NCO Business: Sergeant Major of the Army inspects Best Warrior preparations at Fort Lee

Photo By Terrance Bell | Sergeant Major of the Army Raymond Chandler III provides guidance to Staff Sgt. Kyle...... read more read more

Photo By Terrance Bell | Sergeant Major of the Army Raymond Chandler III provides guidance to Staff Sgt. Kyle Williard, an event noncommissioned officer in charge, during the Best Warrior Competition walk-through Sept. 22 at Fort Lee. The SMA-managed Soldier skills competition is scheduled for Oct. 7-10 at Fort Lee.  see less | View Image Page

UNITED STATES

09.25.2014

Story by Terrance Bell  

Fort Gregg-Adams

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FORT LEE, Va. - Sergeant Major of the Army Raymond F. Chandler III completed his last walk-through Monday in preparation for the Army Best Warrior Competition scheduled to take place here Oct. 6-9.

The 2014 Department of the Army Noncommissioned Officer and Soldier of the Year Competition, commonly known as Best Warrior, is a SMA event that tests how well Soldiers perform in a number of field and administrative tasks. In its 13th iteration, Best Warrior has been held here yearly since 2003

Chandler, presiding over his fourth such event, said Fort Lee has more than fulfilled its role as the perennial home of Best Warrior.

“The leadership here at Fort Lee has put a tremendous amount of effort into taking the vision and turning it into reality,” he said after the walk-through. “I am extremely impressed not only with the event itself, but the Soldiers and leaders who are participating in it to make it happen. I’m very, very satisfied with what we’re doing.”

The installation provides logistical support for the event to include exercise facilities, vehicles, support personnel such as testers and role-players, and a myriad of administrative functions. Preparation for Best Warrior typically starts the week following the awards ceremony and totals a substantial amount of man-hours.

During his visit, Chandler spent much of his time at the installation range training complex where the majority of the events will take place. He was presented with dry runs of certain events and questioned testers, support personnel and the various noncommissioned officers about the smallest details. At the Army Physical Fitness Test site, for example, he encouraged testers to “uphold the standards” no matter what the circumstances, “because that’s what we told them we would do as NCOs.”

When he wasn’t focused on Best Warrior, Chandler engaged support personnel in good-natured small talk, inquiring about their jobs, their hometowns and their plans for professional development. Speaking with a young specialist about his educational goals at the medical test site, he pointed out the Soldier lacked an adequate plan and said the “next time I see you; you will have taken care of it.”

The SMA, who has implemented major changes to the competition during his tenure, didn’t talk much about the nature of the events, which typically cover a number of Warrior Tasks and Battle Drills – a list of skills the Army deems are essential to survivability on the battlefield. He did say he looks forward to seeing the amount of effort the warriors put into the contest.

“When you see these troopers over a few days working their tails off to do the best they possibly can to represent their organizations and themselves,” he said, “it’s that spirit, that pride, the idea that, hey, ‘I’m out here competing amongst the best of the best.’ Really, for me, that’s what makes the whole thing count.”

Command Sgt. Maj. Terry E. Parham Sr., CASCOM and Fort Lee CSM, accompanied Chandler during his roughly two-hour range visit. As head of the Best Warrior preparation and support operations here, he said the installation has plenty of support in making this year’s competition an outstanding one.

“This will be a great event,” he said following the walk-though. “Even though it will take place at Fort Lee, we have a lot of partners to support it to include our partners at the Department of the Army and the U.S. Army Forces Command. The bottom line is that we have a lot of help in making this the best competition period.”

Members of FORSCOM’s 7th Transportation Brigade based at Joint Base Langley-Eustis are playing a significant support role in this year’s Best Warrior. Parham also pointed out the work of CASCOM G3 Sgt. Maj. Donna King and her success in coordinating the support and operations.

Twenty-eight warriors – 14 NCOs and 14 Soldiers – representing the Army’s major commands are expected for Best Warrior. The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony scheduled on the final day.