From Army Times staff writer Michelle Tan:
Annual competitions pitting soldiers against one another to crown the next best Ranger or drill sergeant or warrior or hand-to-hand fighter have been scaled back or postponed in light of the Army’s budget crisis.
The command most affected appears to be Training and Doctrine Command, which holds numerous competitions each year.
“TRADOC has postponed all competitive events internal to TRADOC or hosted by TRADOC for the Army,” said Col. Christian Kubik, spokesman for the command.
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The directive is outlined in an operations order issued Feb. 8, Kubik said.
TRADOC units that want to hold an event must receive an exception to policy from the deputy commanding general of TRADOC.
As of March 15, TRADOC was reviewing requests for exception for the Drill Sergeant of the Year and Platoon Sergeant of the Year competitions, Kubik said.
The two events, combined, were estimated to cost about $9,000 this year, said Ray Harp, also a TRADOC spokesman.
Read the rest of Michelle’s story over on Army Times.
