Illinois Soldiers compete for title of Best Warrior

SPRINGFIELD, IL (04/12/2016)(readMedia)-- Nine Soldiers from units across the state came to Marseilles Training Center in Marseilles, Illinois, to prove they have what it takes to be called Illinois' Soldier and Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year April 7 to 10.

Staff Sgt. Anthony Henner of Milwaukee, a Soldier with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry based in Chicago, took top honors as the Illinois Army National Guard's Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year. Spc. Tycjan Sieradzki of Algonquin, Illinois, a Soldier with the 244th Digital Liaison Detachment based in Chicago, took top honors as the Soldier of the Year.

The competitors were the top representatives from their respective brigades. The Best Warrior Competition pits these Soldiers against each other in a multitude of events designed to test their physical fitness, mental toughness, and their competence at warrior skills. The winners of the competition become the state's Soldier and NCO of the Year. They will go on to compete in the regional competition with hopes of reaching the national level to compete for the Army's Soldier and NCO of the Year titles.

Sieradzki competed in the 2015 Best Warrior Competition and finished third. He said he was motivated to redeem himself this year.

"It feels great to win," said Sieradzki. "I just hope that by coming back and winning this year after losing last time motivates some of the Soldiers in my unit to step up and do the same thing."

The competition began April 7 with the Army Physical Fitness Test, a three-event test consisting of two minutes of pushups followed by two minutes of sit-ups and finished with a timed two-mile run. Over the next three days, the Soldiers competed at weapons qualification, common skill tasks, land navigation, a confidence course obstacle race, and a question and answer board. The competition capped off with a timed 10-mile road march with a 40-pound rucksack.

The nine competitors were selected from a pool of nearly 10,000 Soldiers in the Illinois Army National Guard through platoon, company, and battalion-level boards to compete as Illinois' Best Warriors.

Brig. Gen. Michael Zerbonia of Chatham, Illinois, the Assistant Adjutant General – Army, Illinois National Guard, addressed the competitors to open the awards ceremony. Zerbonia said he was proud to see not only the competitive spirit, but the comradery on display throughout the competition.

"Everybody out there wants to be the best, to be number one," Zerbonia said. "When it comes down to it, you really want the team to be the best, to be number one, and that's what it's about. At the end of the day we're a team."

Henner and Sieradzki will compete May 16 to 19 at the Best Warrior regional competition at Camp Perry Joint Training Center in Port Clinton, Ohio. If they prevail, they will compete at the National Guard's national competition, then the Army-wide competition later this year.

Cutline 1: Spc. Tycjan Sieradzki of Algonquin, Illinois, a Soldier with the 244th Digital Liaison Detachment based in Chicago, works his way through the confidence course at Marseilles Training Center in Marseilles, Illinois, April 9 during the Illinois Army National Guard's Best Warrior Competition. Sieradzki took top honors as the Illinois Army National Guard's Soldier of the Year after three other enlisted competitors in this year's competition. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Bryan Spreitzer, Illinois National Guard Public Affairs)

Cutline 2: Staff Sgt. Anthony Henner of Milwaukee, a Soldier with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry based in Chicago, assesses a Soldier acting as an enemy combatant during the Army Warrior Tasks portion of the 2016 Illinois Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition. Henner took home took top honors as the Illinois Army National Guard's Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year during the competition at Marseilles Training Center in Marseilles, Illinois, April 7 to 10. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Robert Adams, Illinois National Guard Public Affairs)

Cutline 3: Spc. Tycjan Sieradzki of Algonquin, Illinois, a Soldier with the 244th Digital Liaison Detachment based in Chicago, stands with Brig. Gen. Michael Zerbonia of Chatham, Illinois, the Assistant Adjutant General – Army, Illinois National Guard and Command Sgt. Major Mark Bowman, of Plainfield, Illinois, the Illinois Army National Guard State Sergeant Major. Sierdadzki took top honors as the Illinois Army National Guard's Soldier of the Year at the Illinois National Guard's Best Warrior Competition Marseilles Training Center April 7 to 10, competing for the second year in a row. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Bryan Spreitzer, Illinois National Guard Public Affairs)

Cutline 4: Staff Sgt. Anthony Henner of Milwaukee, a Soldier with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry based in Chicago, stands with Brig. Gen. Michael Zerbonia of Chatham, Illinois, the Assistant Adjutant General – Army, Illinois National Guard and Command Sgt. Major Mark Bowman, of Plainfield, Illinois, the Illinois Army National Guard State Sergeant Major. Henner took home took top honors as the Illinois Army National Guard's Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year at the Illinois National Guard's Best Warrior Competition Marseilles Training Center April 7 to 10. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Bryan Spreitzer, Illinois National Guard Public Affairs)

Posted Tuesday April 12, 2016 at 12:19 pm by Illinois National Guard
Last Updated Tuesday April 12, 2016 at 03:53 pm