The U.S. Army Engineer School is hosting the 19th Lt. Gen. Robert B. Flowers Best Sapper Competition now through April 24 at Fort Leonard Wood.

The competition started Saturday, April 18, with a non-standard physical fitness test at the Waynesville High School’s football field in Waynesville, Missouri. It kicked into high gear Monday with a round robin event at various ranges and training areas across the installation.

More than 80 competitors in two-person teams are competing in this year’s competition.

According to 1st Lt. Aron Carrow, Sapper Training Company commander, the Best Sapper Competition is the ultimate test of skill, stamina and ingenuity for the Army’s elite combat engineers.

“This competition tests the mental and physical fortitude of Sapper teams from across the Army – with a team from the United Kingdom competing this year, as well,” Carrow said.

And the competition has been engineered this year to scrutinize the Sappers’ mastery of “mobility, counter-mobility, and survivability.”

To be eligible to compete, Best Sapper guidelines require each team to have at least one member who is a graduate of the 28-day Sapper Leader Course. According to Carrow, this year’s competition is particularly strong, as all competitors – with the exception of the international team – hold a Sapper tab.

Photos of the competition are at the following links:

https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/BestSapper2026

 

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