Press Release
☷Futures and Concepts Center names its Best Warrior
U.S. Army ( By Press Release office)
Apr 29,2022
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0 Sgt . Ken Wilson takes on the obstacle course on April 26 , 2022 , during the Futures and Concepts Center’s Best Warrior Competition , hosted and run by the Joint Modernization Command at Fort Bliss , Texas . 0 As observers from Joint Modernization Command look on , Sgt . Ken Wilson , Sgt . 1st Class Robert Gulbrandsen and Staff Sgt . Najee Oliver compete in the ACFT on April 26 , 2022 , during the Futures and Concepts Center’s Best Warrior Competition . 0 Staff Sgt . Erick Alvarez takes on the obstacle course on April 26 , 2022 , during the Futures and Concepts Center’s Best Warrior Competition , hosted and run by the Joint Modernization Command at Fort Bliss , Texas . 0 Sgt . 1st Class Robert Gulbrandsen works on the written weapons exam on April 26 , 2022 , at the Fort Bliss Simulation Center during the Futures and Concepts Center’s Best Warrior Competition , hosted and run by the Joint Modernization Command at Fort Bliss , Texas . 0 Sgt . 1st Class Robert Gulbrandsen takes on the obstacle course on April 26 , 2022 , during the Futures and Concepts Center’s Best Warrior Competition , hosted and run by the Joint Modernization Command at Fort Bliss , Texas . 0 Sgt . Ken Wilson , from left , Sgt . 1st Class Robert Gulbrandsen and Staff Sgt . Najee Oliver begin the Sprint - Drag - Carry portion of the ACFT on April 26 , 2022 , during the Futures and Concepts Center’s Best Warrior Competition , hosted and run by the Joint Modernization Command at Fort Bliss , Texas . 0 Staff Sgt . Erick Alvarez takes on the obstacle course on April 26 , 2022 , during the Futures and Concepts Center’s Best Warrior Competition , hosted and run by the Joint Modernization Command at Fort Bliss , Texas . 0 Command Sgt . Maj . Robin Bolmer of Futures and Concepts Center , from right , encourages Sgt . 1st Class Robert Gulbrandsen and Cpt . Josh Gonzalez as they complete the two - mile run on April 26 , 2022 , during the Futures and Concepts Center’s Best Warrior Competition , hosted and run by the Joint Modernization Command at Fort Bliss , Texas . Cpt . Gonzalez is HHC commander at Joint Modernization Command and , along with Bolmer , ran along in support . 0 Sgt . 1st Class Jose A . Mercado Guzman competes on April 26 , 2022 , at the Fort Bliss Simulation Center during the Futures and Concepts Center’s Best Warrior Competition , hosted and run by the Joint Modernization Command at Fort Bliss , Texas . 0 Sgt . Ken Wilson , from left , Sgt . 1st Class Robert Gulbrandsen and Staff Sgt . Najee Oliver compete in the Sprint - Drag - Carry portion of the ACFT on April 26 , 2022 , during the Futures and Concepts Center’s Best Warrior Competition , hosted and run by the Joint Modernization Command at Fort Bliss , Texas . 10 Staff Sgt . Erick Alvarez takes on the obstacle course on April 26 , 2022 , during the Futures and Concepts Center’s Best Warrior Competition , hosted and run by the Joint Modernization Command at Fort Bliss , Texas . 10 Staff Sgt . Najee Oliver takes on the obstacle course on April 26 , 2022 , during the Futures and Concepts Center’s Best Warrior Competition , hosted and run by the Joint Modernization Command at Fort Bliss , Texas . 10 Staff Sgt . Najee Oliver takes on the obstacle course on April 26 , 2022 , during the Futures and Concepts Center’s Best Warrior Competition , hosted and run by the Joint Modernization Command at Fort Bliss , Texas . 10 Sgt . 1st Class Jose A . Mercado Guzman takes on the obstacle course on April 26 , 2022 , during the Futures and Concepts Center’s Best Warrior Competition , hosted and run by the Joint Modernization Command at Fort Bliss , Texas . 10 Sgt . Ken Wilson takes on the obstacle course on April 26 , 2022 , during the Futures and Concepts Center’s Best Warrior Competition , hosted and run by the Joint Modernization Command at Fort Bliss , Texas . 10 Sgt . Ken Wilson takes on the obstacle course on April 26 , 2022 , during the Futures and Concepts Center’s Best Warrior Competition , hosted and run by the Joint Modernization Command at Fort Bliss , Texas . 