Orchard Combat Training Center, Boise, Idaho.(September 23, 2023): In this photo by Master Sergeant Becky Vanshur, Army National Guard Soldier Staff Sgt. Lauren Cox completes an 11-mile ruck march with 40 lbs. of weight carried in a pack during the Best Warrior competition held here. The Idaho Army National Guard hosted the four-day event that featured fifteen Idaho National Guard Soldiers competing for the prestigious title.

The Best Warrior Competition is an annual event conducted by the United States Army to identify and honor the most skilled and proficient Soldiers across various military occupational specialties. It is designed to evaluate a Soldiers’ physical fitness, military knowledge, marksmanship, tactical proficiency, leadership abilities, and mental resilience.

The Best Warrior Competition consists of a series of challenging events that simulate real-world combat scenarios and tasks. These events include an Army Combat Fitness Test, a land navigation course, and shooting competitions to demonstrate weapons proficiency. Soldiers must overcome various obstacle courses including urban warfare simulations and tactical combat casualty care. They also must pass various written exams and oral boards to assess their knowledge of military doctrine, tactics, and leadership skills. Competitors had to endure little sleep and high stress that challenged them both physically and mentally while evaluating their ability to shoot, move, communicate, and survive.

The competition is open to both enlisted Soldiers and non-commissioned officers (NCOs) who compete at the unit, installation, and regional levels before advancing to the Army-wide competition. The Army hopes these events will promote camaraderie, teamwork, and professional development.