The Maryland Army National Guard is pushing soldiers to their physical and mental limits in a grueling multi-day test known as the Best Warrior Competition in Reisterstown.
Maryland National Guard soldiers compete in Best Warrior Competition
The competition involves running, lifting, and memorizing tasks under pressure to find the best of the best.
"It’s a combination of everything. So we want a strong, resilient soldier that, uh, can go. Uh, you know, push themselves past their physical and mental limits," Sgt. Maj. Patrick Metzger said.
"We like to use the term 'smoke them.' Um, they're going to get smoked this, this weekend," a speaker said.
Through exhaustion, something else is built. Staff Sgt. Miles Crawford knows just how tough the competition is. Last year, he stood in their boots and advanced to the national stage. Now, he is mentoring the next group and reminding them that every moment matters.
"I found every step along the way there was a really strong level of collegiality and cooperation, um, people sharing tips and tricks, just to get through it, and that's another thing that's carried over beyond this competition," Crawford said.
Crawford warned the current competitors about the physical toll.
"It's gonna hurt. These guys are gonna go through it and they're going to be very sore," Crawford said.
"And, uh, putting their best effort in, um, because it, it, it is a big deal," Crawford said.
Even those confident in one area are tested in another.
"The memory part was pretty tricky. Just with all the other events, it was hard to keep it, the order down, but I was just doing it when I was running," Staff Sgt. Nicholas Casagrande said.
"I would have to say for this one, probably the Amoans who's working a different type of the body that we haven't worked today or haven't worked earlier combined with everything else," Sgt. John Bullis said.
No matter the outcome, leadership says this competition showcases something bigger, serving as a test of strength, a test of resilience, and a reminder of the men and women willing to serve.
"They represent the best that Maryland has to offer. They represent the true citizen soldier," a speaker said.
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