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News | May 8, 2019

USAREC highlights the “Best of the Best”

USAREC Public Affairs

After a week of grueling competition and intense board appearances, U.S. Army Recruiting Command announced the winners of its Best Warrior Competition its newest Sgt. Audie Murphy Club inductees May 3.

Seven Best Warrior competitors and 25 SAMC hopefuls spent the week at Fort Knox demonstrating their leadership, knowledge and competence while competing amongst the best non-commissioned officers the command has to offer.

Best Warrior

The USAREC 2019 Best Warrior is Staff Sgt. Cayce Watson, Portland Recruiting Battalion, 6th Recruiting Brigade. He will move on to the Training and Doctrine Command competition happening at Fort Rucker, Alabama July 14-19.

 

The runner-up is Staff Sgt. Cain Pavlak, Columbus Recruiting Battalion, 3rd Recruiting Brigade. He will compete at the TRADOC level if winner last name is unable to participate.

 

These Soldiers along with Sgt. 1st Class Justin Austin, Recruiting and Retention College; Staff Sgt. Robert Bennett, Medical Recruiting Brigade; Staff Sgt. Brian Kimbrough, 1st Recruiting Brigade; Staff Sgt. Javik Grach, 2nd Recruiting Brigade; and Sgt. 1st Class Tad Snyder, 5th Recruiting Brigade, had to win at the brigade level in order to compete at the USAREC headquarters level. While at Fort Knox, the competitors demonstrated their Soldier skills through a variety of events throughout the week, to include a 12-mile ruck march, combatives, land navigation, and various weapons tasks.

 

“Clearly it took a lot of dedication, commitment to excellence for you to get here, because besides your daily duties being a recruiter you had to spend time to get up to speed on warrior tasks,” said Maj. Gen. Frank Muth, USAREC commanding general. “This says a lot about you as leaders, as non-commissioned officers and also as recruiters. I don't think anybody understands what it takes to be a recruiter and the commitment and professionalism you have to have. I'm very proud to stand up here and recognize all of you.”

 

Sgt. Audie Murphy Club

The following 17 NCOs have been selected for induction into the USAREC chapter of the prestigious Sgt. Audie Murphy Club:

 

Sgt. 1st Class Scott M. Bohdan                     2nd Recruiting Brigade

Sgt. 1st Class Hanchieh Coldman                 3rd Medical Recruiting Battalion

Sgt. 1st Class Jordan S. Ferrari                     Kansas City Recruiting Battalion

Sgt. 1st Class Nathan A. Hayes                     Albany Recruiting Battalion

Sgt. 1st Class Charles Osei                           Raleigh Recruiting Battalion

Sgt. 1st Class Jessica B. Schrecker              Oklahoma Recruiting Battalion

Sgt. 1st Class Lee C. Smith                           Raleigh Recruiting Battalion

Sgt. 1st Class David M. Williams                   Richmond Recruiting Battalion

Sgt. 1st Class Robert D. Bennett                  1st Medical Recruiting Battalion

Staff Sgt. Megan K. Cereo                            Syracuse Recruiting Battalion     

Staff Sgt. Logan Doyle                                  Seattle Recruiting Battalion

Staff Sgt. Johnathon Hagen                          Milwaukee Recruiting Battalion

Staff Sgt. Wigetes Ho                                    Los Angeles Recruiting Battalion

Staff Sgt. Alyssa Mirea                                  Denver Recruiting Battalion

Staff Sgt. Sarah G. Thompson                      Great Lakes Recruiting Battalion

Staff Sgt. Renaldo Velez-Gaud                     Albany Recruiting Battalion

Staff Sgt. Kara Wilson                                   San Antonio Recruiting Battalion

The SAMC is a private U.S. Army organization for non-commissioned officers, and all those who wanted the opportunity to become part of the SAMC had to receive a recommendation from the battalion and brigade chains of command. The SAMC board consisted of an Army Physical Fitness Test, a written essay and an intensive board.

 

“This accomplishment says a lot about your teammates - you wouldn't be here without them,” said USAREC Command Sgt. Maj. Tabitha Gavia. “We know that your teammates supported you and helped you get through this ... we know that you belong to great teams.”

 

The official induction ceremony will take place at USAREC Headquarters on July 26.