FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. – The U.S. Army Engineer School is hosting the 19th Lt. Gen. Robert B. Flowers Best Sapper Competition April 18-24, 2026, at Fort Leonard Wood – with an opportunity for the public to attend an action-packed opening exhibition off-post in Waynesville.
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.”
The community is invited to Waynesville’s Roubidoux Park at 11 a.m., April 18, to watch the competition’s opening ceremony and first event, a non-standard physical fitness test.
To jump-start the ceremony, members of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point Parachute Team are planning to turn the park’s soccer fields into a drop zone when they showcase their capabilities with a precision free-fall parachute demonstration.
Additionally, Sapper Leader Course instructors are preparing to arrive by rappelling into the park from a UH-60 Blackhawk.
More than 80 competitors, in teams of two, are set to make their own grand entrance via an eight-wheeled armored Stryker vehicle and more UH-60 Blackhawks.
“There will also be military static displays and food venders at the park,” Carrow said.
Spectators with post access are also invited to the final event, the X-Mile Run, scheduled to begin at 7 a.m., April 23. To maintain the integrity of the competition, Best Sapper organizers are planning to announce the starting line location prior to the event.
According to Maj. Garrett Flynn, 169th Engineer Battalion operations officer, the best way to find out the location of this event, other spectator friendly events, and standings throughout the competition is to follow the competition’s Facebook page.
Flynn noted a mystery event that is expected to be spectator friendly, and said the Terrain Shaping Gauntlet, Round Robin and Sapper Stakes will have some elements that spectators can view.
“Some events are not spectator friendly because the locations have limited access to civilian traffic,” Flynn said. “Spectators should be prepared to be outside with no cover at most locations, so they should plan accordingly for weather conditions.”
Flynn said, in the event of inclement weather conditions April 18, the Roubidoux Park event might be moved to Waynesville High School’s football field and that any changes will be posted on the competition’s Facebook page
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.
Of the more than 40 teams, four of them call Fort Leonard Wood home.
From the 31st Engineer Battalion are Capt. Joseph McLaughlin and Staff Sgt. Kimberly Licudine.
McLaughlin said his team has been conditioning, both mentally and physically, to meet the challenges of the upcoming competition.
“Academically, following the competition Facebook page for teasers and going through the Sapper Handbook,” he said. “Physically, endurance focus with a fair amount of weightlifting.”
Representing the 35th Engineer Battalion are Staff Sgts. Cody Clinton and Isaiah Olson.
“For us, this competition is the ultimate test – a chance to see the results of our dedication and find out just how far we can push ourselves, both physically and mentally,” Clinton said.
Competitors from the 554th Engineer Battalion are Sgts. 1st Class Nolan Sweet and Jameson McManus.
Representing the 5th Engineer Battalion, 1st Infantry Division are Spc. Michael Porter and Pfc. Kemoye Daye.
Winners are set to be announced at 9 a.m., April 24 at Lincoln Hall Auditorium.
To view photos as the competition unfolds, visit this Fort Leonard Wood Flickr album.
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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.