Wisconsin Guard members vie for Soldier of the Year honors

March 5, 2010 - At 5 a.m. today [March 5] 11 Wisconsin Army National Guard Soldiers started their day with push-ups, sit-ups and a two-mile run - the first events in a three-day span that will test their abilities in marksmanship, physical fitness, land navigation, Soldier task knowledge and military bearing. Each competitor's composure will also be tested by the weekend's long hours and demanding schedule.

These Soldiers are competing for the prestige of being the Wisconsin Army National Guard's Soldier of the Year and Non-commissioned Officer of the Year. The winners will go on to compete against National Guard Soldiers from six other states at the regional competition in May, also to be held at Fort McCoy this year.

Last year, Spc. John Wiernasz of Vadnais Heights, Minn., won the annual Soldier of the Year competition; and Sgt. Raymond B. Heilman, Spooner, won the Non-commissioned Officer of the Year competition. Both are members of Detachment 1, 950th Engineer Company, a Spoonerbased unit that specializes in mine clearance. Wiernasz advanced to the Army National Guard's Best Warrior Competition last August at the Warrior Training Center, Fort Benning, Ga.

The competition is not open to the public, but check out photos from each day of the competition at http://www.flickr.com/photos/wiguardpics/.

Competitors include: Sgt. Amanda Pagac (Hartland), 135th Medical Company (Waukesha); Spc. Carlos Villa-Rivera (Kiel), Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 147th Command Aviation (Madison); Sgt. Cody Brueggen (Oconomowoc), Detachment 1, 107th Maintenance Company (Sparta); Spc. Seth Winchel (La Farge), Detachment 1, 107th Maintenance Company (Sparta); Pfc. Randy Fendryk (Waukesha), Battery C, 1st Battalion, 121st Field Artillery (Sussex); Staff Sgt. Aaron Larson (Tomah), 106th Engineer Detachment (Tomah); Sgt. Peter Wetzel (Milwaukee), Detachment 1, Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry (Abbottsford); Spc. Caleb Brown (Sparta), Detachment 1, Company C, 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry (Onalaska); Sgt. William Atkinson (Whitewater), Headquarters Troop, 1st Battalion, 105th Cavalry (Madison); Spc. Aaron Wallander (Valders), Headquarters Troop, 1st Battalion, 105th Cavalry (Madison); Sgt. Nicole Mayberry (Sparta), Headquarters Detachment, 426th Leadership Regiment (Fort McCoy).