3 minute read
Texan Takes “Soldier of the Year”
by MediaNation
SSG Michael Lincks, Missouri Army National Guard, and SPC Nickalus Johnson, Texas Army National Guard, were named the winners of the National Guard Region V Best Warrior Competition in a ceremony in Oklahoma City, May 20.
The competition, held at the Regional Training Institute in Oklahoma City, and Camp Gruber Training Center, near Braggs, Oklahoma, May 15-22, was a contest between six states in the region: Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Nebraska, Missouri and Arkansas which challenged and tested the Soldiers both mentally and physically. The Soldiers competed in eight events including marksmanship, an obstacle course and land navigation, all culminating in a 12-mile ruck march.
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SSG Lincks, a combat medic who works as a civilian registered intensive care nurse, was named the Region V Noncommissioned Officer of the Year and said he was confident in his abilities, but he was still able to learn throughout the competition. SPC Johnson, the Soldier of the Year winner enlisted into the Texas National Guard as a high school junior and was part of the split training option program which allows 17-year-old juniors to join the Guard, with parental consent, while still in high school. Johnson went to school in Gruver, Texas, a town of about 1,200 people. He spent his time working on his family’s cattle ranch and playing football.
Because of his performance with the 836th Sapper Company, Johnson was able to attend Sapper Leader School, a 28-day course designed to create “elite” combat engineers. “During my first annual training, I was named the MVP of my team, which earned me an opportunity to attend Sapper School” Johnson said. “Sapper School was definitely the hardest thing I’ve done, so far.”
Johnson’s endless determination has earned him many opportunities in the military. His training at the Sapper Leader Course, and military experiences have contributed to Johnson’s preparation for the challenges of being in the Best Warrior Competition and as a leader in the National Guard.
Lincks and Johnson will move on to the next level and compete against National Guard Soldiers from across the 54 states and territories at the National Guard Best Warrior Competition in late July. H
SPC NICKALUS JOHNSON of the Texas Army National Guard receives a trophy for being named Junior Enlisted Soldier of the Year for Region V at the Best Warrior Competition held at Camp Gruber, Oklahoma on May 22.
The National Best Warrior Competition kicked off, July 24, 2022 with an opening ceremony aboard the General Jackson Showboat in Nashville, Tennessee. Fourteen National Guard Soldiers competed in the All-Guard National Best Warrior Competition July 22-29, 2022.
The top Soldiers and noncommissioned officers from the New York, Rhode Island, West Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee, Minnesota, Texas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Oregon, Hawaii and Utah National Guards competed in more than 30 events that tested their military skills, physical strength and endurance. The annual Army National Guard Best Warrior competition determines which junior enlisted Soldier and NCO from the United States of America’s 54 states and territories will represent more than 330,000 guardsmen at the Army Best Warrior competition this fall.
The National Best Warrior Competition best noncommissioned officer was SGT Tyler Holloway, HHB 115th FA Bn, Wyoming National Guard and the best junior enlisted Soldier was SPC Spencer Fayles, 144th Area Support Medical Company, Utah National Guard.
During the competition Texas senior leadership was there encouraging SPC Johnson along the way. He completed all obstacle and gave the competition his best effort and is still a winner in our books. Congratulations to all that completed this grueling competition. H
TEXAS NATIONAL GUARD LEADERSHIP visit with SPC Nickalus Johnson during the National Best Warrior Competition in Tennessee.
