Best Warrior Competition tests California Army National Guard Soldiers

video by Sgt. 1st Class Kimberly Hill
photos by Sgt. 1st Class Amanda Johnson
California National Guard Public Affairs

Jan. 11, 2023

CAMP ROBERTS, Calif. – California Army National Guard Soldiers represented their units during the component's annual Best Warrior Competition, Dec. 12-14, at Camp Roberts and Camp San Luis Obispo.

Check out the video and photos below for an inside look as 13 Soldiers take on a myriad of physical and mental challenges and vie for the title of Cal Guard's Best Warrior.

Individual event and overall winners will be named during the Best Warrior luncheon, Jan. 21, in Anaheim.

The competition kicked off with an ACFT, which includes three repetition maximum deadlift, the standing power throw with a 10 lb. medicine ball, hand release push-ups, the sprint drag carry, plank and a two-mile run.

Sgt. Shayan Mirzazadeh with Joint Forces Headquarters, begins his three maximum deadlift repetitions during the ACFT of the Best Warrior Competition in Camp San Luis Obispo, Dec. 12.

Spc. Artyom Popov with the 224th Sustainment Brigade, launches a 10 1b. medicine ball into the air during the ACFT in Camp San Luis Obispo, Dec. 12.

Sgt. Gabriel Dunn with the 224th Sustainment Brigade, performs a plank during the ACFT in Camp San Luis Obispo, Dec. 12.

Competing Soldiers then moved on to night land navigation, where they worked in groups to plot and locate their points at Camp Roberts.

Day 2 was packed with events from dawn until well after dusk. Soldiers started their morning with more land navigation, as competitors worked in groups to locate four eight-digit grid coordinates.

A cadre scores a competitor's land navigation sheet at Camp Roberts, Dec. 13.

From left to right: Spc. Sergio Moreno with the 115th Regional Support Group, Spc. Shayan Mirzazadeh with Joint Forces Headquarters, Staff Sgt. Eliodoro Carranza with the 49th Military Police Brigade and Spc. Alejandro Mendoza with the 100th Troop Command, pose for a photo after completing day land navigation at Camp Roberts, Dec. 13.

Spc. Leonardo Robles with the 40th Combat Aviation Brigade, walks to the finish line of the day land navigation course after finding his last point at Camp Roberts, Dec. 13.

With land navigation completed, competitors packed 35 lbs. into their rucks and began the grueling unknown-distance ruck march.

Spc. Artyom Popov cracks a smile as he eyes the end of the unknown distance ruck march ahead of him at Camp Roberts, Dec. 13.

With the ruck march complete, the 13 competitors began the stress shoot, using both an M4 Carbine and an M9 pistol to shoot their targets as they raced through the timed course.

A competitor shoots at his targets during the stress shoot portion of the Best Warrior Competition at Camp Roberts, Dec. 13.

Day 3, the final day of the competition, began with radio checks, camouflage tasks, a grenade course, mystery event and ended with an appearance board.

Sgt. Gabriel Dunn inspects his radio during the communication check portion of the Best Warrior Competition at Camp San Luis Obispo, Dec. 14.

Sgt. Gabriel Dunn pulls his grenade pin prior to throwing it at the grenade course during day three of the Best Warrior Competition at Camp San Luis Obispo, Dec. 14.

A competitor throws his grenade at his targets during the grenade course of day three of the Best Warrior Competition at Camp San Luis Obispo, Dec. 14.

A competitor inspects an injury on a dummy during the mystery event of the Best Warrior Competition.

Sgt. Shayan Mirzazadeh pulls a dummy to safety during the mystery event of the final day of competition.