A Soldier is a Hero for the strength he or she possesses that is like no other. The battlefield is where most Soldiers earn their honors. However, their strength can also be rewarded off of the battlefield. There are many honors the Army bestows upon Soldiers through competitions. Many of these events require the physical strength of the elite athlete and the mental strength of a top-flight coach. Every single one of them also requires the emotional strength to succeed.
All-American Bowl participants, including football players, musicians and coaches, have a come face-face-to-face with these Heroes — Heroes who have performed both on and off the battlefield. Below are some distinguished off-the-battlefield honors.
The Best Ranger Competition (8-10 May 2009), Fort Benning, Ga.
The 2008 Best Ranger Competition marked its 25th anniversary with a grueling three-day athletic competition featuring the best athletes in the world — United States Army Rangers. The elite competition has evolved from one that was originally created to salute the best two-man "buddy" team in the Ranger Department at Fort Benning, Ga., to a competition to determine the best two-man team from the entire United States Armed Forces. The 2009 Best Ranger Competition will be held May 8-10 and is open to the public.
Click here to read more about last year's winners, Staff Sgts. Michael Broussard and Shayne Cherry of the 75th Ranger Regiment or here to learn more about the Best Ranger Competition.
The Best Warrior "NCO/Soldier of the Year" Competition (29 Sept. – 3 Oct 2008), Fort Lee, Va.
Twenty-four of the Army's finest Warriors, representing 12 commands from across the Army, gathered at Fort Lee, Va., Sept. 29 - Oct. 3, to compete in Sergeant Major of the Army Kenneth O. Preston's 2008 Best Warrior Competition. Warriors selected to compete for the prestigious titles master a series of benchmarks throughout the year to qualify. Staff Sgt. Michael T. Noyce Merino, Army National Guard, was named the Army's Noncommissioned Officer of the Year and Spc. David R. Obray, U.S. Army Reserve, was named Soldier of the Year. For more information on the winners please visit 2008 competition.
Best Sapper "Engineers" Competition (6-8 May 2008) Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.
After 52 hours of engineer challenges requiring muscle-wrenching, rain-soaked exertion, little or no sleep and miles of running, Capt. Jason Winkelmann and 2nd Lt. Joel Groves, both from the 8th Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas, placed first in the 2008 Best Sapper Competition. The Best Sapper Competition is the Engineer Regiment's equivalent to the Best Ranger Competition, identifying elite Soldiers in combat engineer military occupation specialties. Click here to view portions of the 2008 competition.
Culinary Arts Competition (1-14 March 2008) Fort Lee, Va.
The U.S. Army Culinary Arts Competition, in its 33rd iteration, featured 200 contestants from the U.S. Army, Marine Corps and Coast Guard and, for the first time, the Navy and Air Force in an event designed to showcase and improve military food service skills. The event has drawn hundreds of spectators and the attention of media outlets such as The Food Network and NBC's "Today Show." Military chefs from around the world met and went plate-to-plate in more than 40 categories to include contests for the best team and individual events such as wedding cakes, cold hors d' oeuvres and ice art.
Expert Field Medical Badge Competition (4-6 Nov. 2007)
The Expert Field Medical Badge (EFMB) was designed as a special skill award for recognition of exceptional competence and outstanding performance by field medical personnel and approved by the Department of the Army on 18 June, 1965. It is the most sought-after peacetime award for Army Medics – the "portrait of excellence." Open to all field medical personnel, the first week of the two-week competition is the evaluation phase, where instructors review testing standards with the Soldiers preparing them for the next phase of the competition. During the second week, which is the testing phase, Soldiers begin the competition by maneuvering three combat medical lanes that cover tactical combat casualty care, medical and casualty evacuation, communications, warrior skills, day and night land navigation and a written test. The week culminates with a 12-mile road march. Staff Sgt. Cedric Griggs, a combat medic instructor/writer assigned to G Company, 232 Medical Battalion, earned the 2008 badge.
