Utah and Wyoming win 2022 National Guard Best Warrior Competition

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – From July 24-29, fourteen of the nation’s best National Guard junior enlisted Soldiers and noncommissioned officers competed in an intense, six-day competition throughout Tennessee to determine who is the Army National Guard's best-of-the-best.

When the competition ended on July 29, Sgt. Spencer Fayles, with the Utah National Guard’s 144th Area Support Medical Company, rose above the field and was declared the 2022 National Guard Soldier of the Year and Sgt. Tyler Holloway, with the Wyoming National Guard’s 115th Field Artillery Brigade, was declared the 2022 National Guard Noncommissioned Officer of the Year. 

Fayles and Holloway will now represent the National Guard’s 330,000 Soldiers from the nation’s 54 states and territories at the Army Best Warrior competition this fall.

“Tennessee had the honor of hosting the competition this year and we’re proud of each of these Soldiers and the grit and determination they showed this week.” said Command Sgt. Maj. Dale Crockett, Tennessee’s State Command Sergeant Major. “We put these competitors through a rigorous competition that challenged them both mentally and physically, they are truly world class athletes and professionals.”  

Not only will Fayles and Holloway compete in the individual Army Best Warrior competition this fall, but they were also selected as members of the Army National Guard’s Best Squad and will compete against the Active Army and Reserves’ Best Squads later this year.

National Guard Soldiers also selected to be on the National Guard Best Squad team include Staff Sgt. Bryan Kummer from Nebraska’s 1-209th Regimental Training Institute, Spc. Nathaniel Miska from Minnesota’s 850th Engineer Construction Company, and Spc. Austin Manville from New York’s C Troop, 2-101st Cavalry Regiment. 

“This was a hard-earned victory for everyone on the team,” said Crockett. “These Soldiers truly are the best-of-the-best.”

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