FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – Seven Pennsylvania Army National Guard Soldiers recently completed tryouts and earned their place in a best squad competition scheduled for March 2026 in Lithuania.

The Pennsylvania National Guard and Lithuania have a long history of working together in the Department of War National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program, through which they have been paired since 1993.

The grueling tryout day on Oct. 22 began at 5 a.m. Soldiers completed five demanding events throughout 14 hours with minimal downtime.

“Morale was high; everyone was lighthearted but determined,” said Sgt. 1st Class Paul Almquist, a candidate for the squad. “Everybody was super competitive and strived to give it their all while also pushing one another.”

By the end of the day, Soldiers had completed an Army Combat Fitness Test, a nine-event obstacle course, a Ranger Physical Assessment, a land navigation challenge with 15 points across mountainous terrain, and a six-mile, 35-pound ruck march. The Ranger Physical Assessment alone required carrying 40-pound kettlebells and dragging a 180-pound SKEDCO rescue system for 100 meters, and running multiple miles on a winding, uneven trail while carrying a sandbag.

“We put in nearly 20 miles over the course of the day,” said Sgt. 1st Class Erich Friedlein, another tryout competitor. “This tryout was designed so that these demanding events were stacked back-to-back. You need to sustain high levels of physical exertion and mental fortitude to perform well across the board.”

The endurance required to excel in the tryouts and upcoming competition also prepares Soldiers for real-world missions and challenging operational environments.

“It proves you’re able to put in long hours across multiple days while remaining physically and mentally sound enough to function during intense combat operations,” Friedlein said.

All seven Soldiers who tried out have been selected to compete, with Almquist and Friedlein named team captain and co-captain, respectively. The squad plans to meet weekly leading up to the competition in Lithuania to conduct physical training and refine core warrior tasks.