This year, 75 warriors divided into 15 squads to endure six grueling, challenge-filled days during the U.S. Army Reserve Command (USARC) Best Squad Competition. The 200th Military Police (MP) Command’s squad emerged victorious. The squad, consisting of Staff Sgt. Christian Leonard, Sgt. Aaron Court, Spc. Serge Fenn, Pfc. Luke Griguolo, and Pvt. 2nd Class Seth Stetz, demonstrated resilience and exceptional teamwork to secure the annual top honor.

Cpl. Alexander Clark of the 416th Theater Engineer Command was named NCO of the Year, and Spc. Toby Chapman of the 79th Theater Sustainment Command was named Enlisted Soldier of the Year.

Before arriving at Fort McCoy, each Soldier fought to qualify at the brigade and command level competitions. The winners then became a part of the 200th MP Command’s best squad and sent to Wisconsin.

“We were taken from our individual battalions or our individual brigades, and we created the best squad from those brigades. From there, we came here to the USARC level, and it's been a journey the whole way. We literally competed last month,” said squad leader Staff Sgt. Leonard.

Command Sgts. Major Judd Musso and Subretta Pompey presented each squad member with the Army Commendation Medal, for their distinguished achievement.

Planning and Execution

The success of the 2025 Army Reserve’s Best Squad Competition hinged on meticulous planning and coordination at all echelons. Immediately following the conclusion of last year’s competition, preparations for the 2025 event began, collaborating logistics, support, equipment, and personnel. Soldiers assigned to these tasks dedicated long hours to meet critical deadlines and ensured the seamless execution of the competition.

Sgt. 1st Class Corey LaFramboise, assigned to the USARC G-3/5/7 Competitive Programs, was among the many Soldiers who contributed to the competition planning and execution. He spoke about how national competitions like this offer Army Reserve Soldiers unique opportunities and experiences that they might not gain anywhere else.

“Have you conducted a nine-line UXO? How many times have you done any transitional live fire? A lot of personnel don’t have that experience. They may do it once or twice in their career.”

Reserve Soldiers typically fulfill their Army obligations one weekend a month plus two weeks of annual training. However, there are other training events and competitions Reserve Soldiers can participate in to focus on their lethality while incorporating civilian skill sets to support the Army warfighter.

Day One: Army Basics

Identical to previous years, each squad consisted of a squad leader, a team leader, and three squad members. This year, the challenges the squads had to navigate consisted of individual and group fitness tests, weapons qualification, day and night land navigation, multiple weapons ranges, obstacle course, rappel tower, water survival assessment, patrol lanes, ruck marches, water insertion, professional board, and a written exam.

The event spanned seven days, each packed with mentally and physically demanding tasks designed to push competitors to their limits.

Day one started at 4 a.m. with an individually graded Army Combat Fitness Test.

Next, Soldiers qualified on different weapons systems, helping them prepare for upcoming marksmanship and range events. Moving off the range, the squads prepared and executed their day and night land navigation requirements.

Tactical skills were tested as each squad had to find five points with only a map, compass, and protractor. Land navigation teaches Soldiers how to maneuver through unfamiliar geographic terrain without modern technology.

“Hey, we are the Army,” said Staff Sgt. Dannys Marrero Caballero from Army Reserve Aviation Command, squad leader for Squad 13. We are meant to be walking around, finding where we need to go, finding what we need to do. Set the standard, be the standard. Land nav is a part of the Army warrior tasks that we are supposed to be training on every year.”

During the day portion of the event, Soldiers navigated uncertain terrain by themselves. Once twilight faded and the moon rose, the Soldiers navigated in their squads, marking their first team-based event.

Day Two: Marksmanship

The second day consisted of various weapon ranges. The competitors qualified on multiple weapons, including the M17, M320, and the M240 Bravo. Additionally, competitors had a chance to compete for a marksmanship badge. After the weapon ranges, the Soldiers completed a base defense range—a realistic training area where they practiced protecting a mock base under simulated threats—and returned to their barracks tired and sweaty.

Day Three: Let's Get Physical

On day three, the squads actively rotated between the obstacle course and the rappel tower. The obstacle course tested the squads’ problem-solving skills, physical endurance, and their ability to maneuver efficiently under pressure. Meanwhile, squads also climbed up the 55-foot rappel tower requiring three perfect jumps down to pass. The tower tested trust in both Army equipment and battle buddies, while also overcoming any possible fear of heights.

