The United States Army
04/07/2026 | News release | Distributed by Public on 04/07/2026 11:38
New York Guard names Best Warrior Competition winners
1 / 20 Show Caption + Hide Caption - U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Pahola Nunez, an aviation operations specialist with Alpha Company, Recruiting and Retention Battalion, Joint Force Headquarters, participates in a situational training exercise during the New York Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition 2026, Camp Smith Training Site, Cortlandt Manor, N.Y., Mar. 23, 2026. (Photo Credit: Spc. Maximillian Boudreaux) VIEW ORIGINAL 2 / 20 Show Caption + Hide Caption - U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Justin Jablanski, a construction engineer supervisor and combat engineer, with Alpha Company, 152nd Brigade Engineer Battalion, 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, participates in a mystery event during the New York Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition 2026, at Camp Smith Training Site, Cortlandt Manor, New York, Mar. 25, 2026. (Photo Credit: Spc. Maximillian Boudreaux) VIEW ORIGINAL 3 / 20 Show Caption + Hide Caption - U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Pahola Nunez, an aviation operations specialist with Alpha Company, Recruiting and Retention Battalion, participates in an obstacle course during the New York Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition 2026, at Camp Smith Training Site, Cortlandt Manor, New York, Mar. 25, 2026. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Richelle Cruickshank) VIEW ORIGINAL 4 / 20 Show Caption + Hide Caption - U.S. Army Sgt. Derek Tucker, assigned to 153rd Troop Command, 105th Military Police, competes in the swimming portion of the German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency during the New York Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition, in New Windsor, N.Y., Mar. 24, 2026. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Gianna Sulger) VIEW ORIGINAL 5 / 20 Show Caption + Hide Caption - U.S. Army Spc. Samuel Feiner, assigned to Bravo Company 642nd, 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade, competes in the swimming portion of the German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency during the New York Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition, in New Windsor, N.Y., Mar. 24, 2026. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Gianna Sulger) VIEW ORIGINAL 6 / 20 Show Caption + Hide Caption - U.S. Army Sgt. Donald James, a signal support systems specialist with 3rd Battalion, 142nd Aviation Regiment, 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade, swims in the German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency portion of the New York Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition in New Windsor, N.Y., March 25, 2026. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Gianna Sulger) VIEW ORIGINAL 7 / 20 Show Caption + Hide Caption - U.S. Army Spc. Trevor Lock, a military police officer with the 105th Military Police Company, 102nd Military Police Battalion, 153rd Troop Command, competes in the German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency swim event during the New York National Guard Best Warrior Competition, in New Windsor, N.Y., Mar. 24, 2026. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Gianna Sulger) VIEW ORIGINAL 8 / 20 Show Caption + Hide Caption - U.S. Army Spc. Trevor Lock, a military police officer with the 105th Military Police Company, 102nd Military Police Battalion, 153rd Troop Command Brigade, aims at a target during the M4 carbine rifle qualification range during the New York National Guard Best Warrior competition 2026, at West Point, N.Y., Mar. 24, 2026. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Gianna Sulger) VIEW ORIGINAL 9 / 20 Show Caption + Hide Caption - U.S. Army Sgt. Derek Tucker, a military police officer with the 105th Military Police Company, 102nd Military Police Battalion, 153rd Troop Command Brigade, aims at a target during the M4 carbine rifle qualification range during the New York National Guard Best Warrior competition 2026, at West Point, N.Y., Mar. 24, 2026. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Gianna Sulger) VIEW ORIGINAL 10 / 20 Show Caption + Hide Caption - U.S. Army Sgt. Andrew Choi, a network communication systems specialist with Bravo Company "Bravehearts", 101st Expeditionary Signal Battalion, 369th Division Sustainment Brigade, participates in an Expert Physical Fitness Assessment during the New York Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition 2026, at Camp Smith Training Site, Cortlandt Manor, N.Y., Mar. 24, 2026. (Photo Credit: Sgt. 1st Class Sebastian Rothwyn) VIEW ORIGINAL 11 / 20 Show Caption + Hide Caption - U.S. Army Sgt. Donald James, a signal support systems specialist with 3rd Battalion, 142nd Aviation Regiment, 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade, participates in an Expert Physical Fitness Assessment during the New York Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition 2026, at Camp Smith Training Site, Cortlandt Manor, N.Y., Mar. 24, 2026. (Photo Credit: Sgt. 1st Class Sebastian Rothwyn) VIEW ORIGINAL 12 / 20 Show Caption + Hide Caption - U.S. Army Spc. Samuel Feiner, a CH-47 helicopter repairer with Bravo Company, 642nd Aviation Support Battalion, 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade, participates in an Expert Physical Fitness Assessment during the New York Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition 2026, at Camp Smith Training Site, Cortlandt Manor, N.Y., Mar. 24, 2026. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Richelle Cruickshank) VIEW ORIGINAL 13 / 20 Show Caption + Hide Caption - U.S. Army Spc. Trevor Lock, a military police officer with the 105th Military Police Company, 102nd Military Police Battalion, 153rd Troop Command Brigade, participates in an Expert Physical Fitness Assessment during the New York Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition 2026, at Camp Smith Training Site, Cortlandt Manor, N.Y., Mar. 24, 2026. