ARLINGTON, Va. – Five Army National Guard members were among four teams selected for the final round of the U.S. Army’s inaugural Best Squad Competition.

The Best Squad Competition, formerly the U.S. Army Best Warrior Competition, produces the U.S. Army’s Best Squad and the Noncommissioned Officer of the Year and Soldier of the Year.

The 2022 U.S. Army BSC began with 12 Active Duty, Reserve Component and Special Forces teams competing at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Sept. 29 to Oct. 6. The top four teams moved on to the District of Columbia to complete the final boards, with the winners announced Oct. 10. 

Although the ARNG team did not take home the top honors, their success in the competition was a significant sign of the capabilities of the National Guard, said Command Sgt. Maj. John Raines, the command sergeant major of the Army National Guard.

“It’s a tough competition. It’s physically and mentally challenging,” Raines said. “Working cohesively as a team is what allows for success here, and it’s also what makes Army Guard units effective when deploying overseas or responding at home.”

The ARNG team comprises five Soldiers selected through National Guard competitions in all 54 states, territories, and the District of Columbia. Team members include:

Staff Sgt. Bryan Kummer - Nebraska National Guard
Sgt. Tyler Holloway - Wyoming National Guard
Sgt. Austin Manville - New York National Guard
Spc. Wyatt Walls - Oregon National Guard
Spc. Nathaniel Miska - Minnesota National Guard

The 2022 BSC challenges Soldiers to complete the Army Combat Fitness Test, a 12-mile foot march, rifle qualification, proctored assessment phase, hands-on squad tasks, written exam and essay, and board interviews with sergeants major from across the Army. The competition promotes morale and cohesion and reinforces the importance of squad tactics.

The National Guard team focused on this unit cohesion by attending a month of training together at the National Guard’s Warrior Training Center at Fort Benning, Georgia. This helped prepare them for the competition and made them more well-rounded Soldiers, said Kummer, the squad leader for the ARNG Best Squad.

“Everyone came here with an attitude of being ready to learn from each other and their experiences,” said Kummer. “Not only have we improved our warrior tasks, but we have all learned something from one another, whether it be leadership or how to handle any situation we may come across in the Army.”

Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Grinston, who oversaw the event, credits professional development as a critical driver of the competition’s intent.

“I want units to really think about what makes up a squad,” Grinston said. “It’s about those small groups of Soldiers who really know and care about each other and hold each other to a high standard of proficiency, discipline and fitness.”

Kummer said he took that sentiment to heart and felt a sense of responsibility to take it beyond the scope of competition to enhance overall readiness in his state.

“The competition was structured to meet the vision of what the sergeant major of the Army wants in his fighting force,” said Kummer. “So having done it ourselves, now we have an obligation to take this back to our units, so we are helping better our organizations.”