BUFFALO, N.Y. — A New York Army National Guard member from Western New York will represent the northeast states during the Army National Guard's Best Warrior Competition later this summer.
Sgt. Peter Fillion, of Amherst, serves with the NY Army National Guard C Troop, 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry, which is based out of the Masten Avenue Armory in Buffalo.
Sgt. Fillion, 24, was one of 16 soldiers from the northeast who competed in the enlisted and non-commissioned officer categories.
This is Sgt. Fillion's first Best Warrior Competition. In order to qualify, Fillion had to be tops in the competition and outperform other soldiers at the New York Army National Guard event held this began in April and wrapped up on May 16.
The competition included spending two days at Camp Smith in the Hudson Valley firing rifles, pistons and machine guns. They also had to test their land navigation skills during the day and night, answer questions about military knowledge and scoring well on the physical fitness test. From there, the solders were flown to the Youngstown Training Area in Niagara County, which included a five-mile race on Goat Island in Niagara Falls. From there, a trip to Fort Drum for a competition involving live mortar rounds and finished with a 12-mile timed march in full field gear in New York City that finished at the 9/11 Memorial.
Fillion says he can't wait to get to the next level.
"The competition was exceptional, and it was great to hone my skills and get higher level of training and get to call to fire on a live range was fun, Fillion said in a release. ""The hardest thing was forgetting all the other competitors and focus on my game and the task at hand."
The Best Warrior Competition will be held August 8 and will include soldiers from across the Army and Army Reserve and they will be tested on their military knowledge, military skills, marksmanship ability, physical fitness, and physical endurance.
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