2014 New York Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition

Best of the Best: New York Army National Guard Troops Score Big in Best Warrior Competition

By Sgt. Patricia Austin, Joint Force Headquarters, New York

CAMP SMITH TRAINING SITE, N.Y. (April 6, 2014) — After three days of difficult challenges, two soldiers have taken top honors in the New York Army National Guard’s Best Warrior Competition.

Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Dorvee and Spc. Caleb Longley have proven that they have what it takes to represent New York at the northeast regional Best Warrior Competition (BWC).

Dorvee, a supply sergeant with the 1427th Transportation Battalion, is the winner of the Active Guard and Reserve (AGR) non-commissioned officer (NCO) category.  Dorvee scored the highest number of points in both NCO categories and will therefore represent New York.

Sgt. Sean Massimo, a military policeman with the 442nd Military Police Company, is the winner of the Traditional (M-Day) NCO category. Longley, an engineer with the 152nd Engineer Support Company, is the winner of the Traditional Soldier category.

“I’m glad I got to come here,” said Massimo, a resident of New Rochelle, N.Y.  “I loved the competition.”

The annual event tests competitors in a wide range of Soldier skills, including physical fitness, military knowledge, endurance, marksmanship and land-navigation. This year rain and other unfavorable weather conditions did not deter the competitors from trying their hardest.

“This is the closest competition we’ve ever had,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Frank Wicks, the New York National Guard command sergeant major.  He added that both champions of each NCO category had won by less than a point.

“It was a very hard competition,” said Longley, who lives in Pulaski, N.Y.  “I felt prepared; but you can only prepare so much.”

That’s because every competitor had to prove their physical and mental proficiency, while also demonstrating that they could operate effectively under stress.

“The timeline for the events made transitioning extremely intense,” said Dorvee, a father of two and resident of Queensbury, N.Y.  “I definitely have a sense of accomplishment.”

At the northeast region BWC, Dorvee and Longley will be competing against the Best Warriors of Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and New Jersey.

“I’m nervous but I feel that this competition has really prepared me,” said Longley.  “I just plan to keep training and to do my best.”

The Region One competition is scheduled to take place from May 13 to 15 in Camp Ethan Allen, Vt.

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New York Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition Underway

By Sgt. Patricia Austin, Joint Force Headquarters

CAMP SMITH TRAINING SITE, N.Y. -- About a dozen New York Army National Guard Soldiers from various units across the state are competing to become the state's top troops in the Best Warrior Competition here April 4 to 6.

The annual event tests competitors in a wide range of Soldier skills, including physical fitness, military knowledge, endurance, marksmanship and land-navigation abilities. The Soldiers are vying to be the best in three categories: Active Guard-Reserve (AGR) non-commissioned officer (NCO), Traditional Soldier (M-Day), and M-Day NCO.

“I love the competition here,” said Sgt. Sean Massimo, a New Rochelle, N.Y. resident and military policeman with the 442nd Military Police Company. “It’s cool to see that nobody is the best at everything, but that everybody has their strengths.”

Each day starts early, ends late and is filled with physically demanding events with little time to rest in between. The second day of the competition began at 5:30 a.m. with an Army Physical Fitness Test, where Soldiers performed a specified number of push-ups and sit-ups, and completed a two-mile run within a specified time, based on their ages.

“The stress from this brings out your weaknesses and helps you realize what you need to work on,” said Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Dorvee, a Queensbury N.Y. resident and supply sergeant with the 1427th Transportation Battalion.  “I think this is beneficial for every soldier.”

Soldiers earn points for each event, and the scores decide the winners.

“We developed the events based on the skills that every soldier should have,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Frank Wicks, New York National Guard command sergeant major. "It makes me proud to see these soldiers step up to the challenge in order to train with the objective to be the best of the best.”

Winners in each of the three categories will be announced on April 5. One top NCO and the top Soldier will then move on to the National Guard’s regional competition, where they will compete against Soldiers from other states in region one.

States in the regional competition include New York, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and New Jersey.

“I’m extremely proud of the competitors,” said Wicks.  “It’s obvious that each of the units sent the right soldiers to this competition.”

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