Tag Archives: soldier of the week

Soldier of the Week – CPT Roderick Vinson

Posted on June 30, 2011 by CJ| Leave a comment


Capt. Roderick Vinson wears many hats as a Soldier in the Army Reserve, a devoted husband and father of young twins, and a dedicated community member. Yet regardless of his role, Vinson brings the same core values of leadership and excellence to his work – both on and off the battlefield.

During his deployment to Afghanistan last year, Vinson served with the 359th Theater Tactical Signal Brigade and worked with the Joint Network Operations Control Center, the central hub of all communications in Afghanistan. Especially overseas, it is crucial that Soldiers have the right information at the right time in order to complete missions and outmaneuver the enemy. This critical task falls to Soldiers such as Vinson, who ensure that data, equipment and personnel are constantly delivered to the right locations.

As project manager, Vinson was responsible for the supply, maintenance and transportation of personnel and equipment, a role which required ongoing communication with other military personnel. When it came to this task, time was of the essence and Vinson and his comrades took it upon themselves to make operations as efficient as possible. Over the course of his deployment, he was able to help streamline efforts and reduce the transfer of equipment from three weeks to three days—further enabling the Army’s success in Afghanistan.

This achievement was incredibly rewarding for Vinson, yet being apart from his family was a challenge. His wife gave birth to premature twin boys in 2006 while he was deployed to Iraq, and although, his sons are now four years old and show no signs of earlier complications, their health and wellbeing is always on his mind.

“My boys benefited from the advances in technology in treating premature babies, largely thanks to the efforts of the March of Dimes,” he said.

The stress of his absence and the inability to monitor his sons as they grew and developed motivated Vinson to act on behalf of the organization that saved their lives. While overseas last year, he organized a five-kilometer race, and along with other Soldiers and together, they raised nearly $1,000 for the organization. Vinson plans to continue to support the March of Dimes in the future by organizing similar events, whether stateside or deployed.

The Soldier is also passionate about helping to support other families while their loved ones are deployed.

“We couldn’t do our jobs without the support of our family, our loved ones and our friends,” Vinson said. “If we are going to fight for our country, we should take advantage of the help that is offered.”

Having returned stateside in early April, Vinson is now home in Charlotte, N.C., where he is dedicated to making up for lost time with his family. He currently works as an operations supervisor for a transportation and logistics company and hopes to eventually return to the classroom to earn a master’s degree in project management.

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Soldier of the Week – PFC Joshua Bullis

Posted on May 23, 2011 by CJ| Leave a comment


Eight months ago, while on a routine foot patrol through an Afghan village, Pfc. Joshua Bullis stepped on a buried improvised explosive device (IED) and sustained significant injuries. Though still recovering at Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD), Bullis set his sights set on victory last week as he competed in the rifle standing and rifle prone shooting events at the second annual Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo.

“I chose to compete at the Warrior Games mainly because I thought it would be something fun to do,” he said. “I wanted to show myself and other people that just because you’re injured doesn’t mean you can’t still accomplish great things.”

For Bullis, the competition marked the end of a rigorous training program that he has followed in addition to his ongoing recovery and rehabilitation process.

“Having the opportunity to train for the Warrior Games has helped me mentally, because I know that I will have the chance to do some stuff that I have not done since I was injured,” he said. “I want to do well, but I was also looking forward to just going out there and having a good time. Just being there was a great step for me.”

In April 2010, Bullis deployed to the Kandahar province in southern Afghanistan with the 595th Sapper Company, 2nd Engineer Battalion. As combat engineers, Bullis and the other Soldiers in the unit were responsible for constructing roads and bridges and clearing routes, which made it possible for other troops to travel throughout the region.

Bullis formed a tight bond with his brothers in arms and credits them with saving his life when he stepped on the buried IED during a routine dismounted patrol mission.

“When I was hit, my fellow Soldiers used their trained combat skills to stop the bleeding and get the medevac quickly in order to save my life,” he said.

As a result of the blast, both of his legs were amputated above his knee, as was his left arm above the elbow. Initially following the incident, Bullis spent a week at a hospital in Germany before moving on to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. After more than two months of treatment at Walter Reed, Bullis transferred to NMCSD, in order to be closer to family while he continues to heal.

“My biggest goal is to heal,” he said. “I have been walking a little bit with my prosthetic legs recently and I hope to become fully independent as quickly as possible.”

