Posted on 05/20/2017 10:36:31 AM PDT by SandRat
FORT HUACHUCA — Soldiers from around the the globe participated in a grueling week-long competition on Fort Huachuca from May 15 through 18.
The U.S. Army Network Enterprise Technology Command (NETCOM) Best Warrior Competition tests soldiers in a series of tasks, including the army physical fitness test, obstacle course, M4 rifle marksmanship, day and night land navigation, army warrior tasks, battle drills and much more.
“These soldiers are exhausted,” Master Sgt. Richard Torres said on Thursday while watching competitors advance through different drills. “This is their eighth day of testing and these drills are grueling,” added Torres who is the noncommissioned officer in charge of the 27 Team NETCOM Best Warrior Competition.
The event culminated on Friday with announcement of the winners and runners-up, along with an awards presentation.
Staff Sgt. Brian Randall, assigned to the U.S. Army Signal Activity at Fort Detrick, Maryland and representing the 7th Signal Command (Theater), was was announced as noncommissioned officer of the year.
Spc. Stephen Calderone, assigned to U.S. Army Signal Activity at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait and representing the 160th Signal Brigade, was named “Soldier of the Year.”
Both soldiers received the Army Commendation Medal, a soaring eagle statue and gift certificates from local community sponsors. In addition, they will represent NETCOM at the Army Cyber Command level of competition in August.
Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Latter of the U.S. Army Intelligence Center served as guest speaker at the awards ceremony. "You represent every competitor here when you go to the next level," he said. "Take this back with you. Develop the next generation of competitors."
The competition’s runners-up were: Spc. Justin Carter, who is assigned to the 275th Signal Company at Camp Coiner, South Korea, representing the 311th Signal Command (Theater) and Sgt. Angel Ortiz, assigned to the U.S. Army Signal Activity at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, representing the 160th Signal Brigade.
The runners-up received the Army Achievement Medal and gift certificates from local community sponsors. Should the top two winners not be able to compete at the next level of competition, the runners-up are expected to represent NETCOM.
While 11 soldiers from NETCOM's units were selected to compete in the Best Warrior competition, only eight competed due to injuries and other reasons.
PFC Jessica Estrada, who is assigned to Fort Huachuca, was one of the competitors.
“I’ve only been in the Army for a year and enlisted because of the educational opportunities that are available,” she said on Thursday while at the weapons familiarization station. “When I enlisted, I expected to serve a few years and then start college. But I love the military and plan to make a career of this,” smiled Estrada, who is an information technology specialist, with Fort Huachuca as her first duty station.
When asked what he thought of the competition on Thursday, Randall, who was the noncommissioned officer of the year winner, gave the experience an “excellent” rating. “This is beyond my expectations,” he smiled. “The competition went well and Fort Huachuca was not what I was expecting. I’m from the mountains. Love the outdoors and I think it’s absolutely beautiful here.”
Randall said he came into the competition with an “‘all about me” attitude, but soon changed. “I realized that while this is definitely a validation of yourself, it’s also about the team,” he said. “After I started the competition, I decided it’s all about the team and not about ‘I’ anymore.”
“These soldiers are exhausted,” Master Sgt. Richard Torres said on Thursday while watching competitors advance through different drills. “This is their eighth day of testing and these drills are grueling,” added Torres who is the noncommissioned officer in charge of the 27 Team NETCOM Best Warrior Competition.
The event culminated on Friday with announcement of the winners and runners-up, along with an awards presentation.
Staff Sgt. Brian Randall, assigned to the U.S. Army Signal Activity at Fort Detrick, Maryland and representing the 7th Signal Command (Theater), was was announced as noncommissioned officer of the year.
Spc. Stephen Calderone, assigned to U.S. Army Signal Activity at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait and representing the 160th Signal Brigade, was named “Soldier of the Year.”
Both soldiers received the Army Commendation Medal, a soaring eagle statue and gift certificates from local community sponsors. In addition, they will represent NETCOM at the Army Cyber Command level of competition in August.
Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Latter of the U.S. Army Intelligence Center served as guest speaker at the awards ceremony. "You represent every competitor here when you go to the next level," he said. "Take this back with you. Develop the next generation of competitors."
The competition’s runners-up were: Spc. Justin Carter, who is assigned to the 275th Signal Company at Camp Coiner, South Korea, representing the 311th Signal Command (Theater) and Sgt. Angel Ortiz, assigned to the U.S. Army Signal Activity at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, representing the 160th Signal Brigade.
The runners-up received the Army Achievement Medal and gift certificates from local community sponsors. Should the top two winners not be able to compete at the next level of competition, the runners-up are expected to represent NETCOM.
While 11 soldiers from NETCOM's units were selected to compete in the Best Warrior competition, only eight competed due to injuries and other reasons.
PFC Jessica Estrada, who is assigned to Fort Huachuca, was one of the competitors.
“I’ve only been in the Army for a year and enlisted because of the educational opportunities that are available,” she said on Thursday while at the weapons familiarization station. “When I enlisted, I expected to serve a few years and then start college. But I love the military and plan to make a career of this,” smiled Estrada, who is an information technology specialist, with Fort Huachuca as her first duty station.
When asked what he thought of the competition on Thursday, Randall, who was the noncommissioned officer of the year winner, gave the experience an “excellent” rating. “This is beyond my expectations,” he smiled. “The competition went well and Fort Huachuca was not what I was expecting. I’m from the mountains. Love the outdoors and I think it’s absolutely beautiful here.”
Randall said he came into the competition with an “‘all about me” attitude, but soon changed. “I realized that while this is definitely a validation of yourself, it’s also about the team,” he said. “After I started the competition, I decided it’s all about the team and not about ‘I’ anymore.”
“These soldiers are exhausted,” Master Sgt. Richard Torres said on Thursday while watching competitors advance through different drills. “This is their eighth day of testing and these drills are grueling,” added Torres who is the noncommissioned officer in charge of the 27 Team NETCOM Best Warrior Competition.
The event culminated on Friday with announcement of the winners and runners-up, along with an awards presentation.
Staff Sgt. Brian Randall, assigned to the U.S. Army Signal Activity at Fort Detrick, Maryland and representing the 7th Signal Command (Theater), was was announced as noncommissioned officer of the year.
Spc. Stephen Calderone, assigned to U.S. Army Signal Activity at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait and representing the 160th Signal Brigade, was named “Soldier of the Year.”
Both soldiers received the Army Commendation Medal, a soaring eagle statue and gift certificates from local community sponsors. In addition, they will represent NETCOM at the Army Cyber Command level of competition in August.
Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Latter of the U.S. Army Intelligence Center served as guest speaker at the awards ceremony. "You represent every competitor here when you go to the next level," he said. "Take this back with you. Develop the next generation of competitors."
The competition’s runners-up were: Spc. Justin Carter, who is assigned to the 275th Signal Company at Camp Coiner, South Korea, representing the 311th Signal Command (Theater) and Sgt. Angel Ortiz, assigned to the U.S. Army Signal Activity at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, representing the 160th Signal Brigade.
The runners-up received the Army Achievement Medal and gift certificates from local community sponsors. Should the top two winners not be able to compete at the next level of competition, the runners-up are expected to represent NETCOM.
While 11 soldiers from NETCOM's units were selected to compete in the Best Warrior competition, only eight competed due to injuries and other reasons.
PFC Jessica Estrada, who is assigned to Fort Huachuca, was one of the competitors.
“I’ve only been in the Army for a year and enlisted because of the educational opportunities that are available,” she said on Thursday while at the weapons familiarization station. “When I enlisted, I expected to serve a few years and then start college. But I love the military and plan to make a career of this,” smiled Estrada, who is an information technology specialist, with Fort Huachuca as her first duty station.
When asked what he thought of the competition on Thursday, Randall, who was the noncommissioned officer of the year winner, gave the experience an “excellent” rating. “This is beyond my expectations,” he smiled. “The competition went well and Fort Huachuca was not what I was expecting. I’m from the mountains. Love the outdoors and I think it’s absolutely beautiful here.”
