Wausau native advances to National Guard Best Warrior Competition

CAMP DODGE, Iowa — A Wisconsin Army National Guard Soldier from Wausau will face the top National Guard Soldiers in the country at the national Best Warrior Competition in Vermont this August.

Spc. Tevin Kenton — a member of Troop C, 1st Squadron, 105th Cavalry — emerged from a three-way tie for first place at the regional Best Warrior Competition held May 1-5 at Camp Dodge, Iowa.

“They used whoever took first in the most events,” Kenton said of the tiebreaker method. “I’m pretty happy about the win.”

Kenton said the ruck march was his best event — completed in one hour 46 minutes — while the weapons lane was the most difficult.

“I had to step back and refocus,” Kenton said. But that adversity is also what he said he will take away from the regional competition, because he learned how to overcome it.

Command Sgt. Maj. Curtis Patrouille, Wisconsin’s senior enlisted leader, said the five-day competition brings the highest of highs and lowest of lows to competitors.

“They may not perform as well as they had expected in one event, but with the mentorship and motivation from their sponsors, they surprise themselves with how they exceeded their expectations in another event,” he said.

In the three months leading up to the national competition, Kenton said he plans to build off the foundation of the past two competitions, continue to study and learn from what he’s accomplished. Kilbane plans to maintain the level of fitness he attained to reach this point.

“I still have ambitions of going Airborne or Air Assault,” he said.

Patrouille said he is looking forward to how Kenton and his sponsor, Sgt. 1st Class Wade Blaylock, prepare for the national competition.

“Regardless of the outcome, they will be great representatives for the Wisconsin Army National Guard,” he said.