Army National Guard names Spc. Brandon Brown Soldier of the Year, Sgt. Michael Fouts NCO of the Year at 2026 Best Warrior Competition

Published Jul 17, 03:45 PM UTC

The Army National Guard has named Spc. Brandon Brown of the Florida Army National Guard as the 2026 Soldier of the Year and Sgt. Michael Fouts of the Arizona Army National Guard as the Noncommissioned Officer of the Year following the Best Warrior Competition held July 11-14 at Camp Blanding Joint Training Center in Florida. The four-day event featured 14 top soldiers and NCOs from 14 states competing in over 25 events testing marksmanship, land navigation, tactical decision-making, and physical endurance in extreme heat. Brown and Fouts will represent the Army National Guard at the Department of the Army Best Squad Competition in September at Fort Benning, Georgia, joined by three other top finishers. All 14 competitors unexpectedly earned the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge and Schützenschnur marksmanship badge after German officials evaluated events during the competition. The winners expressed commitment to setting an example and demonstrating the warfighting profession's purpose.