PAARNG Soldier Advances To National Best Warrior Competition In July
SPC Robert Ruiz-Rhoades, 28th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade, was recently named as one of two winners of the Region II Best Warrior Competition held May 9 at Fort Indiantown Gap, Annville, PA. The three-day competition included competitors from the Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia National Guards.
The competition was a challenging endeavor that tested each soldier’s physical fitness, resilience and knowledge of essential soldier skills with events such as land navigation, written exams, weapons marksmanship, and a 2.1 mile kayak and 2.25 mile run. “The 12 competitors represent 30,923 soldiers in Region II.
“I think that is a pretty big deal. If this was intended to be easy, there would be more people here,” Maj. Gen. Laura McHugh, deputy adjutant general-Army, said during the ceremony. SPC Ruiz-Rhoades will compete in the National Best Warrior Competition taking place July 11-20, 2025, in Maryland. The entire PAARNG team is proud of this tremendous accomplishment and wishes him the best of luck at the national competition!
Highlighting Some Of Our Soldiers’ Recent Accomplishments
SFC Denis Mulligan, Health Services and Support Branch chief with the PAARNG G1 Services Division, was recently recognized as the Army National Guard medical readiness Noncommissioned Officer of the Year for large states. “I get to take care of soldiers, and I think it’s probably the best job out there,” said Mulligan. Mulligan helped raise his unit’s medical readiness rates from the 70s to the 90s at his last two duty assignments.
SFC Tyler Lundquist, PAARNG Recruiting and Retention Battalion, SGT Fiona Cuthbert, 2-112th Infantry, 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, and LTC Deborah Fisher, 228th Transportation Battalion, recently earned a spot on the All-Guard Marathon after competing in the National Guard Marathon Team trials on May 4 at the Lincoln Marathon in Lincoln, NE. The Pennsylvania team finished seventh out of 49 teams in the National Guard team competition. This was Lundquist’s third time making the team, Cuthbert’s first, and Fisher’s tenth.
1SG Gerald Funk was recently named the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Quality Assurance (QA) Evaluator of the Year. The award was designed to recognize soldiers who demonstrate exceptional application of the Army’s QA program standards and evaluator competencies. Funk served as the QA NCO with 3rd Battalion, 166th Regiment – Regional Training Institute for several years. “Funk’s unwavering commitment to the QA program has set a benchmark for excellence,” said CSM Chad Rhoades, Commandant of 3rd BN, 166th Regiment. This was the first time the competition was held and will occur annually in February moving forward.
Soldiers Participate In Firefighting Joint Training Exercise
Recently, soldiers with the 192nd Firefighting Detachment, 55th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, participated in a joint training exercise with the Fort Indiantown Gap fire department and firefighters from the Ohio National Guard. They trained on combating aircraft fires by utilizing a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter replica. This type of training keeps firefighters proficient in their duties and helps to foster and maintain professional relationships.