FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Feb. 2, 2023) – The U.S. Army Engineer School is now accepting applications for the 16th Lt. Gen. Robert B. Flowers Best Sapper Competition, officials said.
The competition is scheduled to take place here from April 21 through 24, and is open to all sapper-qualified active-duty, Reserve and National Guard service members of any U.S. military service, along with approved international military service members, said Capt. Cam Kirvan, Sapper Training Company commander.
According to 1st Sgt. Christopher Hoffman, Sapper Leader Course senior instructor, the competition is about identifying the best sappers the engineer regiment has to offer by testing their skills, mettle and grit through vigorous physical and technical sapper tasks, which will ultimately crown the best team.
“The competition is challenging since it spans 60 plus hours of continuous physical and mental exertion over 60 miles across the grueling terrain of Fort Leonard Wood. Our sappers are required to perform challenging tasks with minimal rest between events both day and night. Once the competition starts, it’s game on until they complete the final event and pass through the castle at the finish line,” Hoffman said.
The BSC allows engineer units from across the army to build esprit de corps and send their best combat engineers to compete against one another, Kirvan said.
“(The competition) is important because it challenges both units and individual Soldiers to push themselves to exceed the standard and helps to build climates that value readiness, resiliency, and ruggedness,” he said.
Registration closes March 15, and all applications, requirements and instructions are available on the BSC website at https://home.army.mil/wood/index.php/units-tenants/USAES/Sapper/BSC.
-30-
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.
More information about Fort Leonard Wood is at: https://home.army.mil/wood/index.php/about/mission