Randall said he came into the competition with an “‘all about me” attitude, but soon changed. “I realized that while this is definitely a validation of yourself, it’s also about the team,” he said. “After I started the competition, I decided it’s all about the team and not about ‘I’ anymore.”
“These soldiers are exhausted,” Master Sgt. Richard Torres said on Thursday while watching competitors advance through different drills. “This is their eighth day of testing and these drills are grueling,” added Torres who is the noncommissioned officer in charge of the 27 Team NETCOM Best Warrior Competition.
The event culminated on Friday with announcement of the winners and runners-up, along with an awards presentation.
Staff Sgt. Brian Randall, assigned to the U.S. Army Signal Activity at Fort Detrick, Maryland and representing the 7th Signal Command (Theater), was was announced as noncommissioned officer of the year.
Spc. Stephen Calderone, assigned to U.S. Army Signal Activity at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait and representing the 160th Signal Brigade, was named “Soldier of the Year.”
Both soldiers received the Army Commendation Medal, a soaring eagle statue and gift certificates from local community sponsors. In addition, they will represent NETCOM at the Army Cyber Command level of competition in August.
Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Latter of the U.S. Army Intelligence Center served as guest speaker at the awards ceremony. "You represent every competitor here when you go to the next level," he said. "Take this back with you. Develop the next generation of competitors."
The competition’s runners-up were: Spc. Justin Carter, who is assigned to the 275th Signal Company at Camp Coiner, South Korea, representing the 311th Signal Command (Theater) and Sgt. Angel Ortiz, assigned to the U.S. Army Signal Activity at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, representing the 160th Signal Brigade.
The runners-up received the Army Achievement Medal and gift certificates from local community sponsors. Should the top two winners not be able to compete at the next level of competition, the runners-up are expected to represent NETCOM.
While 11 soldiers from NETCOM's units were selected to compete in the Best Warrior competition, only eight competed due to injuries and other reasons.
PFC Jessica Estrada, who is assigned to Fort Huachuca, was one of the competitors.
“I’ve only been in the Army for a year and enlisted because of the educational opportunities that are available,” she said on Thursday while at the weapons familiarization station. “When I enlisted, I expected to serve a few years and then start college. But I love the military and plan to make a career of this,” smiled Estrada, who is an information technology specialist, with Fort Huachuca as her first duty station.
When asked what he thought of the competition on Thursday, Randall, who was the noncommissioned officer of the year winner, gave the experience an “excellent” rating. “This is beyond my expectations,” he smiled. “The competition went well and Fort Huachuca was not what I was expecting. I’m from the mountains. Love the outdoors and I think it’s absolutely beautiful here.”
Randall said he came into the competition with an “‘all about me” attitude, but soon changed. “I realized that while this is definitely a validation of yourself, it’s also about the team,” he said. “After I started the competition, I decided it’s all about the team and not about ‘I’ anymore.”
Monday, May 15
Army Physical Fitness
Confidence/ Obstacle Course
Day Land Navigation
Tuesday, May 16
Timed Ruck March
M4 Rifle Zero, Qualification and Stress Shoot
Weapon Test
Night Orienteering
Wednesday, May 17
Formal Board
Mystery Events - Media Engagement, Sexual Harassment Scenario
Night Land Navigation
Thursday, May 18
Warrior Tasks and Battle Drills
Written exam
Mystery Event - Inspection of Male and Female uniforms
Friday, May 19
Recognition and awards ceremony
SandRat,
Don’t worry, no one will never know about what NETCOM has done except for your posts here and Public Affairs releases in the Sierra Vista newspaper.
I have it on very good authority that NETCOM, as a budget saving and manpower reduction measure is eliminating its Command Historian billet. The one office in the organization to keep track of what the command does, because the Army record keeping system is broken, is being eliminated.
These are Army Signal Corp REMF’s. Add an occasional other branch type there. What BS.
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