“Going down the tower, the only thoughts I had going through my head was…just being focused on doing what my training [taught me],” said Sgt. Antonio Aguilera from the 95^th Training Division. “Emotionally though, there was a lot of adrenaline…especially when I was bound up and starting to slip because it feels like you are falling when you are not.”

The final event for day three soaked the competitors in Big Sandy Lake for a water survival assessment. This event tested the competitors’ ability to make a floating raft out of a set of materials then swim across the lake with a casualty dummy. Some Soldiers welcomed the coolness of the lake as it reset their body temperatures from the Wisconsin heat. Others were anxious due to having weak swimming skills.

Day Four: Patrol Base Operations

In the morning, the squads went through more weapons ranges to include the sniper rifle and M67 hand grenade ranges. By late afternoon, the squads were inserted in a heavily forested area of Fort McCoy to set up a patrol base.

At the patrol base, Soldiers built their tents and prepared for the next day. Sleep was welcome as they knew they would have to wake up early to complete patrol lanes as a squad. 

Day Five: Patrol Lanes

The competitors commenced a series of patrol lanes designed to test their tactical proficiency. Throughout these exercises, squads engaged in simulated military operations, including reconnaissance missions, offensive maneuvers, and tactical responses to enemy fire.

Warfighting scenarios require each squad to apply basic Soldier tasks and battle drills in real time, reinforcing each squad’s ability to operate cohesively under pressure. Anxious, stressed, fatigued, excited, and sore are some of the words Soldiers mentioned feeling during their journey to complete the lanes.

As Soldiers move through the patrol lanes, they learn to think and act as one unit. The emotions, surprises, and shared struggles along the way forge a deeper bond of trust within the squad.

Day Six: A Big Jump

On day six, the Soldiers woke up at 3 a.m. to march 12 miles back to Big Sandy Lake for the helocast challenge.

The helocast challenge is a combat water insertion via a CH-57 Chinook helicopter into the battlefield. Soldiers dived into the water wearing their usual Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP) uniform, boots and black life jackets, swam up to the surface gasping for air, and were picked up by cadre-filled Zodiac boats.

“Four days of horribleness… no sleep… just to do that jump alone, I would do it all over again,” said Sgt. Aaron Court from the 200th Military Policy Command.

Far from a reprieve, this event served as both recognition and an additional challenge, highlighting the mental and physical fortitude demanded throughout the competition.

Day Seven: Knowledge is Power

On the last day of the competition, each individual Soldier went through a board, a formal evaluation process where the Soldier's knowledge of army regulations and procedures are tested by multiple command sergeants major. Prior to arriving at the building where the boards were being conducted, the Soldiers changed into either the Army Service Uniform (ASU) or the Army Green Service Uniform (AGSU), which made the competitors look extra sharp and professional.

Finally, the competitors left the board and went on to the final event: a written exam. The exam consisted of 50 questions based on the U.S. Army Reserve Study guide.

2025 Fort McCoy Competitions

This year, Fort McCoy held four U.S. Army Reserve competitions concurrently. These competitions include the Best Squad Competition, Best Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) of the Year, Best Soldier of the Year and the Best Medic Competition.

Capt. Kevin Roman Tirado from the 7458 Medical Operations Readiness Unit (MORU) became this year’s USARC Best Medic. Both Capt. Tirado and Squad 4 will advance to represent their respective commands at the Headquarters, Department of the Army (HQDA) level. Squad 4 will compete for the title of Best Squad in the U.S. Army in October 2025, while Tirado will compete for the title of Best Medic during the HQDA-level Best Medic Competition in February 2026.

Participating Commands

The commands represented in the Best Squad Competition include 1 Mission Support Command, 76 Operational Response Command, 79 Theater Sustainment Command, 200 Military Police Command, 377th Theater Sustainment Command, 412 Theater Engineer Command, 416 Theater Engineer Command, U.S. Army Civil Affairs & Psychological Operations Command, 7 Mission Support Command, 9 Mission Support command, 807 Medical Command Deployment Support, 99th Readiness Division, Army Reserve Aviation Command, 3 Medical Command Deployment Support,  84 Training Command, 108 Training command, Army Reserve Careers Group, 311 Signal Command, and Army Reserve Medical Command.