Written by Spc. Sarah Keegan
101st Sustainment Brigade
Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan – Two soldiers recently competed and emerged victorious from the 17th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion competed in the Battalion’s Warrior of the Month board on Saturday.
Sgt. Jared Leimeister, a Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic for the 131st Transportation Company, 17th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 101st Sustainment Brigade, won the board’s noncommissioned officer’s division.
Pfc. April Tennyson, a Motor Transport Operator for the 109th Transportation Company, 17th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 101st Sustainment Brigade, won the soldier’s division.
The Warrior of the Month board is a competitive range of Army warrior task to be performed and graded in the ranks of private through specialist and sergeant through sergeant first class. Two junior enlisted soldiers and two non-commissioned officers from two of the battalion companies took part in the competition.
The soldiers are tested on basic combat skills, including a physical fitness test, a written Army Warrior task test, land navigation and map reading, an oral warrior task board, and combat life saving skills. The soldiers must also pass a uniform inspection, physical appearance and bearing observation, and maintain a high level of discipline.
The Warrior of the Month competition is designed to identify the soldier and NCO that best represents the Battalion in exemplary knowledge and performance.
The competition began at 5:00am at the Blackjack Gym to perform the Army Physical Fitness Test, and was followed by a height and weight test. Soldiers who did not meeting these requirements were eliminated from the remainder of the competition.
The soldiers then reported to the 17th CSSB motor pool following a short break to complete all physical testing and uniform inspections. The Warrior competitors were tested on a variety of tasks including evaluate a casualty, perform first aid to prevent or control shock, react to a possible improvised explosive device, adjust indirect fire and map reading/land navigation.
They also received a written examination and participated in an oral board at Davis Hall. Finishing the Warrior of the Month board the judges, First sergeants from Company’s within the Battalion, submitted their point grading on the evaluated soldiers.
“I feel that the Warrior of the Month Board is a good motivational tool to use during deployment. It breaks the monotony of soldiers every day routine, while maintain their soldier skills,” said Sgt. Crystal Y. Lewis, the board’s points recorder.
Leimiester agreed. “The knowledge and abilities attained during preparation for the board set you up for success for the rest of your military career. The opportunity to look good in front of your peers as well as have your unit look good is a great thing,” he said.
Both Leimeister and Tennyson will be awarded an Army Achievement Medal, and a Battalion coin for their achievement on the board.
The Warrior of the Month board is open to all qualifying Soldiers in the Battalion.
( Note: Spc. Keegan is the 142nd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion Unit Public Affairs Representative. The battalion, part of the 15th Sustainment Brigade out of Fort Bliss, TX, is assigned to the 101st Sustainment Brigade, Fort Campbell, KY, during their deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. )