Though it has been a long road to recovery for Bullis, he is thankful for the medical care that he has received.

“I am so grateful for the Warrior Transition Unit here in San Diego. I couldn’t ask for better help,” said the Purple Heart recipient. “I have to give credit to all the Wounded Warrior companies around the country for doing such a fantastic job with the Soldiers that come home.”

Once his recovery is complete, Bullis will return to his hometown of Phoenix, Ariz., as he has received a scholarship to attend Grand Canyon University. He plans to earn a business degree and eventually own his own business.

But before the young Soldier returns to the classroom, he wanted to be successful at the Warrior Games. And he did just that – he earned a bronze medal in the Air Rifle Standing (SH2) event, and he was the one of only two Army Soldiers to place in the shooting finals last week.

To learn more about the Warrior Games, please visit http://www.usparalympics.org/pages/8330 and http://www.wtc.army.mil/about_us/warriorgames.html. Additionally, to learn more about the Warrior Transition Command and its commitment to adaptive sports, please visit http://wtc.armylive.dodlive.mil/.

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Soldier of the Week – SFC Landon Ranker

Posted on May 3, 2011 by CJ| 2 Comments

After leaving last year’s Warrior Games with two gold medals, Sgt. 1st Class Landon Ranker is returning this year with a new goal. Next month, he’ll be vying for the title of “Ultimate Champion,” an honor awarded to the competitor who accumulates the most points in a decathlon-style event.

For Ranker, the Warrior Games are more than a chance to prove his own athletic abilities; they also represent an opportunity to be surrounded by other brave Wounded Warriors who do not let their injuries hold them back.

“All the athletes competing at the Warrior Games are there because they’re doing something that a lot of injured people think they can’t do,” he said. “It’s very inspirational to be around all the other Wounded Warriors out there. You see what other people do who have so many more strikes against them – it makes you want to go out and climb Mount Everest.”

Encouraged by his fellow Wounded Warriors, Ranker is grateful for the chance to compete at the Warrior Games and prove that wounded, ill and injured service members are capable of achieving extraordinary physical feats.

“Just because you’re injured doesn’t mean you can’t be active and competitive,” he said. “The Warrior Games are an opportunity for me to specifically showcase what a person with multiple traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can accomplish. You can still push the envelope, but you just have to learn how to do it differently.”

Between 2003 and 2008, Ranker deployed to the Middle East three times and on each tour he suffered a TBI, necessitating his early return to the United States. The accumulated effects of these injuries caused permanent damage to Ranker’s memory, balance, and information processing abilities, resulting in both physical and cognitive challenges for him.

“Physically, I have a hard time walking in a straight line, and I can’t run in a straight line,” he said. “Cognitively, I’m like a computer with an old processor – at times, I just can’t make sense of a lot of information at once.”

Ranker now serves in a leadership role with the Warrior Transition Battalion at Fort Campbell, Ky., where he continues to undergo intensive rehabilitation and therapy at a specialty TBI clinic. Throughout his military career that spans nearly two decades, Ranker has received both the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart as a result of his service overseas.

Although his sights are set on the Warrior Games for now, he hopes the competition next month will prepare him for additional athletic challenges later this year.

“I’m focusing on Warrior Games now, but after that, I’m going to start training for a marathon. Hopefully I’ll be running a marathon by the end of October, and then I’m going to work toward a triathlon,” Ranker said.

To learn more about the Warrior Games, please visit http://www.usparalympics.org/pages/8330 and http://www.wtc.army.mil/about_us/warriorgames.html. Additionally, to learn more about the Warrior Transition Command and its commitment to adaptive sports, please visit http://wtc.armylive.dodlive.mil/.

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Soldiers of the Week – SGTs David Palczewski, Fernando Franco, and SSG Jennifer Pitts

Posted on April 19, 2011 by CJ| Leave a comment

SGT David PalczewskiSGT Fernando FrancoSSG Jennifer Pitts

On Thursday as the Army Reserve marks its 103rd anniversary, nearly 60 Warrior Citizens will reaffirm their commitment to protect and defend the United States during the sixth annual National Capitol Reenlistment Ceremony at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

Lt. Gen. Jack Stultz, the Chief of the Army Reserve, will administer the oath of enlistment to these Soldiers who represent the more than 206,000 Reservists who answer the call to duty, balancing civilian careers and military service.

