By Melissa Buckley, Fort Leonard Wood Public Affairs Office

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (April 17, 2025) — Competitors are registered, challenges are primed and the stage is set for the 18th Lt. Gen. Robert B. Flowers Best Sapper Competition April 25 to 28 at Fort Leonard Wood.

The four-day challenge will showcase many capabilities of the Army’s combat engineers, commonly called Sappers. Last year, competitors traveled roughly 56 miles on foot in 65 hours while being tested on more than 20 tasks carefully designed to allow only the best of the best to prove they have the expertise, stamina and fortitude to earn the title of Best Sapper.

“As Sappers, we are expected to perform under pressure. The Best Sapper Competition tests advanced tasks that Sappers are expected to perform under extreme stress — lack of sleep, long hours and a lot of miles on their feet,” said Capt. Stephen O’Brien, Sapper Training Company commander.

This year, O’Brien said, organizers have also integrated emerging technologies into the competition to show “what exists and what is possible on the modern battlefield.”

To compete, at least one team member must have earned a Sapper tab from the 28-day Sapper Leader Course.

“This year, as we celebrate 40 years of the Sapper Leader Course, we are integrating legacy tasks and events into the competition, in addition to modern tasks. We are embracing our legacy as we step into the future,” O’Brien said.

He describes Sappers as “elite Army Combat Engineers.”

“Sappers can complete any task, because they are some of the strongest Soldiers, both mentally and physically. They know how to do more with less, and save the Army time, money, and lives through their special training and grit,” O’Brien said.

Thirty-five teams of two are scheduled to begin the competition following the opening ceremony scheduled for 9 a.m. April 25 at Nutter Field House.

According to Sgt. 1st Class Joshua Mohon, Sapper Training Company, competitors will be “caught off guard” by some of the tasks this year.

“We are getting to do things a little bit differently this year. It will be a new experience for competitors,” Mohon said. “Generally, the competition kind of follows a rubric that’s based on what we have access to during certain days of the week. This year we wiggled some things around, pulled some strings and were able to move some of the bigger events around in order make it fresh and new.”

According to Best Sapper organizers, many of the events April 25 to 28 are spectator friendly, and community members are invited to attend to motivate competitors by cheering them on.

In addition to the opening ceremony, spectators with post access are invited to a mystery event at 9 p.m. April 26 at Gerlach Field and the X-Mile Run scheduled for 9 a.m., April 28 at Training Area 147.

For those without access to post, Best Sapper organizers are bringing the competition to the community by executing the competition’s nonstandard physical fitness test at 9 a.m. April 26 in Waynesville’s Roubidoux Park.

“We hope the Fort Leonard Wood and Pulaski County communities come out on Saturday at Roubidoux Park to support competitors during their physical fitness event, as well as interact with Soldiers on our military vehicles and weapons displays,” O’Brien said.

Competitors are expected to make a grand entrance to Waynesville in CH-47 Chinook helicopters, and Sapper Leader Course Cadre plan to arrive by rappelling from helicopters into the park.

“The instructors are rappelling out of the first Chinook that is coming in. This event will be a great opportunity for the community to get a behind-the-scenes look at what service members are physically capable of,” Mohon said.

This year, competitors will arrive at the park already tired, which will be a “good” gauge of what they are capable of at “their most physically stressed,” Mohon said,

“Characteristically of Sappers, once they get tired, that’s when things are going to get serious,” Mohon said.

Daily spectator guidance and team standings are scheduled to be posted on the competition’s official Facebook page.

“There will be an interactive map where you will be able to see what is going on,” Mohon said. “There are a few lanes that are not spectator friendly, for safety reasons.”

The winners of the 2025 Best Sapper Competition are set to be announced during an awards ceremony at 10 a.m., April 29 in Nutter Field House.

For more information, visit the Army’s Best Sapper Competition page.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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About Fort Leonard Wood

Fort Leonard Wood is a thriving and prosperous installation that has evolved from a small basic training post more than 80 years ago to a premier Army Center of Excellence that trains nearly 80,000 military and civilians each year.

Fort Leonard Wood is home to the U.S Army Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and three U.S. Army schools: the U.S. Army Engineer School; U.S. Army Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear School; and the U.S. Army Military Police School. In addition to training engineer, CBRN and military police specialties for the Army, Fort Leonard Wood also provides gender-integrated in-processing and Basic Combat Training for new Soldiers.

Fort Leonard Wood also hosts and trains with the largest Marine Corps Detachment and Air Force Squadron on any Army installation as well as a large Navy construction detachment.