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.

2022 Winners:

2022 Best Squad of the Year

U.S. ARMY SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND USASOC
team photo
Division emblem

Squad Members: (left to right) Spc. Nathan J. Wallen, Spc. Jake Reichman, Staff Sgt. Devon Simpson, Sgt. Jonathan Warren, Spc. Coy Anderson


2022 NCO of the Year

Sgt. Garrett Paulson MEDCOM
Sgt. Garrett Paulson

Assigned Unit: Fort Polk MEDDAC

Military Occupation Specialty: Combat Medic Specialist (68W)

Year of Enlistment: 2017

2022 Soldier of the Year

Sgt. Samuel Alvarez FORSCOM
Sgt. Samuel Alvarez

Assigned Unit: Headquarters & Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment

Military Occupation Specialty: Infantryman (11B)

Year of Enlistment: 2020

NCO of the Year Winners

  • 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

  • 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)

Image: U.S. Army 1st Lt. Thomas H. Tockarshewsky assigned to Alpha Company, 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)
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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