Sgt. David Palczewski, Sgt. Fernando Franco and Staff Sgt. Jenniffer Pitts are just three of those dedicated Citizen Soldiers being honored.

“The military really helped to prepare me for my civilian occupation,” said Palczewski, who works for the U.S. Border Patrol in addition to serving in the Army Reserve. “Coming into my job with the Border Patrol, I was already familiar with how to work with a team to accomplish the mission, in addition to weapon handling and equipment training.”

When he deployed to Afghanistan in 2005-2006 with the 316th Postal Company, Palczewski worked hard to ensure that incoming and outgoing mail operations ran smoothly, a role critical to upholding Soldier morale. Now with the 104th Training Division’s unit at the United States Military Academy at West Point, Palczewksi provides land navigation and geospatial training to cadets and future officers. These varied military roles helped prepare Palczewski for the demands of his civilian career.

“The Army has taught me how to work hard and manage my time well,” he said. “I love being part of the organization and the camaraderie between Soldiers that it brings,” he said.

For Franco, that bond of solidarity among Soldiers saved his life. While deployed to Camp Bucca, Iraq in 2002-2003, Franco was attacked by a detainee at the facility where he and his unit were responsible for detainee operations. His comrades quickly came to his aid.

“During a routine meal distribution, a group of detainees started a riot and one of them attacked me with a tent pole,” he said. “In the chaos, he managed to corner me, and as I dodged to avoid the weapon, two warning shots were fired. Finally, a third shot was fired by my comrade, killing the detainee and saving my life.”

Knowing his fellow guards will defend him is paramount, as Franco also works as a civilian law enforcement officer with the state of California. He is able to apply lessons learned as a Soldier to be a better civilian employee.

“My military experience has really helped me to excel above others in my field, particularly when it comes to being proficient with a firearm,” he said. “Beyond that, Army values, such as discipline, honor, and integrity, have aided me in the scope of my duties as a civilian.”

While Franco performs similar duties both in and out of uniform, Pitts works to support the Army Reserve both roles. She works fulltime as a civilian for the Army in addition to serving as a noncommissioned officer.

While deployed to Kuwait, she served as a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear specialist and was the commander’s liaison with the 17th Signal Battalion. She currently serves as the unit administrator for the 374th Chemical Company and is responsible for completing a variety of technical, analytical and advisory tasks.

For Pitts, military service is all in the family. Many of her immediate and extended family including her husband have served in uniform. When they both were on active duty, the couple was deployed together to Iraq. Pitts later made the decision to transition to the Army Reserve in 2008 in order to start a family.

“I didn’t want to leave the military completely, so I joined the Army Reserve to still serve my country,” she said.

She and her husband welcomed a daughter last year and Pitts hopes that her daughter will someday take advantage of the opportunities that the military has to offer.

“You join the military to serve your country; that’s the bottom line,” she said. “Everyone is volunteering here. I’ve gone to war and I’m willing to go again. I just want to do my part.”

The National Capitol Reenlistment Ceremony gives the Army Reserve an opportunity to recognize these and other exemplary Soldiers who choose to continue their commitment to serve their country.

For additional information about the sixth annual National Capitol Reenlistment Ceremony, please visit http://stayarmyreserve.wordpress.com/events/2011_qolfr_ncrc/, and to learn more about the Army Reserve, visit http://www.usar.army.mil.

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Soldier of the Week – Col. Michael Herman

Posted on April 18, 2011 by CJ| Leave a comment

In 2009, the Army asked Col. Michael Herman to serve as the Senior Advisor and Coalition Commanding Officer at the Consolidated Fielding Center (CFC) in Afghanistan, and he readily answered the call to serve. An officer with the South Dakota National Guard for nearly 30 years and as the battalion commander for the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at South Dakota State University, he was well versed in training and mobilizing large groups of Soldiers for duty.

“I chose to deploy because I wanted to do my part in support of Operation Enduring Freedom,” he said. “I wanted to focus on Afghanistan because that’s where my expertise is, and I had spent much of my military career training Soldiers. It was the perfect fit.”

Prior to his deployment, Herman served as the professor of military science at South Dakota State University, teaching the next generation of cadets, officers and Soldiers. His organizational dexterity and experience in training new troops would prove essential overseas, where he was faced with an enormous new challenge.

