SEPTEMBER 17, 2025 – Soldiers from units across U.S. Army Europe and Africa (USAREUR-AF) put their physical and mental toughness to the test as they prepared to represent their respective organizations in the USAREUR-AF Best Squad Competition, Aug. 20-28.
The train-up was a demanding process, blending long hours of physical training with technical skills development and rigorous team-building exercises.
“We did a lot of training on collective tasks and got the Soldiers quite comfortable with the tasks they would be executing and evaluated on in the competition,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Taylor Sheppard, a platoon sergeant assigned to Bravo Troop, 1-91 Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF). “We did lots of physical training daily, qualification ranges, land navigation training, and movement and maneuver training, all to show up here and compete. We felt most comfortable with the land navigation, because not only are we scouts, but we’re also stationed on this installation. All the land nav areas are kind of in our backyard, so we’re familiar with them.”
The preparation wasn’t just about physical fitness, but also mental readiness. Competitors trained in demanding and rigorous conditions, designed to test their endurance and decision-making skills.
“Working through the mental grit and understanding the fundamentals of running a diverse team can carry over into any situation throughout my career,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Dominic Savio, a combat medic with the 173rd Brigade Support Battalion. “During long and demanding training days, I would reflect on why I decided to volunteer for this, not only for the professional and personal growth, but also to challenge myself and hopefully learn something new that I can take back to my unit.”
Morale was another critical element of the train-up. Preparing for the competition while still covering their daily battle rhythm events was no easy feat, but competitors said their connection and cohesion as a team grew stronger throughout the process.
“Fulfilling the needs of ‘Best Squad,’ while fulfilling the needs of my platoon as the platoon sergeant, was quite challenging,” Sheppard said. “Managing time in a high-op-tempo unit – and trying to fit training in wherever we could – tested our resilience, but I think overall it was a success.”
As the competition approached, competitors said they felt more confident, not just as individuals, but as a squad.
“Being frank about each other’s strengths and capitalizing on those, while also acknowledging weaknesses and working to strengthen them, builds the cohesiveness you need,” Savio said. “Once you have that, you have the confidence to ‘charlie mike’ [complete mission]. No matter the outcome, we’ve grown as a team and as Soldiers.”
Savio shared some words of wisdom for Soldiers considering competing in the Best Squad Competition.
“You must be physically fit and prepared for what’s to come,” Savio said. “Do not try to guess what to study. Grab an Expert Infantryman Badge handbook, learn the lanes, learn the troop leading procedures, learn the warfighting functions, drill them and stay extremely fluid in any environment you get thrown into.”
The Best Squad Competition highlights not only individual excellence but the strength of teamwork, discipline and resilience. For these Soldiers, it’s not just a competition, it’s a chance to represent and highlight the esprit de corps of their unit and the Army, taking with them lessons and strengths that carry over into their career beyond the competition.
About 173rd Airborne Brigade
The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army’s contingency response force in Europe, providing rapidly deployable forces to the United States European, African and Central Command areas of responsibility. Forward stationed in Italy and Germany, the brigade routinely trains alongside NATO allies and partners to enhance readiness and lethality.
About SETAF-AF
SETAF-AF) prepares Army forces, executes crisis response, enables strategic competition and strengthens partners to achieve U.S. Army Europe and Africa and U.S. Africa Command campaign objectives.
By Capt. Shenicquia Fulton