Hawaii Army National Guard Soldier Places Second in All-Army Best Warrior Competition
Specialist Cruser Barnes, from the Hawaii Army National Guard’s Troop A, 1st Squardron, 299th Cavalry Regiment took home second place for the Soldier of Year in the All-Army Best Warrior Competition. Sergeant Robert Cunningham, from the West Virginia Army National Guard’s 119th Engineer Company (Sapper) received an honorable mention as the fastest NCO to complete the ruck-march event of the competition.
The All-Army Best Warrior Competition is described as the “Super Bowl” of Army Competitions. Sergeant Cunningham and Specialist Barnes was among 26 of the Army’s finest Warriors that represented the Army National Guard against 12 commands from across the Army at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia, from 4-12 October 2015.
Among their achievements, they have won the prestigious titles of the State, Regional, and National NCO of the Year and Soldier of the Year in the Army National Guard that made them qualified for the Army-wide competition. During each competition, all soldiers were tested in their Army aptitude by conquering urban warfare simulations, board interviews, physical fitness tests, written exams, and Warrior tasks and battle drills relevant to today’s operating environment.
Although they did not take home the top prize, Command Sergeant Major Brunk Conley, the Command Sergeant Major of the Army National Guard, said they have both become winners long ago. Command Sergeant Major Conley states that they were an example of the first stanza of the Warrior Ethos, which says never accept defeat.
Both competitors said that this experience has made them become better Soldiers that could help inspire other members in the National Guard to try and achieve their best.