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NEWS | Feb. 25, 2021

Army Reserve Soldier takes on Best Warrior Challenge

By Staff Sgt. Shawn Morris 99th Readiness Division

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SLIDESHOW | 3 images | Army Reserve Soldier takes on Best Warrior Challenge

Spc. Karrimi Mihalek likes a challenge – she recently moved from the National Guard to the Army Reserve, relocated to her home state of Michigan, and changed her Army job from fueler to public affairs specialist.

Mihalek also joined seven of her fellow Army Reserve Soldiers in the 99th Readiness Division’s FY21 Best Warrior Competition Train-Up Feb. 22-26 at division headquarters here.

“The Best Warrior Competition will definitely be something I’m using to challenge myself” said Mihalek, who serves with the 88th Readiness Division’s 220th Public Affairs Detachment. “I hope to push myself out of my comfort zone to learn things I wouldn’t normally learn.”

The BWC Train-Up is designed to prepare Soldiers for the upcoming Combined Readiness Division BWC by improving their depth of knowledge and proficiency in military skills in a competitive, tactical environment.

The event promotes and sustains a culture of excellence, leadership, individual readiness and team-building within the command.

“As long as I’ve been in (the Army), I just don’t know some of the specifics and I’d like to learn,” said Mihalek, a six-year Army veteran and native of Grand Rapids, Michigan

The BWC Train-Up is focused on providing a learning experience for participants.

“We have instructors here from First U.S. Army who are infantry and cavalry Soldiers with much more expertise and hands-on contact time with the various weapons systems than we have,” explained Command Sgt. Maj. John Zimmerman, command sergeant major of the 99th RD. “Many of our Soldiers in the readiness divisions come from support and administrative fields – bands, public affairs – so our Soldiers normally don’t receive the contact time with weapons and radios and things tactical.

“Even if they don’t win the competition, they learn something from it, they learn they are stronger than they thought they were,” he added.

All four Army Reserve readiness divisions will meet at Fort Hunter Liggett, California, in March for a Combined Readiness Division “Top Squad” BWC. The top five Soldiers from that event will represent the four RDs at the Army Reserve-level competition to be held in May at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin.