New York Division of Military and Naval Affairs News - 501st Ordnance Battalion picks Best Warrior

Story by: PFC Andtew Valenza - JFHQ Public Affairs
Dated: Tue, Oct 31, 2017

N.Y. Army National Guard Specliast John Isemen, assigned to the 1108th Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), wins Soldier of the year award in the Best Warrior Competition, in Glenville, N.Y., Oct. 22nd, 2017. Iseman was the overall winner 501st EOD Battalion Best Warrior Competition, accumulating the most overall points for the competition. (N.Y. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Andrew Valenza)

Glenville An early morning start and cold wind didn’t stop five Soldiers competing to be the Best Warrior from the 501st Ordnance Battalion on October 22nd, 2017.

When it was all over, Spec. John Iseman, a member of the 1108th Ordnance Company (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) was tapped to represent the battalion at the next level of Best Warrior competition.

Also competing were:

• Sgt. Kevin Baker, assigned to the 1427th Medium Truck Company • Sgt. Alexander Sheldon, assigned to the 466 Area Medical Company • Spec. Chelsie Bulkowskit, assigned to the 466 Area Medical Company And Spec. Elicia Avery, assigned to the Headquarters Detachment of the 501st EOD Battalion. , The competitor’s first task was a Physical Fitness Test at 0600, followed by a 10k ruck march.

“The physical part was what I was very confident on,” Bulkowskit said. “I was fine on the PT test, and it was the ruck march that got me and ever since then I’ve been much drained.”

Bulkowskit finished the Ruck march in an hour and thirty nine minutes.

The second part of the competition was demonstrating knowledge of Soldier tasks, which included leading a squad, conducting first aid, Nuclear/Biological/Chemical contamination response, hand and arm signals, disassembly and reassembly of a M249, and making radio calls.

Each soldier had twenty minutes to complete each task.

The final tasks of the day were a board of review and a written exam. The Soldiers were asked questions ranging from Army National Guard Regulation to current events.

“A lot of these tasks we don’t do on a regular basis” Iseman said. “So it’s a good structure to improve on our Soldier skills. Next we’ll be going to the Brigade level competition, and we’ll win.”