Clay National Guard Center, Ga. –
After four demanding days of physically and mentally challenging events, four Georgia Army Guardsmen achieved the title of 'Best Warrior' at this year’s 78th Troop Command and 78th Aviation Troop Command Joint Best Warrior Competition hosted Feb. 19-22, 2026, in Marietta, Georgia.
For 78th Troop Command, U.S. Army Sgt. Kevin Hernandez, a signals collection analyst representing the Forest Park-based 221st Intelligence and Electronic Warfare Battalion, 78th Troop Command, Georgia Army National Guard earned the title of Best Noncommissioned Officer and U.S. Army Spc. Johannes Van Der, an airdrop specialist representing the Marietta-based 781st Troop Command Detachment, 78th Troop Command, Georgia Army National Guard earned the title of Best Soldier.
For 78th Aviation Troop Command, U.S. Army Sgt. Andrew Hartsfield, a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter repairer representing the Marietta-based Headquarters, 78th Aviation Troop Command earned the title of Best Noncommissioned Officer and U.S. Army Spc. David Stratton, a health care specialist representing the Marietta-based 1st Battalion, 171st Aviation Regiment, 78th Aviation Troop Command, Georgia Army National Guard earned the title of Best Soldier.
Training and preparation for success benefits those throughout the ranks.
“I trained by working with some of my senior noncommissioned officers that have competed in this competition in prior years,” said Van Der. “Because of that, I was able to familiarize myself with the competition and actually perform well”.
“I would like to emphasize to the junior enlisted to study up,” stated Hernandez. “When you understand the fundamentals of things, especially your battle drills, even the little things add up. You can see the bigger picture. When you can see the smaller picture and bigger picture, you can see the whole picture.”
The competition brought together competitors from the 78th Troop Command and the 78th Aviation Troop Command making this a unique event as major subordinate command (MSC) level competitions are normally conducted individually. U.S. Army 1st Sgt. Bill Connolly, the noncommissioned officer overseeing the competition, emphasized how the two MSCs hosting the event played a critical role in strengthening standards across formations.
“Regardless of whether someone is in aviation or infantry, they are all competing under the same set of rigorous criteria, which strengthens the recognition that excellence is universal,” stated Connolly. “This competition enhances esprit de corp. It reinforces the idea that regardless of mission sets, all Soldiers should uphold similar high standards of discipline, skill, and commitment.”
Throughout the event, Soldiers were tested on a wide range of warrior tasks and battle drills designed to assess tactical proficiency, physical fitness, resilience, and mental agility in high-stressed, mission-focused scenarios.
“These events directly support long-term training and readiness goals by providing a rigorous test of essential soldier skills and knowledge,” said U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Benjamin Nelson, who serves as the senior enlisted operations noncommissioned officer for 78th Aviation Troop Command. “It serves as a benchmark for individual and unit training, offering a clear path for soldier development. By reinforcing muscle memory for critical tasks and identifying and cultivating future leaders, the competition contributes to the sustained readiness of the 78th Troop Command and the 78th Aviation Troop Command.”
This competition highlights professionalism, readiness, and the commitment of Georgia’s Citizen-Soldiers. By pushing competitors to their limits, the event reinforces the high standards required to remain ready to serve and defend at a moment’s notice.
“I came out here trying to do my best, trying to prove myself to everyone else, and if anything else, just me,” stated Stratton. “I trained hard with mountain rucking, weightlifting, calisthenics, and researching for things knowledge-based.”
The 78th Troop Command and 78th Aviation Troop Command Soldier and Noncommissioned Officer of the Year winners will move on to the State-level competition Mar. 8-13, 2026, with the opportunity to represent the Georgia Army National Guard at the regional competition and higher echelon competitions later this year.