FORT MCCOY — On April 8, 16 Wisconsin Army National Guard Soldiers, representing units across the state, began the first leg of a grueling three-day competition known as the Best Warrior Competition.

The Best Warrior Competition measures each soldier’s physical, mental and professional capacity as they demonstrate their proficiency in various tasks. Physical fitness, land navigation and marksmanship are among the tasks competitors will take part in this weekend.

For three days, competitors from all over Wisconsin faced off against one another in challenges that tested their mental and physical aptitudes. Events included the Army Combat Fitness Test, M4 carbine, M17 pistol, and M249 machine gun qualifications, a physical appearance board, essay writing, land navigation, calling for fire, a simulated medical range, a written test, 12-mile ruck march, and hand grenade qualification.

Command Sgt. Maj. Curtis Patrouille, the Wisconsin Army National Guard’s senior enlisted leader, described the Best Warrior Competition as an opportunity for soldiers and noncommissioned officers from across the organization to compete against each other to determine the best of the best.

“Even before they get to this level of competition, these soldiers and noncommissioned officers have been selected from their unit and battalion leadership to represent at the state level,” Patrouille said.

The Best Warrior Competition does not provide an advantage to any specific military occupation, Patrouille noted. In addition to honing individual skills and capabilities, the competition gives soldiers the chance to share newly gained knowledge and experience with their units. Among those key experiences is the ability to persevere through hardship.

“Resiliency skills are a must throughout the competition,” Patrouille explained. “A competitor may not perform as they had planned on a particular event, and they need to be able to compose themselves, work with their sponsor and be ready to perform at their highest level on the next event.

“Having seen the Best Warrior Competition for the past several years, it still amazes me as to the commitment each of these competitors and sponsors show time and time again,” Patrouille continued. “The amount of pride they have representing their unit, battalion and brigade can be witnessed by the sheer level of determination each and every one shows throughout the competition.”

The Wisconsin Army National Guard’s Best Warrior and Best Noncommissioned Officer will advance to compete at the regional Best Warrior Competition May 10-15 at Camp Ripley, Minnesota — “an even more daunting competition,” Patrouille said.