CAMP GRUBER TRAINING CENTER, Okla. - Nebraska National Guardsmen Sgt. Luke Entz and Spc. Alexander Thomson, both infantrymen from Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 134th Infantry Regiment, were named winners of the 2025 National Guard Region V Best Warrior Competition on May 16 in Oklahoma City.
The competition took place May 12-15 at Camp Gruber Training Center near Braggs, Oklahoma, and featured 12 competitors from six states, including Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri.
Guardsmen faced 12 rigorous challenges including marksmanship matches, an obstacle course, land navigation, rappelling and a 16-mile ruck march, testing their core military skills.
“During this week, they were put through several tests from physical to mental to working as a team,” said Command Sgt. Maj. John Hernandez, state command sergeant major for the Oklahoma Army National Guard. “It was a great week, the Soldiers learned a lot. They learned the importance of teamwork, which is probably one of the most important things we do in this competition.”
Entz, who earned the title Region V Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, said it was an honor it was to represent Nebraska in the competition.
“I would tell anybody, Soldier or NCO, who wants to potentially represent their state… it's a really good experience,” Entz said. “It also shows you your strengths and builds a lot of confidence as well.”
Thomson, named Region V Soldier of the Year, said he was motivated to finish the competition strong by the opportunity to carry on his unit’s legacy.
“That's what kept me motivated through the whole week is being able to carry that [legacy] on, and being able to represent for the unit,” Thomson said. “It really means a lot, and it's again super humbling to be able to bring it home.”
Soldiers noted that the competition is about more than just winning, it's about the lessons learned throughout the experience.
“Even if you don't win, you learn so much, you learn from others, you learn from other states and that information can take you a long way,” said Louisiana National Guard infantryman Staff Sgt. Devante Benoit. “Even if you're not infantry, it doesn't matter what your [military job] is–it’s the experience of doing Soldier things, sharpening up your skills and you are able to separate yourself from your peers.”
Both Entz and Thomson will go on to represent Region V at the National Guard Best Warrior Competition later this year, where they’ll compete against top Soldiers from all 54 states and territories.