Harvard Native Becomes Illinois National Guard Soldier of the Year

Story by Sgt. Michael Camacho, 108th Sustainment Brigade Public Affairs

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Spc. Benjamin Latham of North Riverside salutes the president of the board, Command Sgt. Maj. Howard Robinson of Olympia Field during the Soldier board review

MARSEILLES, IL (09/21/2011)(readMedia)-- Spc. Benjamin Latham of North Riverside, with the 1244th Transportation Company in North Riverside, was named Soldier of the Year.

Nine Soldiers competed in the 2011 Illinois Army National Guard Solider and Noncommissioned Officer of the Year competition, Sept. 15 to 18 at Marseilles Training Center in Marseilles. The nine Soldiers were chosen from among 10,000 Illinois Army National Guard troops for the competition.

The competition tested physical fitness and endurance, warrior tasks and skills, rifle proficiency and knowledge of the Army and its history.

"Spc. Latham did an outstanding job in a close competition and he was able to do what was needed to stay on top," said Command Sgt. Maj. John Burns of Benld, senior enlisted adviser for the 108th Sustainment Brigade in Chicago. "To be recognized as the state Soldier of the Year, there are few things that can higher be for a Soldier. This will only make him a better Soldier overall."

Latham defeated his top competitor, Spc. Brett Devlin of Machesney Park, with the 135th Chemical Company in Machesney Park, by five points.

"The other Soldiers were (prepared) and they had a lot of good training before they got here," said Latham. "It came down to the wire between me and Spc. Devlin. It was extremely close."

Staff Sgt. Beau Detrick of Marion, with the Illinois Army National Recruiting and Retention Command in Springfield, was awarded the title of Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) of the Year after competing against four other NCOs from units across the state.

Both Detrick and Latham said they will continue training for the next competition. Both Soldiers will compete in the regional-level competition in the spring of 2012 against Soldiers and NCOs from Ohio, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The winners of the regional competition will advance onto the National Guard Bureau level competition.

photo 1) U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Michael Camacho, 108th Sustainment Brigade/ Spc. Benjamin Latham of North Riverside, with the 1244th Transportation Company in North Riverside, salutes the president of the board, Command Sgt. Maj. Howard Robinson of Olympia Field, the Land Force Component Senior Enlisted Adviser for the Illinois Army National Guard during the Soldier board review at the 2011 Illinois Army National Guard Soldier and Noncommissioned of the Year competition Sept. 18 at Marseilles Training Center in Marseilles.

photo 2) U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Michael Camacho, 108th Sustainment Brigade / Staff Sgt. Beau Detrick of Marion, with the Illinois Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Command, discusses information for a situation report with Spc. Benjamin Latham of North Riverside, with the 1244th Transportation Company during a field mission event at the Illinois Army National Guard Solider and Noncommissioned Officer of the Year competition Sept. 17 at Marseilles Training Center in Marseilles.

photo 3) U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Michael Camacho, 108th Sustainment Brigade/ Spc. Benjamin Latham of North Riverside, with the 1244th Transportation Company in North Riverside, plots a map during a night-time land navigation event during the Illinois Army National Guard Soldier and Noncommissioned Officer of the Year competition Sept. 17 at Marseilles Training Center in Marseilles.