The U.S. Army is holding its Best Squad Competition at Fort Stewart- Hunter Army Airfield this year, Sept. 26-Oct. 4, with a functional fitness competition open to public viewing and participation at Savannah’s Forsyth Park on Sept. 30.
The event at Forsyth Park will feature a physical fitness challenge. The challenge will be open for members of the public to participate from 9-11 a.m., and then BSC squads are scheduled to arrive and compete at noon. The squads will have to complete the challenge after having already completed other physically and mentally grueling tasks that morning. The public is encouraged to stay and cheer on the BSC teams as they compete.
“The Coastal Georgia community and the 3rd Infantry Division have an incredible relationship, and having this competition and this community event in Forsyth Park is a testament of how much support this community has for its military neighbors,” said 3rd Infantry Division commanding general Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie. “Forsyth Park is a center for so many great events in Savannah, there is no better place to showcase some of the finest men and women the Army has to offer.”
The Forsyth Park event will consist of a tough, team-oriented physical challenge focused on functional fitness that replicates the intense rigors of the Army profession. Any member of the public wanting to try their hand at the challenge must first sign a waiver. Medical support at the event will be provided by the local hospital. There will be booths at the event featuring multiple venders from within local community.
The BSC, formerly known as the Best Warrior Competition, is an annual event used to select the U.S. Army Best Squad. The competition tests the proficiency of 12 squads from major commands throughout the Army in their warrior tasks and battle drills so the Army can identify most cohesive, disciplined, highly trained and physically fit team in the competition.
To compete, each squad must have already competed and won unit-level events at Army locations worldwide. The finalists, 12 squads consisting of five soldiers—a squad leader, team leader and three squad members— have all proven themselves in subordinate competitions and must now represent their commands to be named the Army’s Best Squad.
Squads will be tested over the course of the nine-day competition with events intended to be both physically and mentally challenging, and designed so that no squad can win based on the quality of individual soldiers. The team that wins will have to do so by operating as the best team.
“To everyone in the Greater Savannah area, come out to the event in September to challenge yourself and see what our soldiers do to make sure they can go anywhere in the world and win,” said XVIII Airborne Corps commander Lt. Gen. Christopher Donahue.