When Herman first arrived at the CFC, there were very few training personnel on the ground and equipment was sparse. Under his leadership, however, that quickly changed. Over the course of 15 months, Herman supervised 68 Afghan National Army (ANA) units comprised of more than 29,000 Afghan troops. His experience as an officer was critical when it came to teaching ANA Soldiers both technical and leadership skills.

“Working closely with the Afghan Soldiers was very rewarding,” he said. “Though many of them had no military experience, they were eager to learn all they could from us. They wanted to be independent and able to secure their own borders.”

Stationed at Camp Blackhorse in eastern Afghanistan, Herman spent his days traveling between forward operating bases, meeting with top coalition force leaders and Afghan officials to discuss soldier mobilization strategy. He also had the opportunity to work directly with the Afghan troops being trained.

“My deployment allowed me to experience a broad spectrum of relationships,” he said. “My command sergeant major was from Nepal and one of my training officers was from Scotland. The day-to-day interaction with the coalition Soldiers who hailed from more than 15 countries as well as working with the ANA Soldiers was extremely rewarding.”

Shortly before returning home last fall, Herman was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service and exemplary leadership throughout his deployment. Though he initially committed to a year-long deployment, Herman agreed to stay an additional three months to complete the mission. By the time he returned stateside, he left behind more than 140,000 trained and mobilized Afghan troops – clearly exceeding the original goal of 134,000.

Now at home in Rapid City, S.D., Herman continues to serve the South Dakota National Guard as a human resources officer. He plans to retire from the Army this fall, and looks forward to spending more time with his family, including his new grandson.

“I am going to miss this occupation immensely,” he said. “I can’t think of a better profession than being a Soldier and an officer.”

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Soldier of the Week – SPC Levi Meyer

Posted on April 14, 2011 by CJ| Leave a comment

While still in high school, Spc. Levi Meyer worked part-time as a ski patroller at a nearby mountain resort in his home state of Montana. Often the first responder to accidents, he learned how to provide emergency medical care to injured skiers.

What started as a weekend job soon became a passion for Meyer. After graduating from high school, he knew he wanted to pursue a medical career, but was unsure about committing to college and medical school right away. He eventually chose an alternate route and enlisted in the Army as a medic.

“Back in high school, I really liked to ski, and I saw the ski patrollers and how they take care of people who got hurt,” he said. “I admired how the patrollers were able to rely on their wits and what they had with them to take care of people. I have a lot of respect for that.”

Transitioning from the slopes to the frontlines, Meyer deployed to Iraq last year with the 82nd Airborne Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team. As a combat medic, he provided first aid and trauma care to his fellow Soldiers, often relying solely on the supplies that he was able to carry with him on mission.

While deployed, Meyer’s time was divided between attending to patients in the aid station on base and accompanying his unit on missions. Traveling with his unit through dangerous territory in search of roadside bombs, risks ran high. In the event of an attack, it was Meyer’s responsibility to stabilize his comrade and arrange for the Soldier to be evacuated to a medical facility as quickly as possible. Despite the enormous pressure that his role demanded, Meyer found his job to be extremely rewarding.

“I like helping Soldiers,” he said. “You get lots of hands-on experience. I enjoy knowing that occasionally I get to make a difference in somebody’s life.”

Aspiring to advance in the military medical field, Meyer is in the process of applying for the Army’s Interservice Physician Assistant Program (IPAP). Overseas, physician assistants take on many of the same duties as regular physicians; beyond everyday first-aid, they are responsible for performing advanced procedures on their wounded comrades.

“Enrolling in the IPAP could help me get all the prerequisites I need for medical school down the road,” he said. “I have the opportunity to work with Soldiers and at the same time get an education that will benefit my future.”

Meyer is currently stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C. with the 82nd Airborne Division. In the future, he hopes to enroll in medical school and eventually become a neurologist.

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Soldier of the Week – SPC Dawn Rogler

Posted on April 10, 2011 by CJ| Leave a comment

As a child, Spc. Dawn Rogler looked forward to the day when she could serve in the military, just like her grandfather. So when she realized that her civilian desk job wasn’t everything she hoped it would be, she decided to enlist in the Army.

“My grandfather always told me stories about the Army when I was growing up,” she said. “I’m proud to be a Soldier because I know I’m helping not only my family, but multiple families by fighting this war overseas so it doesn’t happen on our own land – and that makes me proud.”

