{"id":59738,"date":"2022-02-15T23:32:33","date_gmt":"2022-02-15T23:32:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2022\/02\/15\/army-launches-first-service-wide-best-squad-competition\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T02:53:48","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T02:53:48","slug":"army-launches-first-service-wide-best-squad-competition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2022\/02\/15\/army-launches-first-service-wide-best-squad-competition\/","title":{"rendered":"Army launches first service-wide \u2018Best Squad\u2019 competition"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For the first time, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.armytimes.com\/news\/your-army\/2018\/07\/17\/the-expert-infantryman-badge-as-you-know-it-is-on-the-way-out-2\/\" target=\"_blank\">Army <\/a>will run a \u201cbest squad\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.army.mil\/article\/253958\/sgt_maj_of_the_army_announces_inaugural_best_squad_competition\" target=\"_blank\">competition <\/a>that will pit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.armytimes.com\/news\/your-army\/2019\/11\/25\/nearly-100-soldiers-tried-to-earn-the-armys-newest-badge-heres-how-many-succeeded\/\" target=\"_blank\">soldiers <\/a>from a variety of jobs against each other in five-soldier teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No, that\u2019s not an error, it\u2019s not a nine-soldier squad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Grinston announced at the annual Maneuver Warfighter Conference at Fort Benning, Georgia, on Tuesday that the \u201csquads\u201d will be composed of five soldiers to better allow for non-infantry units to compete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And they can be led by a sergeant first class. That\u2019s because some non-infantry sections participating may be led by a sergeant first class.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/your-army\/2021\/09\/28\/soldiers-may-soon-have-2-3-chances-a-year-for-infantry-soldier-and-field-medical-badges\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/210915-A-JM436-0183.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Soldiers may soon have 2-3 chances a year for infantry, soldier and field medical badges<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The streamlined process lets tester run all three at once.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The squad will contain one squad leader, either sergeant first class or staff sergeant; one team leader, either a sergeant or corporal; and three squad members at the rank of specialist or below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The competition will run in September in conjunction with the Best Warrior Competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFor over two years I\u2019ve talked about the importance of building a cohesive team that is highly trained, disciplined and fit,\u201d Grinston said. \u201cNow it\u2019s time to measure ourselves against that standard.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1080\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/best-squad-poster.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-67234\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/best-squad-poster.jpg.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/best-squad-poster.jpg.jpg?resize=150,150 150w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/best-squad-poster.jpg.jpg?resize=300,300 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/best-squad-poster.jpg.jpg?resize=768,768 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/best-squad-poster.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,1024 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Army announced on Feb. 15, 2022 that  it will hold its first ever service-wide Best Squad competition. (Army)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A version of the Best Warrior competition dates back two decades and most recently included 20 events that ranged from marksmanship to medical evacuation skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An Army release that published simultaneously with Grinston\u2019s comments at Fort Benning noted that specific details on how parent units will form these squads for the competition has not been finalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe don\u2019t want divisions assembling super-squads,\u201d he said. \u201cBut we have to figure out how that looks because each competing command is operated a little differently.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That means squads can form from parts of a traditional infantry squad or vehicle platform crews such as tanks or Strykers. Leaders could also choose a squad from across a headquarters battalion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"4455\" height=\"3987\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/range-instruction-squad.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-67240\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/range-instruction-squad.jpg.jpg 4455w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/range-instruction-squad.jpg.jpg?resize=300,268 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/range-instruction-squad.jpg.jpg?resize=768,687 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/range-instruction-squad.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,916 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/range-instruction-squad.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,1375 1536w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/range-instruction-squad.jpg.jpg?resize=2048,1833 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 4455px) 100vw, 4455px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">First Lt. Thomas H. Tockarshewsky assigned to Alpha Company &#8220;Sapper&#8221; 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, gives guidance to his grappling man during a combined arms live-fire exercise at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, June 24, 2020. (1st Sgt. Lekendrick Stallworth\/Army)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Neither the release nor Grinston laid out specifics of what the squad will face in this competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe\u2019re going to challenge them in ways maybe they haven\u2019t been challenged before, see how they respond when they\u2019re stressed in other ways,\u201d Grinston said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The competition adds to the existing Best Warrior Competition, which includes Soldier of the Year and NCO of the Year awards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Grinston also plans to select the NCO and Soldier of the Year from among the 60 competitors but they won\u2019t necessarily come from the winning squad, according to the release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The move mirrors efforts in recent years to push accountability down to the squad level, with such initiatives as \u201cNot in my Squad\u201d and, more recently, \u201cThis is My Squad.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The small unit skills testing also parallels recent experimentation in running more frequent individual soldier training standards, such as the Expert Soldier Badge, the Expert Infantry Badge and the Expert Field Medical Badge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"3851\" height=\"2567\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/on-patrol-squad.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-67242\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/on-patrol-squad.jpg.jpg 3851w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/on-patrol-squad.jpg.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/on-patrol-squad.jpg.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/on-patrol-squad.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/on-patrol-squad.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/on-patrol-squad.jpg.jpg?resize=2048,1365 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 3851px) 100vw, 3851px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Soldiers assigned to A Company, 29th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division conduct squad live fire exercise training lanes at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii on March 30, 2021. (Staff Sgt. Alan Brutus\/Army)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In September 2021, the Army announced that units would offer two to three opportunities a year for badge testing as opposed to the sometimes two-year wait time for testing that some soldiers experienced in the past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The EIB was created in 1945; the EFMB in 1965; and the ESB in 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI want units to really think about what makes up a squad,\u201d Grinston explained. \u201c\u2018This is My Squad\u2019 isn\u2019t just about the traditional infantry squad. It\u2019s about those small groups of Soldiers who really know and care about each other and hold each other to a high standard of proficiency, discipline, and fitness.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The winners of the best soldier, best NCO and best squad competition will all be announced at the annual Association of the U.S. Army exposition in October.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This &#8216;squad&#8217; will have only five soldiers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":67230,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":88,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[29,117,15,88],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3419],"class_list":["post-59738","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-home","category-middle-column","category-news","category-your-military"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"YFUL7ADLYJFBZI3JRPB6DE2WCY","arc_canonical_url":"\/news\/your-army\/2022\/02\/15\/army-launches-first-service-wide-best-squad-competition\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Army launches first service-wide \u2018Best Squad\u2019 competition - Military Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"This &#039;squad&#039; will have only five soldiers.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Army launches first service-wide \u2018Best Squad\u2019 competition\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"This &#039;squad&#039; will have only five soldiers.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2022\/02\/15\/army-launches-first-service-wide-best-squad-competition\/\" \/>\n<meta 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