Region VII Best Warrior Competition winners announced

SANTA FE, N.M. – The winners of the 2026 Region VII Best Warrior Competition were announced today during an awards banquet at the Regional Training Institute here.

• Sgt. Michael Fouts of the Arizona Army National Guard was named Noncommissioned Officer of the Year. Fouts also took home a Top Shot award.
• Staff Sgt. Alexander Bell of the New Mexico Army National Guard was named runner-up. Bell is assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 200th Infantry.
• Spc. Caden Leonard of the Utah Army National Guard was named Soldier of the Year.
• Spc. Eric Kwon of the California Army National Guard was named runner-up.

The winners move on to compete at the national level. The runners-up must stay ready to compete in case the winners are unable to attend nationals.

Spc. Trevor Brohard of the New Mexico Army National Guard also took home a Top Shot award. He is assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 200th Infantry.

The other competitors were as follows.

• Spc. Alejandro Barraza, Arizona Army National Guard
• Staff Sgt. John Wagner, California Army National Guard
• Staff Sgt. James Vaughan and Spc. Ean Bell, Colorado Army National Guard
• Sgt. John Rabino and Spc. Lorenzo Osborn, Guam Army National Guard
• Sgt. Vu Nguyen and Spc. Brock Lindman, Hawaii Army National Guard
• Sgt. Jarrett Nilsen and Spc. Matthew Powell, Nevada Army National Guard
• Sgt. Bonham Brewer, Utah Army National Guard

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This competition was unique in that three states brought guest participants from the State Partnership Program affiliates.

• Nailumu Meli, Semiti Koroinlvalu and Anare Inosi traveled from Fiji to participate.
• Rakymgazi Zhandos and Issabekov Zhandarbek came from Kazakhstan.
• Sione Otukolo, Malik Taulanga and Dvinu T’ua arrived from Tonga.

Not only did the guest participants hold their own in each event, in some cases they led the field.

Sgt. 1st Class Zhandos completed the Warrior Challenge physical fitness test with the fastest time of eight minutes and 54 seconds. Sgt. Zhandarbek came in first for the Unknown Distance (10 miles) Road March at one hour and 35 minutes.

Each guest participant received a Certificate of Achievement. Brig. Gen. Nathaniel Carper, the NMNG Deputy Adjutant General and Land Component Commander, spoke briefly at the awards luncheon. He spoke first to the audience. “Thank you for being here to recognize those who competed and gave everything they had during the last few days,” Carper said.

He then addressed the competitors. “Don’t let it end here,” Carper said. “To the winners, go on and win nationals. To all competitors, take the training and the opportunity to go back and take it to your units.”

In closing, Carper recognized all the people working behind the scenes to make the competition a success. “To the staff, well done,” he said. Carper and State Command Sgt. Maj. Christopher Poccia presented the awards. RTI Master Sgt. Christopher Maxon served as master of ceremonies.