Now just two years later, Rogler has embraced her role in the Army and is committed to doing her best to support her comrades.

While deployed to Afghanistan last year as a truck driver with the 782nd Brigade Support Battalion, she consistently went beyond the call of duty to ensure that her vehicle was mission-ready, even waking up hours before her fellow Soldiers. After making sure her vehicle, radios and weapons were ready to go, she spent the remainder of her day running delivery loads to infantry units located in remote areas of the country. Transporting some of the most essential necessities to other bases, Rogler was often greeted with enthusiasm.

“When we convoyed to bases where Soldiers were out of supplies like food and water, it was rewarding to see their faces and how happy they were to see us come through the gate,” she said. “The deployment was a great opportunity in the sense that it was a life experience. Most people don’t get the chances I’ve had.”

Even facing challenges during the deployment, Rogler remained focused on the mission at hand and the positive opportunities the Army has provided.

“It had its rough days,” she explained. “But it wasn’t that bad.”

After returning from Afghanistan last August, Rogler married a fellow Soldier.

“We deployed at the same time, so we can relate to the experience of being overseas,” she said. “We understand each other, especially when things at work are tough. We know how to help one another be a better Soldier.”

In the coming weeks, her husband will be transferred to a new unit stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington. Although they will be apart much of the time, she knows that their marriage will be strengthened by military service.

Rogler is now stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C., where she serves as the driver for the battalion sergeant major.

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Soldier of the Week – SPC Marfel Ortiz-Brown

Posted on March 24, 2011 by CJ| Leave a comment

Earlier this month, Spc. Marfel Ortiz-Brown was one of 200 military chefs who put their cooking skills on display at the annual U.S. Army Culinary Competition in Fort Lee, Va. Despite being a freshman member of the Fort Bragg Culinary Team, she came home with three individual medals, including a bronze for her dessert skills.

But the competition wasn’t the first time her cooking was put to the test. Ortiz-Brown has deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan and while there, she was responsible for bringing a little piece of “home” to providing home-cooked flavors to the Soldiers in her unit.

“It was very important for troop morale that the food we prepared tasted as close to homemade as possible,” she said. “I made sure that there was always a hot meal ready when my guys returned from a mission.”

Throughout the deployments, Ortiz-Brown made it a priority to keep all-American entrees on the menu, including chicken parmesan and occasionally steak, and on holidays, she worked extra hard to provide a taste of home for all of the Soldiers who were missing out on family celebrations.

“Although we were in Afghanistan for Thanksgiving, we made sure the Soldiers had turkey, mashed potatoes, fresh shrimp, corn on the cob, pies and cakes,” she said. “We hung a bunch of festive decorations in the dining tent to make it look nice and comfortable for the Soldiers. We wanted them to enjoy the holiday away from home.”

In addition to her cooking duties, Ortiz-Brown would often accompany her brigade on missions and had the opportunity to serve as a driver for patrols.

After returning from Afghanistan, she assumed cooking duties at Fort Bragg, and it was not long before her culinary skills were recognized. When trying out for a spot on the prestigious Fort Bragg Culinary Team, she had just one hour to prove herself to the team captain.

“I only had 60 minutes to prepare a dish in front of the team captain. I chose to make a lemon tart with a lemon meringue soufflé,” she said. “It didn’t go as well as I wanted it to, but they saw that I had solid cooking skills, and I ended up making the team.”

The Fort Bragg chefs practiced both individually and as a team to prepare for the U.S. Army Culinary Competition, and ultimately came home with the second-place title – losing to the Pentagon Culinary Team by just one point.

“I learned a lot from my teammates and other experienced chefs who had already competed at the U.S. Army Culinary Competition – it was truly an amazing experience,” she said.

Ortiz-Brown currently lives with her husband, also a Soldier, and daughter in the Fort Bragg, N.C. area. In the future, she hopes use the culinary skills she has gained in the Army to open up a bakery of her own.

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Soldier of the Week: 1st Lt. Leslee O’Bryan

Posted on March 18, 2011 by CJ| Leave a comment

rowing up, 1st Lt. Leslee O’Bryan never imagined herself as a leader in the military. But these days she marvels at where her education and Army training have taken her. Since receiving her commission through the Reserve Officer Training Command program, O’Bryan has not only served as a company commander stateside, but she’s also been deployed to Iraq and Kuwait.

