Fifteen competitors, including thirteen from the Alaska Army National Guard and two from the Mongolian Armed Forces, competed in the 2025 AKARNG Best Warrior Competition, held May 19–22 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.
250522-Z-HY271-1650.JPG Photo By: Alejandro Peña

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska - The State Command Sergeant Major, John Phlegar, center, pauses for a photo with Pfc. David Badke, 2nd left, and Sgt. Dylan Hennessey, the two winners of the Alaska State Best Warrior Competition 2025 as well as Lance Cpl. Sandaijav Sainbileg, far left, and Senior Sgt. Purevdorj Ganbaatar, two Mongolian Armed Forces participants, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, May 22, 2025. Hosted by the AKARNG’s 207th Multi-Functional Training Regiment, the SBWC, is an annual, multi-day Soldiering contest that showcases the competitors’ readiness and lethality through a series of challenging mental and physical tests. Badke, an infantryman assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 297th Infantry Regiment, was the junior enlisted winner of the competition. Hennessey, also an infantryman assigned to the 1-297th, was the winner amongst the non-commissioned officers. Ganbaatar is assigned to the 150th Peacekeeping Battalion, and Sainbileg is assigned to the 084th Special Task Battalion. This year two members of the Mongolian Armed Forces participated in the competition. Alaska and Mongolia have been counterparts since 2003 through the State Partnership Program. (Alaska National Guard photo by Alejandro Peña)


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