JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska  –   The Alaska Army National Guard named its top noncommissioned officer and enlisted Soldier after a five-day competition concluding May 18, at Camp Carroll.
 
Spc. Emmanuel Hansen, a CH-47 helicopter repairer assigned to 207th Aviation Troop Command, and Sgt. Brendan White, an infantryman assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 297th Infantry Regiment, took the title as the AKARNG 2024 Enlisted Soldier and Noncommissioned Officer of the Year respectively.
 
Spc. Emmanuel Hansen said the competition helped him grow as a Soldier.
 
“Anything we can do to make ourselves better is always good,” said Hansen. “You’re going to make it far [in the competition] if you want to be here and [you] keep pushing.”  
 
This year, nine competitors battled through several events that challenged their mental and physical aptitude.
 
Events included the World War II physical fitness test, target detection, obstacle course, land navigation, 12-mile road march, stress shoot, and several other assessments, all graded by senior NCOs who helped plan the events.
 
Sgt. 1st Class Paul Miller, a senior instructor and chief of training assigned to the 207th Multi-Functional Training Regiment, said these types of competitions are important because they help discover which Soldiers are ready to represent Alaska at the regional competition.
 
“The Best Warrior Competition is great for the Alaska Army National Guard. We can see which Soldiers are ready and the best in the state to compete for the nation,” said Miller. “This is the toughest competition we’ve had yet.”
 
Miller also said that these events demonstrate overall readiness, as the training regimen is planned six to nine months in advance to develop the necessary skills and resilience needed for the competition.

Sgt. Brendan White said he was thrilled to compete alongside his fellow Soldiers and saw much comradery throughout the week.
 
“It’s awesome to see that bond build,” said White. “It makes the days not as bad when we can all band together and be in the moment together.”
 
The competitors journeyed from as far as Fairbanks and Fort Greeley in Delta Junction to participate in this year’s BWC.