May 14
By Bill Roth
Thirteen soldiers from the Alaska National Guard are battling to earn the title of Best Warrior by competing in a range of events. That includes a 7.5-mile ruck march, marksmanship contest, obstacle course, Army combat fitness test, soldier skills test, written essay and land navigation evaluation, among other events. The best enlisted soldier and non-commissioned officer will earn the honor of representing Alaska at the regional competition.
“The six-day competition tests soldiers’ mental and physical agility and toughness through a series of battle-focused events that measure technical and tactical proficiency,” according to 1st Lt. Balinda O’Neal, an Alaska National Guard public affairs officer.