10 Brig . Gen . Guy Jones , deputy director and chief of staff at Futures and Concepts Center , congratulates Sgt . Ken Wilson on his third place finish in FCC’s 2022 Best Warrior Competition on April 28 , 2022 , on Fort Bliss , Texas . 10 Brig . Gen . Guy Jones , deputy director and chief of staff at Futures and Concepts Center , congratulates Staff Sgt . Erick Alvarez on his second place finish in FCC’s 2022 Best Warrior Competition on April 28 , 2022 , on Fort Bliss , Texas . 10 Command Sgt . Maj . Robin Bolmer of Futures and Concepts Center thanks the competitors in FCC’s 2022 Best Warrior Competition on April 28 , 2022 , on Fort Bliss , Texas . 0 Command Sgt . Maj . Robin Bolmer of Futures and Concepts Center congratulates Sgt . 1st Class Robert Gulbrandsen after he was named winner of FCC’s 2022 Best Warrior Competition on April 28 , 2022 , on Fort Bliss , Texas . When the Futures and Concepts Center sent out invitations for NCOs to compete in its 2022 Best Warrior Competition , the Chaplain Capability Development Integration Directorate was skipped because the directorate only has a few noncommissioned officers . But Sgt . 1st Class Robert Gulbrandsen , a religious affairs NCO at the Chaplain CDID , reached out to FCC , letting them know he wanted to compete . He was added to the roster , and after days of grueling events out in the desert of El Paso , Texas , Gulbrandsen was named FCC’s Best Warrior on April 28 . Gulbrandsen now advances to the Army Futures Command Best Warrior Competition in June . Gulbrandsen joined Staff Sgt . Erick Alvarez , Fires CDID; Sgt . Ken Wilson , Intelligence CDID; Sgt . 1st Class Jose A . Mercado Guzman , Joint Modernization Command; and Staff Sgt . Najee Oliver , Maneuver Support CDID , in a difficult and rewarding competition at Fort Bliss . Command Sgt . Maj . Robin Bolmer of FCC encouraged the NCOs during the week , urging them to continue giving their all . “These five NCOs raised their hands and volunteered to come out here and put themselves on the line , show their vulnerability and not be afraid to fail , ” Bolmer said . “I thank them for doing that , because that’s important . They could have easily sat at home and not came out here to compete , and no one would have said a word . ” Among the tasks the competitors completed during three days were the ACFT , a desert obstacle course ( including more than a few desert thorns ) , a foot march and combat run , warrior skills lanes , land navigation , and verbal and written examinations . The competition was organized and run by the NCOs of the U . S . Army Joint Modernization Command , led by Sgt . Maj . James Knops , JMC’s G3/5/7 sergeant major . Months of dedicated planning led to a well - run competition that tested the limits of the participants . During an awards ceremony at the end of the competition , Knops spoke about what the competitors went through . “Over the past three days , the NCOs in front of you have endured pain , torture , heartbreak and jubilation , ” Knops said . “They have completed more than 25 tasks , testing their physical ability and agility , warrior skills , knowledge and marksmanship . They have felt the artificial turf of despair , the sting of desert dust and the scorched earth of Fort Bliss , Texas . They have wandered aimlessly into the abyss and returned stronger , leaner and wise . ” After being named the winner of the FCC’s 2022 Best Warrior Competition , Gulbrandsen talked about the factors in his life that have pushed him onward during hard times . “It’s difficult at times when you grew up with a difficult father who puts a lot of pressure on you to do your best , ” Gulbrandsen said . “Not once in my entire life has my father told me he ' s proud of me . I just kept telling myself , I ' m just going to keep pushing and keep pushing , and maybe one day I ' ll earn it . Hopefully today is that day . ” Earlier in the week , Gulbrandsen spoke about his inspiration to be part of the Best Warrior Competition . “I’m actually very excited and enjoying it simply because I like to give back to the training that was given to me since I was young buck coming up in 10th Mountain Division , ” he said . “I feel like they trained me well . I feel like the information stuck , and I want to be able to represent that history , that heritage , and all that time that I ' ve spent in the Army . ”
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