Minnesota National Guard Competes Alongside NATO Partners for Title of Best Warrior

MEDIA RELEASE: For Immediate Release
April 24, 2024

LITTLE FALLS, Minn. – This week, members of the Minnesota National Guard are competing alongside NATO partners for the title of the 2024 Minnesota National Guard’s Best Warrior at the Little Falls-based Camp Ripley Training Center.

“The Minnesota National Guard’s impact as an organization extends well beyond our state and now our service members have a chance to work, learn, and compete alongside our NATO partners from Canada, Croatia, and Norway,” said Command Chief Master Sgt. Major Lisa Erikson, Minnesota National Guard’s Command Senior Enlisted Leader. “This event not only provides our Guard members and partners an opportunity to showcase their skills and craft, but it also provides an opportunity to increase our interoperability with the worldwide joint force on a personal level.”

This year’s competition has 24 service members participating. Eight international contenders, including two each from Canada and Norway and four Croatian Soldiers, are competing with the Minnesota service members. This event is the first that all three international partners are competing in Minnesota simultaneously. Sixteen Soldiers and two Airmen from the Minnesota National Guard are competing. The Airmen are from the 133rd Airlift Wing in St. Paul and the 148th Fighter Wing in Duluth.

The Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition is a four-day competition that tests competitors on their Army knowledge. The competition includes an appearance board, written exams and essays, the Army Combat Fitness Test, weapons qualifications, medical evacuation tasks, an obstacle course, and a live fire exercise. All competitors will participate in the “Valor Ruck,” comprising five stations, each dedicated to narrating the heroic tale of a Medal of Honor recipient. Two winners, a noncommissioned officer and a Soldier, will progress to the Region IV Best Warrior Competition hosted by the Iowa National Guard in May.

“The Minnesota National Guard Best Warrior Competition highlights the greatest strength of our organization – its people,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Jason Rost, Minnesota National Guard’s Senior Enlisted Advisor – Army. “The competition affords our competitors an opportunity to demonstrate their competencies, test their skills, and push beyond their physical and mental limits to achieve statewide recognition and the ability to compete at regional and national levels. Our competition allows us to lean into the Army theme of “being all you can be” and demonstrate to others why being a Minnesota Guard member is exceptional.”

Editor’s Note: Media members are invited to attend the event on April 26 at 10 a.m., located at Camp Ripley Training Center, 15000 HWY 115 Little Falls, Minn. Media must RSVP to Army Capt. William Hermanson at 651-435-3180 or william.t.hermanson.mil@army.mil

 – About the Minnesota National Guard –

Established in 1856 and headquartered in St. Paul, the Minnesota National Guard has more than 13,000 Soldiers and Airmen who serve in 58 communities across the state. The Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen of the Minnesota National Guard are ‘Always Ready’ to fight the nation’s wars, protect the country, respond to state emergencies, and contribute to local communities. For more information about the Minnesota National Guard, visit https://MinnesotaNationalGuard.ng.mil.

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