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Florida Spc. Brandon Brown earned the title of 2026 Army National Guard Soldier of the Year and Arizona Sgt. Michael Fouts was named the 2026 Army National Guard Noncommissioned Officer of the Year from July 11 to 14 at the closing ceremony at the 2026 Army Guard National Best Warrior Competition.
The Florida Army Guard hosted the competition at Camp Blanding Joint Training Center, Florida.
The two earned their victories after four full days and nights of competition against 12 other top Army Guard Soldiers and NCOs representing 14 states.
Competitors endured Florida’s triple-digit heat while completing in more than 25 physically and mentally demanding events designed to test their combat readiness, technical proficiency and physical fitness.
Events tested warrior tasks, tactical knowledge, marksmanship with multiple weapons, day-and-night land navigation, physical endurance and decision-making under pressure.
The national competition marked the fourth level of competition for each Soldier, who first earned victories at the company or battalion, state and regional competitions before advancing to represent the Guard in the Army Best Squad Competition.
“This is literally the best 14 Soldiers in the Army National Guard right now,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Lonny Posey, a Florida Army Guardsman who was the lead organizer of the competition. “They were out here giving their all, and we’re happy to be able to work for them.”
For Brown, representing the Army Guard at the Army Best Squad Competition is an opportunity to exemplify the profession of arms.
“I want to be an example and a reminder of the true purpose of the warfighting profession – to fight and win the nation’s wars,” Brown said.
For Fouts, the opportunity to compete was driven by both personal growth and the chance to lead by example.
“I’m always up for a challenge,” Fouts said. “I want to set an example for the Soldiers under me.”
The next-highest finishers in the competition will join Brown and Fouts at Best Squad Competition this fall: Sgt. 1st Class Erich Friedlein (Pennsylvania), Spc. Caleb Chambers (Indiana) and Spc. Caden Leonard (Utah).
At the Best Squad Competition, the newly formed squad will be competing against 10 active-duty squads and one Army Reserve squad.
During the competition, set for Sept. 11-19 at Fort Benning, Georgia, 60 Soldiers will also be evaluated individually to determine the Army Soldier of the Year and Noncommissioned Officer of the Year.
It was also revealed during the closing ceremony that another evaluation had taken place throughout the weekend without the competitors’ knowledge.
In addition to competing for the Best Warrior titles, several events were simultaneously evaluated by German military officials for eligibility to earn two German military proficiency badges: the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge and the Schützenschnur, the German Armed Forces Badge of Marksmanship.
All 14 Soldiers earned the GAFPB and the Schützenschnur badge.
—By Sgt. 1st Class Amber Peck
National Guard Bureau
PHOTO: (From left) Command Sgt. Maj. Rodney Kendrick, the command sergeant major of the Army National Guard, poses with Arizona Army Guard Sgt. Michael Fouts, Florida Army Guard Spc. Brandon Brown and Lt. Gen. Jonathan Stubbs, the director of the Army Guard, after the Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition at Camp Blanding Joint Training Center, Florida.
