By Senior Airman Julia Ahaesy, 102nd Intelligence Wing

Senior Airman Jake Harrison and Tech. Sgt. Patrick McGuiness represented the 102nd Intelligence Wing during the 2026 Massachusetts Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition at Camp Edwards, Massachusetts, April 15-17, 2026. The three-day competition brought together more than 40 soldiers, noncommissioned officers and airmen from the Massachusetts National Guard and Irish Defence Forces, testing them physically and mentally while enhancing skills, building relationships and expanding professional knowledge.

Harrison enlisted about three years ago as an all source intelligence analyst with the 101st Intelligence Squadron. With limited experience in events such as land navigation and weapons handling, he relied on adaptability and guidance from others to work through each challenge.

“This was my first chance to gain real field experience and work in a joint environment, especially alongside the Irish Defence Forces,” Harrison said. “It’s been a great opportunity to learn new skills and bring that knowledge back to my squadron. Overall, it’s been very rewarding and fun.”

McGuiness, a fusion analyst with the 102nd Operations Support Squadron, competed in the Best Warrior Competition 17 years ago while serving with the New Hampshire Army National Guard. Drawing on his Army background, he volunteered to compete again to challenge himself.

“What motivated me to keep pushing through was my age,” McGuiness said. “I think I’m the oldest participant here, so I wanted to finish toward the top of the scoreboard. It’s important to show up motivated because it’s a long three days.”

The competition began early at the physical training field, where participants completed the Expert Physical Fitness Assessment. Harrison and McGuiness joined competitors for a one-mile run, dead-stop pushups, a 100-meter sprint, sandbag lifts, water jug farmer’s carry, high crawls and 3- to 5-second rushes, followed by another one-mile run. Competitors completed the event in duty uniform with a vest and ballistic plates in less than 30 minutes.

Following the fitness test, participants completed an M4 qualification and stress shoot event. Competitors performed one minute of burpees before dragging a skid with a dummy to four covered positions, engaging targets at each station with an M4 rifle and M17 pistol.

“Shooting has been my toughest challenge,” Harrison said. “I’ve taken advice from others and improved along the way, making adjustments as I go. The Army has been a big help, sharing tips and techniques. Being able to bring that back and improve how we work together is huge.”

Competitors then moved to the land navigation course, where they were required to locate five grid coordinates across multiple lanes as daylight faded into night.

“Land navigation was the toughest challenge for me,” McGuiness said. “The terrain here is difficult, and the course started during the day and ended at night, so you had to adjust as you went. When you feel like you’re off course, you just have to stick to what you plotted and keep moving.”

The following day, Harrison and McGuiness competed in the warrior lanes, which included a grenade lane, a call-for-fire lane, a medical lane and a mystery event. This year’s mystery event required the assembly and function checks of an M4 rifle, M17 pistol and M249 squad automatic weapon. Competitors then changed into dress uniforms for a written exam and boards.

On the final day of the competition, participants completed a 12-mile ruck march across Joint Base Cape Cod.

The Army National Guard conducts the Best Warrior Competition annually, beginning at the state level across the nation before advancing to regional and national competitions. The competition requires participants to apply and refine core warrior skills while operating in a joint environment. Beyond individual performance, it fosters connections across units and provides opportunities to exchange knowledge and best practices. Participants return to their units with enhanced skills and experience, contributing to increased readiness and effectiveness.