OCTOBER 16, 2024 — The Army named its top Soldier, top noncommissioned officer and crowned the service’s best squad at the Association of the U.S. Army Annual Meeting and Exposition on Oct. 14.
Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael R. Weimer presented the awards during a ceremony which honored the winners.
The service named Spc. Mason Breunig of U.S. Army Pacific the 2024 Soldier of the year, while USARPAC took Squad of the Year honors. Sgt. 1st Class Alexander Haynes of U.S. Army Medical Command earned NCO of the Year.
The annual Best Squad Competition took place Sept. 29-Oct. 14 at Fort Liberty, North Carolina. Twelve teams from across the Army spent the first week of the competition in the field, which included a 12-mile ruck march, 18-mile ruck march, battle drills, and field warrior skills tests that evaluated technical and tactical proficiency. Then the competition’s top four finishers traveled to Washington, D.C., for a board-style review with service leaders.
Each of the 12 squads consists of a squad leader in the rank of a sergeant first class or staff sergeant, a team leader in the rank of sergeant or corporal, and three squad members ranked specialist or below.
“It was much tougher than I expected,” Breunig, a Wisconsin native, said. “You always want to quit, but you can’t quit even when you have nothing left to give.”
In addition to evaluating squads on the Army Combat Fitness Test, the competition also challenged Soldier discipline and endurance during ruck marches where competitors had to carry 50-pound ruck sacks. Competitors donned hazmat suits, performed life-saving skills and took part in weapons competition in the woods of Fort Liberty.
“[The competition] taught me so much about myself,” said Sgt. Luke Burton, a USARPAC squad member from the 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. “I think it taught all of us a lot about ourselves — how much we’re willing to push ourselves — where that line is and how to cross it.”
Burton said his squad may have been overlooked at first because they had not attended the Army’s Airborne School, or basic paratrooper training, and were not Special Forces troops like some of their competitors.
Haynes said his squad overcame numerous obstacles to qualify for the contest. Three of its original members, including the squad leader, suffered injuries during training. Haynes, the squad’s new leader, joined the team late. Even with the late additions, the squad remained competitive, he said.
“We had a common goal,” Haynes said. “The codifying factor was we all had a shared vision. We knew what we needed to do to win.”
Haynes said he didn’t expect to be named NCO of the Year. The Fayetteville, North Carolina, native said he focused on enabling his squad members to perform at their peak.
“Being named NCO of the Year was the furthest thing from my mind,” said Haynes, a combat medic stationed at Tripler Army Medical Center, Hawaii. “I was just being present for my Soldiers to make sure they’re taken care of.”
By Joe Lacdan
Army News Service