Marion Soldier Named Illinois Army National Guard's Noncommissioned Officer of the Year

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

Related Media

Staff Sgt. Beau Dettrick of Marion, with the Illinois National Guard’s Recruiting and Retention Command plots points on his map prior to a night-time land navigation event Sept. 14 .

MARSEILLES, IL (09/17/2012)(readMedia)-- Staff Sgt. Beau Dettrick of Marion, with the Illinois National Guard's Recruiting and Retention Command was named the Illinois Army National Guard 2012 Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) of the Year following the four-day Illinois National Guard's 2012 Best Warrior Competition Sept. 13 to 16 at Marseilles Training Center in Marseilles.

The Best Warrior Competition puts Soldiers and noncommissioned officers through a six-mile road march, weapon qualifications, combatives, Army Physical Fitness Test, both day and night land navigation and Army warrior tasks.

"It's always tough, any time you pile this many events on one person and to remain in the running in this competition you have to really lay it all out," said Dettrick. "It was definitely a challenge especially with the good group of NCOs I competed with."

This is the second time in a row Dettrick earned the title. Dettrick won the title in 2011, then won the regional competition and went on to represent the Illinois Army National Guard in the National Guard Bureau level competition.

"I didn't expect it. I came in here like I did the first time, just hungry for the title," said Dettrick.

Dettrick said he looks forward to representing Illinois again.

"The Soldiers and NCOs who came here were the best of their brigades and came out to prove they are the best in the state," said Command Sgt. Maj. Mark Bowman of Plainfield, the Illinois Army National Guard's Land Forces Component Senior Enlisted Adviser. "When the dust cleared we had one Soldier and one NCO who were the best of the best of more than 10,000 Illinois Army National Guard Soldiers."

Command Sgt. Maj. Howard Robinson of Olympia Height, the State Senior Enlisted Adviser for the Illinois National Guard said he was proud of every Soldier and NCO who made it to the state-level competition.

"This was a tough competition designed to test their physical and mental readiness, their military knowledge and warrior tasks," said Robinson. "Not every Soldier or NCO will ever make it here, just the best of the best."

Dettrick said he will continue training in hopes to win regionals a second time and make his mark at nationals.

Dettrick and Illinois Army National Guard's 2012 Soldier of the Year Pfc. Christopher Morris of Robinson, with the 445th Chemical Company, will compete in the regional-level competition to be held in Illinois in the spring of 2013 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/ Staff Sgt. Beau Dettrick of Marion, with the Illinois National Guard's Recruiting and Retention Command plots points on his map prior to a night-time land navigation event Sept. 14 during the four-day Illinois National Guard 2012 Best Warrior Competition at Marseilles Training Center in Marseilles. Dettrick was named the Illinois Army National Guard's 2012 Noncommissioned Officer of the Year.

Photo 2) U.S Army photo by Sgt. Michael Camacho, 108th Sustainment Brigade/ Staff Sgt. Beau Dettrick of Marion, with the Illinois National Guard's Recruiting and Retention Command, crawls under a barbed wire obstacle Sept. 15 during the four-day Illinois National Guard 2012 Best Warrior Competition at Marseilles Training Center in Marseilles. Dettrick was named the Illinois Army National Guard's 2012 Noncommissioned Officer of the Year.

Photot 3) U.S Army photo by Sgt. Michael Camacho, 108th Sustainment Brigade/ Staff Sgt. Beau Dettrick of Marion, with the Illinois National Guard's Recruiting and Retention Command reports to the president of the board Sept. 16 during the four-day Illinois National Guard 2012 Best Warrior Competition at Marseilles Training Center in Marseilles. Dettrick was named the Illinois Army National Guard's 2012 Noncommissioned Officer of the Year.