“After joining the Army, I realized that I’m a lot stronger than I used to be. Being in the military made me realize that I’m a natural leader,” she said. “My Army service has given me that ‘take-charge’ attitude and enabled me to be more confident in myself.”

Her desire to travel internationally was one of the main reasons O’Bryan decided to join the Army, and just a few months after commissioning, she deployed to Iraq as a platoon leader with the 5th Engineer Battalion. While leading the platoon on personal security missions and convoy logistic patrols, she was able to travel throughout the country ensuring along the way that the necessary equipment and personnel were transported safely and efficiently. O’Bryan was even able to interact with both Iraqi civilians and local military officials through the aid of a local interpreter who accompanied her on every mission.

“I loved seeing the culture and the people over there, especially the kids. Everyone was extremely friendly; it was rewarding to see how much they really appreciate us being there to help them,” she said.

After six months of many successful missions, O’Bryan was selected to transfer to the 555th Engineer Brigade in Kuwait. Serving as the Brigade Liaison Officer in Charge, she was responsible for supervising both the deployment and redeployment operations for four battalions and multiple detachments. In particular, O’Bryan managed the housing, transportation and training requirements of more than 5,000 Soldiers in the brigade.

Although traveling throughout Iraq provided a great opportunity for O’Bryan to meet the local citizens her unit was aiding, as a female Soldier she had to work hard to gain their respect.

“The Army isn’t completely used to having females in the military, especially in a leadership role. In Iraq, the enemy does not respect women in charge,” she said. “Being in a leadership role had its ups and downs, but it was nothing that I couldn’t handle.”

Now back at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., she continues to serve with the 58th Transportation Battalion, 3rd Chemical Brigade. She is also pursuing a master’s degree in international relations and conflict management through American Military University, and hopes to one day serve the Army in a foreign affairs capacity.

Given her own experience in the Army, O’Bryan recommends military service to other young women.

“I’m a girly-girl, but at the same time, I can go out and camp and roll around in the dirt if I need to,” she said. “If you have a tougher side to you and can be a hard worker, think about joining the military.”

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Soldier of the Week – SPC Justin Hinton

Posted on November 11, 2010 by CJ| 2 Comments

On the battlefield, Soldiers work together, relying on their comrades in arms to achieve the mission at hand. However, last month, as Spc. Justin Hinton competed at the Army’s Best Warrior competition, it was every Soldier for him or herself.
The annual event, often referred to as the “Super Bowl” of Army competitions, brought together 24 of the Army’s finest as they fought for the “Soldier and Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) of the Year” titles. Competing as the Army’s Special Operations Command (USASOC) Soldier of the Year, Hinton knew it would not be an easy battle, but he felt ready.
“There have always been many amazing individuals with the Ranger Regiment and USASOC, and it was an honor to represent them in this competition.”

As a Ranger, his training and experiences prepared him well for the competition, particularly the land navigation, marksmanship and combatives training he had recently completed. In addition to training for the competition, Hinton’s deployment to Afghanistan earlier this year provided a hands-on opportunity to learn. While in-theater, he served as a satellite communications specialist and was responsible for facilitating activities associated with maintaining, operating and installing satellite communication devices.

“Being deployed definitely opened my eyes to the importance of training, why we train on the things we do, and being prepared for anything,” Hinton said.

His skills were tested and stretched as he competed at Best Warrior, particularly during a mystery challenge designed to assess the Soldiers’ ability to react, adapt and overcome a situation quickly and decisively, as well as to handle physical and mental stress. He also competed in an urban warfare simulation, physical fitness tests, written exams, board interviews, and battle drills to determine who was the best of the best.

To compete last month at Fort Lee, Va., Hinton first had to win at the regimental and command level. He was named as the Soldier of the Year for the 75th Ranger Regiment in May, and later went on to win the USASOC competition this summer.

Last year, Hinton won his battalion’s challenge, but did not advance further than the regimental level. Even though he didn’t win the overall title this year, he was pleased to advance further than he did last year.

“I wasn’t satisfied with the level I made it to last year, and I knew I could do better this time around, especially since I had a little more time to train and learn about the regiment,” he said.

Hinton is currently serving as a team leader with the Regimental Special Troops Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Benning, Ga. In the future, he hopes to become a Noncommissioned Officer, and serve in a position where he can mentor and train future Rangers.

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