Spc. Jared R. Tansley, USAREUR
2014: Spc. Thomas Boyd, USARPAC
2013: Spc. Adam Christensen, USARPAC
2012: Spc. Saral Shrestha, USASOC
2011: Spc. Thomas M. Hauser, FORSCOM
2010: Sgt. Sherri Gallagher, TRADOC
2009: Spc. Clancey Henderson, FORSCOM
2008: Sgt. David R. Obray, USARC
2007: Cpl. Heyz Seeker, USASOC
2006: Spc. John Emmett, USAREUR
2005: Sgt. Chad Steuck, FORSCOM
2004: Spc. Wilfredo Mendez, 8th Army
2003: Spc. Russell Burnham, FORSCOM
2002: Spc. Justin Brown, USAREUR

Image: U.S. Army 1st Lt. Thomas H. Tockarshewsky assigned to Alpha Company "Sapper" 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, gives guidance to his grappling man during a combined arms live-fire exercise at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, June 24, 2020. The exercise is part of an overall training progression in order to maintain combat readiness in preparation for a Joint Readiness Training Center rotation later this year. (U.S. Army photo by 1st Sgt. Lekendrick Stallworth)

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