Ohio National Guard News
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Soldiers from Ohio, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Iowa, Illinois and Minnesota gave it their all during the Army National Guard Region IV Best Warrior Competition, held this spring at Camp Perry Joint Training Center. (Spc. Dylan Grace, ONG) |
A look back at the 2016 Army National Guard Region IV Best Warrior Competition. Congratulations to Staff Sgt. Logan Gehlhausen and Spc. Dakota VanBrocklin. |
Staff Sgt. Jon Ring of the Michigan Army National Guard mentally prepares for the 12-mile ruck march, which started at about 4 a.m. May 19, 2016, at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge in Oak Harbor, Ohio. (Kuhn) |
Pfc. Ryan Eiler of the Minnesota Army National Guard performs a functions check of the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon. (Anderson) |
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Staff Sgt. Anthony Henner, noncomissioned officer representing the Wisconsin National Guard, executes situps during the Army Physical Fitness Test portion. (Kuhn) |
Sgt. John Finken of the Iowa Army National Guard does on the spot correction of his plotted points on the land navigation course. (Anderson) |
Spc. Dakota VanBrocklin of the Iowa Army National Guard plots his points before heading out on the land navigation course. (Anderson) |
Competitors begin the first leg of their 2-mile run for the Army Physical Fitness Test event. (Kuhn) |
Staff Sgt. Matthew Paul (left) and Staff Sgt. George Davis of the Ohio Army National Guard prepare for an on-camera interview exercise. (Anderson) |
Soldiers prepare their gear for the 12-mile ruck march event, which started at about 4 a.m. May 19, 2016, at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge in Oak Harbor, Ohio. (Andrew) |
Staff Sgt. Logan Gehlhausen, a Jasper, Ind. native, qualifies with his M4 carbine. Gehlhausen is an infantryman in the Indiana Army National Guard.( Kuhn) |
Indiana Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Logan Gehlhausen (left) and Iowa Army National Guard Spc. Dakota VanBrocklin show their awards for winning the Region IV Best Warrior Competition. (Kuhn) |
PORT CLINTON, Ohio (05/19/16) — Cincinnati natives Staff Sgt. Matthew Paul and Spc. Matthew Allen represented the Ohio Army National Guard in the Region IV Best Warrior Competition May 16-19 at Camp Perry Joint Training Center. The three-day competition is designed to test the Soldiers’ physical endurance, physical stamina, and soldiering abilities: ability to shoot, move and communicate; and also tests their mental endurance, said Command Sgt. Maj. Rodger Jones, the Ohio Army National Guard state command sergeant major. “We tested their intelligence level as well with a written test, an essay writing competition, and personal board appearance,” he said. Each of the seven states in Region IV acts as host of the annual competition on a rotating basis, and 2016 was Ohio’s turn. State officials selected Camp Perry as the host site because of its “world-class range facilities,” Jones said. “You will be hard-pressed to find any facility in the Department of Defense (that) can compete with these facilities,” he said. “(Hosting the competition) allows the Ohio Army National Guard to showcase (Camp Perry) to the other states. (Other states) are welcome to come here and train with us anytime.” Other than Ohio, Region IV states include Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Iowa, Illinois and Minnesota. Each state was represented by two competitors — a noncommissioned officer and a Soldier. Competitors put themselves through a rigorous regimen for weeks to prepare for the regional competition. “There was an extensive 2 1/2-week train up,” Allen said. “Previous to that I maintained physical health; I shot regularly; and basic Army knowledge is something I am always going through.” Prior to the competition, Paul said, he did a lot of running, rucking and weight lifting to get his legs strong so they can be fresh when he gets out there. The first event of the competition was the Army Physical Fitness Test in which the Soldiers had to complete as many pushups and situps as possible in a two-minute time frame. They were required to run 2 miles in the quickest time possible. At the end of the run was a mystery event, which required that the competitors run an additional mile while carrying a replica M4 carbine rifle made to look like the real thing, also known as a “rubber duck.” Next was a stress shoot evaluation. Soldiers engaged targets from 25 to 200 meters with an M4 carbine rifle and a M9 9mm pistol, and in between each firing point they dragged a 160-pound skid pull. “The stress shooting most replicates what a Soldier will experience in combat,” Jones said. “It requires strength, stamina, endurance mental toughness and the ability to engage and destroy targets.” Soldiers were evaluated on their abilities to disassemble and reassemble the M4, M9, M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, M240B machine gun, and the Browning M2 .50-caliber machine gun. “The knowledge gained from the weapons training, the intensity of the process of the time hack was enlightening of the standard,” Allen said. In addition, the competitors flew in a CH-47 Chinook helicopter from Camp Perry to Camp Ravenna Joint Military Training Center to be tested on their skills in land navigation during the day and night. Following a few hours of sleep after returning to Camp Perry, they were transported to Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge for a 12-mile ruck march, which started at about 4 a.m. “We want each other to succeed, but at the same time we understand that it is a competition and there is only one winner,” Allen said. “It’s a brotherly affair.” In the end, Staff Sgt. Logan Gehlhausen of the Indiana Army National Guard and Spc. Dakota VanBrocklin of the Iowa Army National Guard won the overall competition, in the noncommissioned officer and Soldier categories, respectively. Both went on to compete in the nationwide competition in June in Massachusetts. Although he didn’t win, Paul said he gained greater perspectives and appreciation of the competition. “It’s the effort that goes into even just getting here… The dedication that it takes,” Paul said. “You also learn about just driving forward. Things are not always going to go your way. Just like in combat or any operational mission, you can’t quit. You have to think forward, not behind.” |
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