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Richelle Cruickshank) VIEW ORIGINAL 14 / 20 Show Caption + Hide Caption - U.S. Army Spc Jerry Remy, an infantryman with the Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, participates in an Expert Physical Fitness Assessment during the New York Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition 2026, at Camp Smith Training Site, Cortlandt Manor, N.Y., Mar. 24, 2026. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Richelle Cruickshank) VIEW ORIGINAL 15 / 20 Show Caption + Hide Caption - U.S. Army Sgt. Derek Tucker, a military police officer with the 105th Military Police Company, 102nd Military Police Battalion, 153rd Troop Command Brigade, participates in the German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency swim event during the New York Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition 2026, in New Windsor, N.Y., Mar. 24, 2026. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Richelle Cruickshank) VIEW ORIGINAL 16 / 20 Show Caption + Hide Caption - U.S. Army Spc. Jamal Richmond, an information technology specialist with Bravo Company "Bravehearts", 101st Expeditionary Signal Battalion, 369th Division Sustainment Brigade, participates in a situational training exercise during the New York Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition 2026, Camp Smith Training Site, Cortlandt Manor, N.Y., Mar. 23, 2026. (Photo Credit: Spc. Maximillian Boudreaux) VIEW ORIGINAL 17 / 20 Show Caption + Hide Caption - U.S. Army Spc. Jerry Remy, an infantryman with Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, participates in a situational training exercise during the New York Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition 2026, Camp Smith Training Site, Cortlandt Manor, N.Y., Mar. 23, 2026. (Photo Credit: Spc. Maximillian Boudreaux) VIEW ORIGINAL 18 / 20 Show Caption + Hide Caption - U.S. Army Spc. Trevor Lock, a military police officer with the 105th Military Police Company, 102nd Military Police Battalion, 153rd Troop Command Brigade, participates in an obstacle course during the New York Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition 2026, at Camp Smith Training Site, Cortlandt Manor, New York, Mar. 25, 2026. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Richelle Cruickshank) VIEW ORIGINAL 19 / 20 Show Caption + Hide Caption - U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Justin Jablanski, a construction engineering supervisor and combat engineer with Alpha Company, 152nd Brigade Engineer Battalion, 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, participates in marksmanship lanes during the New York Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition 2026, at Camp Smith Training Site, Cortlandt Manor, N.Y., Mar. 25, 2026. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Kelly Smith) VIEW ORIGINAL 20 / 20 Show Caption + Hide Caption - U.S. Army Sgt. Derek Tucker and Spc.Trevor Lock, military police officers with the 105th Military Police Company, 102nd Military Police Battalion, receive gifts for first place at the New York Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition 2026 during an awards ceremony at Camp Smith Training Site, Cortlandt Manor, N.Y., Mar. 26, 2026. The event marks the first time the 106th Regional Training Institute has hosted the State Best Warrior Competition. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Richelle Cruickshank) VIEW ORIGINAL
CAMP SMITH TRAINING SITE, N.Y. - Senior Enlisted Advisor John T. Raines III, the principal advisor to the chief of the National Guard Bureau, visited the New York Army National Guard's 2026 Best Warrior Competition, where two Soldiers from Buffalo's 105th Military Police Company emerged as winners.
Spc. Trevor Lock took first place in the junior enlisted Soldier category, while Staff Sgt. Derek Tucker won the noncommissioned officer contest.
Nine Soldiers took part in the March 23-26 event, which was run by the 106th Regional Training Institute.
The competition evaluated Soldiers in physically and mentally demanding events designed to replicate real-world warfighting conditions, according to New York Army National Guard Command Sgt. Maj. Leylan Jones.
"I learned a lot from this Best Warrior Competition," Tucker said. "It opened me up to opportunities to learn and train on things that I haven't before."
Lock said events like the Best Warrior Competition help build leaders.
"The next generation of leaders can improve from this, not just compete in it," Lock said. "You can build off this and get a lot of experience with different weapons and courses and gain different knowledge."
Second place in the NCO category went to Staff Sgt. Justin Jablanski, a combat engineer with the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.
Spc. Jerry Remy, an infantryman with the 108th Infantry Battalion, finished second in the junior enlisted category.
Lock and Tucker will now compete in the Northeast Regional Competition at Camp Fogarty, Rhode Island, in June for the chance to advance to the National Guard Best Warrior Competition.
Throughout the event, Soldiers navigated situational training exercise lanes, completed land navigation and were tested on their physical fitness through the Expert Physical Fitness Assessment and the Army Fitness Test.
They also completed a written exam, appeared before a board of senior NCOs in their Class A uniforms, conducted a medical skills test and participated in a mystery event - in this case, the air assault obstacle course.
The final challenge was a 12-mile ruck march. Competitors were dropped off by bus at Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park in Yorktown Heights, where they conducted their timed march.
The Soldiers also had the opportunity to earn the German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency. Earning the badge involves a fitness test, a 100-meter swim in uniform and demonstrating proficiency in first aid and pistol use.
Raines praised all the competitors during the contest awards dinner.
"This competition is not just about who is the fastest, the strongest or even the most technically proficient," Raines said. "It is about who can embody the profession of arms at its highest level."
Raines' visit demonstrated the importance of the event and the caliber of the Soldiers competing, Jones said.
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