How can I help my Soldier compete for BWC (Best Warrior Competition)?

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 21:38:45 -0500

I have a female soldier competing for Washington (State) Best Warrior Competition; and she has asked me to be her sponsor. I have already been able to help her with so much by assisting with her packet, helping her get her DA photo ready and up to date. Ive got her set on the right track to study for her board etc however, I am wondering if there is anything I can do to help her even more. Advice?

Response by SGM Billy Herrington made Jan 25 at 2016 10:16 PM

SGM Billy Herrington — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 22:16:07 -0500

Obstacle course. Rope climbing and rappelling, especially if she's scared of heights. I'm not sure if combatives is still an event. It was when I was assisting and refereeing. Work on core conditioning since the duration will wear her out. We had a road March of eight miles then right into IWQ.

You can never plan for the mystery event. Rappelling was it once. A stress shoot one time. Enter and clear a room with UTM rounds against a combative enemy was another.

If I think of anything else I'll come back.

Ahhh im back. Weapons. 249, 240, .50, MK19

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 25 at 2016 10:26 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 22:26:31 -0500

You should go through DVIDS and look for BWC stories that have been written. You will see what people have had to go through throughout the Army.

Response by COL Charles Williams made Jan 25 at 2016 11:27 PM

COL Charles Williams — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 23:27:13 -0500

Lots of PT, Marksmanship, and Warrior Tasks and Battle Drills. Practice Boards too...

But, first and foremost, see what your 1SG/CSM says!

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 25 at 2016 11:52 PM

CSM Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 23:52:48 -0500

First of all congratulations to you and your Soldier! To your Soldier for going the extra mile and to you for being chosen to guide and assist! It is going to be challenging and rewarding. There definitely guidelines of general military knowledge and PT that need to be honed in on but we had a lot of things that truly tested warriors nonconventiknal strength and knowledge. She will be competing to be gain the title of being the best of the best! At our installation we had thirty competitors competing for the best DS, AIT PSG, NCO, Soldier, Joint NCO and Joint SM. Our competition lasted four days and encompassed weapons qualification, APFT, non conventional physical assessment, road March with stations for hands on testing, combatives, Drill and Ceremony, land navigation, obstacle/confidence course, written test, as well as a traditional board. By the end of the competition there were only 22 of the original 30 service members remaining. Needless to say there were a few curve balls but in our line of work that's exactly what Soldiers need to be prepared for.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 26 at 2016 12:59 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 26 Jan 2016 00:59:44 -0500

Thank you all for your responses. I do want to add that my soldier is among the best of our company.
Her last APFT she scored a 356 (if we still did extended scale). Her lowest ever apft was a 296.
Last year she was able to be a guest at the BWC and do many of the events after the competitors did the events, for example she started 15 min after the last person started one of the ruck marches and she came in 4th; meaning she passed all but 3 competitors.
We have the list of events from last year's BWC.
I've been calling her at random times asking questions that could be on the board. If she doesn't Know them I have her research them and get me the answer.
She's been swimming with a 10 Pound weight over her head to mimic a rifle.

She has competed in many spartan races and tough mudders. Mentally she's ready. I don't doubt she isnt.

We are across the state from each other and next weekend she is traveling over so that my husband and I can teach her how to zero an M16 and get her some time behind a rifle. I plan to do some combatives with her then and show her techniques for it is an event still.

I've been updating our commander, 1SG, and battalion commander with updates of her training and they have been giving me some minor tips here and there to help her out.

My question is I guess is there anything else I could do to help her?

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 26 at 2016 8:21 AM

CW3 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 26 Jan 2016 08:21:21 -0500

SSG,
Many BWC include events based on basic soldier skills, i.e land nav, pt test, marksmanship, ect.
I would go back to the fundamentals and ensure that your soldier is proficient in all those catagories.
Also, many competitions hold a board that include current events, knowledge of doctrine, drill and ceremony, uniform and awards be sure your soldier knows how to address a board and how to compete in said board. armystudyguide.com has alot of information in alot of these topics.
Good Luck!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 26 at 2016 10:34 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 26 Jan 2016 10:34:07 -0500

Train with them and make sure they know!

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 26 at 2016 1:17 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 26 Jan 2016 13:17:50 -0500

Get with others in your unit to help mentor her in all areas covered in the BWC. Medical, Supply, training with BRM practice, anything to assist them to do better. Ask what areas she feels weak in and needs extra practice or information work on those areas a little more but just be supportive and available to help. This is our approach from my Guard unit we just picked our candidates this weekend and so the next three months will be assisting them to give the time and resources they need to do the best that they can.

Response by CPL(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 26 at 2016 9:34 PM

CPL(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 26 Jan 2016 21:34:27 -0500

Start them early. Also give them rewards on a variable schedule as they perform the steps to prepare. This variable, not fixed, schedule of rewards trains the mind to seek the reward addictively. It will motivate them to become a junkie of the material and of winning. This information only serves to cover the knowledge testing portion. If you set a person up like this it becomes similar to the addiction people get when playing slot machines, and in this case the jackpot is the BWC title.

Response by SSG John Jensen made Jan 27 at 2016 4:23 PM

SSG John Jensen — Wed, 27 Jan 2016 16:23:51 -0500

send her to Soldier of the Month competition, and any other compertitions you can think of

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 17 at 2016 6:28 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 18:28:31 -0400

Thank you everyone for your responses! My soldier took second in the state! She was the top scorer for the board, apft and rope climb. She was the only female to compete and was heavily watched by a few sergeant majors and colonels and higher.
She was actually featured in our state army guards blog post for women's heritage month.

Link to story below:
http://mil.wa.gov/blog/news/post/womens-history-month-spotlight-spc-julie-e-keppner

Women's History Month Spotlight: Spc. Julie E. Keppner | Washington State Military Department

Spc. Julie E. Keppner was a standout competitor in the Washington National Guard’s Best Warrior Competition this year. Not only for her exceptional performance in all events, but because Keppner — a truck driver with the 1041st Transportation Company — was the only female to compete.