Photo By Staff Sgt. Robert Adams | Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Kelly, Illinois Army National Guard State Command Sergeant...... read more read more
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Sgt. Luke Birtch of Springfield, a nursing student at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, was named the “Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) of the Year” and Spc. Nathan Johnson of Arlington Heights, an economics major at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, was named the “Soldier of the Year” following the Illinois Army National Guard’s Best Warrior Competition at Sparta Training Area from April 3-6.
Both Soldiers are now training for the Regional Best Warrior Competition to be held at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, from April 30 to May 4. It was the second year in a row that Johnson has won the state-level Best Warrior Competition.
This year’s competition also featured two Polish Territorial Defense Force Soldiers who were invited to compete as part of the Illinois National Guard’s State Partnership Program with the Polish military. The Illinois National Guard and the Polish military have shared a National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program since 1993. The SPP with Poland is among the first to be established and is considered the “gold standard” of these partnerships.
Polish Army Starszy Chorąży (Senior Warrant Officer) Michal Marciszewski placed second in the NCO competition and Polish Army Private Dawid Szuman placed second in the “Soldier of the Year” competition. Both pushed the American Soldiers throughout the multi-day competition.
“They were both physically and mentally tough,” said Birtch, a combat medic in the Joint Force Medical Detachment based in Springfield. “Very professional.”
Johnson, who represented the Normal-based 404th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, agreed. “It was super cool having the Polish there and learning about their military. It was great building a friendship with them.”
“Competitions like this should happen more often. The Polish and American Soldiers cooperated well during this competition," Szuman said.
Marciszewski said cross-training with American Soldiers helped both allies. “Both U.S. Soldiers and Polish Soldiers had the opportunity to enhance their capabilities of warfighting, weapons systems, communication, and medical training.”
The competition tested the skills of the Soldiers and NCOs in a series of tasks that tested their strength, resilience, tactical proficiency, and leadership skills. The competition included various events to test the competitors, such as physical fitness, marksmanship, and knowledge tests.
This year’s competition was held amidst heavy rain and flooding in Sparta. “It was tougher than last year,” said Johnson, a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear specialist with the 135th Chemical Co. based in Machesney Park. Both the rain and his fellow competitors added to the challenge this year, he said. “I think I’m better prepared to put up a bigger fight at regionals this year.”
Birtch completed the competition’s 12-mile road march in 2 hours and 40 seconds. He started training back in December by walking with a 90-pound ruck sack. Then he reduced the weight to 70 pounds and would run a mile. Then he reduced the weight to 60 pounds and would run 4 miles. Finally, he’d run 6 to 7 miles with a 50-pound ruck sack.
He also studied for the competition’s board on top of working as a civilian Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) for Abbott EMS and as a nurse technician for Mercy Hospital South’s emergency department in St. Louis.
He ran the Chicago Marathon in October and competes in triathlons. His long-term goal is to become an Army trauma surgeon. “I’m very excited for regionals. I’m proud to represent my unit and my state at the next level.”
“You don't become what you wish you're going to be,” Birtch said. “You become what you set your lowest standards to be. You'll never reach your dream self until you raise your standards to meet that level.”
Johnson’s military goal in the Illinois Army National Guard is to become a warrant officer and helicopter pilot, although he has been approached by several commissioned officers encouraging him to earn a commission as a second lieutenant. As a civilian he aspires to become a pilot either with emergency medical evacuation or with the Illinois State Police.
Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Kelly, the Illinois Army National Guard’s State Command Sergeant Major and the host of the 2025 Best Warriors Competition, commended the participants. "I can't say enough how proud I am and what you've done and what you've accomplished. Just the sheer skill set you brought to the table here is outstanding."
The Best Warrior Competition recognizes the top-performing soldiers in the Illinois Army National Guard. It also highlights soldier readiness and inspires others to strive for the same level of excellence.
Other competitors in the NCO of the Year competition included:
Staff Sgt. Cameron Skaja of Peoria, representing the Normal-based 404th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade.
Sgt. Tobias James of Deer Park, representing the Peoria-based 65th Troop Command Brigade.
Sgt. Glenn Winchel of Belvidere, representing the Urbana-based 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team.
Sgt. Carlos Rangel of Chicago, representing the Chicago-based 34th Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade.
Other competitors in the Soldier of the Year competition included:
Pfc. Daniel Dounoulis of Moline, representing the Peoria-based 65th Troop Command Brigade.
Spc. Orgil Altansukh of Chicago, representing the Chicago-based 34th Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade.
| Date Taken: | 04.11.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.11.2025 15:32 |
| Story ID: | 495144 |
| Location: | SPARTA, ILLINOIS, US |
| Hometown: | ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, ILLINOIS, US |
| Hometown: | CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS, US |
| Hometown: | EDWARDSVILLE, ILLINOIS, US |
| Hometown: | SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, US |
| Web Views: | 133 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY EDWARDSVILLE AND UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBANA-CHAMPAIGN STUDENTS TAKE TOP HONORS IN ILLINOIS NATIONAL GUARD’S BEST WARRIOR COMPETITION, by CPL Dasianelle Burton, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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