National Guard Best Warriors to compete in road march around Lake Itasca

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 7, 2017

PARK RAPIDS, Minn.- Fourteen National Guard Soldiers from 12 states will be competing July 17-20, at Camp Ripley in the Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition. As part of the competition, the soldiers will complete a road march around Lake Itasca the morning of July 20, ending at the Mary Gibbs Mississippi Headwaters Center.

Members of the local media and the public are invited to cheer on the soldiers as they finish the road march. Well-wishers can come to the Mary Gibbs Welcome Center, 36750 Main Park Drive, Park Rapids, MN, 56470, on Thursday, July 20, at 8:00 a.m. and are encouraged to bring signs or flags to line the route to the finish line.

The soldiers will be marching on public and private land around Lake Itasca. Wilderness Trail will be temporary closed for a portion of the event. The march route will pass by the Pine Ridge Campground and may be visible to campers there.

The public should be aware that the soldiers will arrive and depart the area via military helicopters and will be carrying weapons to provide for a realistic training scenario. The weapons will not be loaded and will have magazine well safety mechanisms in them to ensure they are not operable.

Winona native Staff Sgt. Daniel Sebo, a medic and instructor with the Minnesota National Guard’s 2nd Battalion, 175th Regiment Regional Training Institute, will represent Region 4 in the competition.

The Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition will test the soldiers both physically and mentally through four days of rigorous challenges.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Minnesota National Guard Public Affairs at mn.ng.web@mail.mil or call 651-282-4410.