Helena soldiers win top honors in Montana National Guard Best Warrior competition

Spc. Cole Bechtold finished a five-day gauntlet of land navigation, ruck marches, combat casualty care and board interviews at the Montana State Capitol in Helena, where the Huntley soldier was named Montana National Guard Soldier of the Year. U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Lonnie Sheteron of the 95th Troop Command at Fort Harrison in Helena earned the top noncommissioned officer honor, putting two Helena-connected soldiers at the center of the state’s annual Best Warrior Competition.

Thirteen junior enlisted soldiers and noncommissioned officers from units across Montana took part in the April 13-17 contest, which pushed them through more than 25 challenges designed to test physical endurance, technical skill, military knowledge and decision-making under pressure. The event also included weapons qualification, obstacle courses, vehicle and gear checks, medical drills and tactical tasks, a mix meant to show which soldiers can keep performing when the body is tired and the clock is ticking.

For Bechtold, the win reflected more than a strong week. It showed the discipline needed to keep moving through the most demanding parts of soldiering, whether that means carrying a heavy ruck, treating a casualty or making a sound call after a long day in the field. That is the kind of readiness the Montana National Guard relies on when it is called for local or statewide emergencies, and it is why the competition matters well beyond the Capitol ceremony.

The Guard has said its annual Best Warrior Competition reflects Army Values and Warrior Ethos, with preparation built around weeks of running, rucking, studying doctrine and practicing soldier tasks. Leaders say that kind of training sharpens battle drills and toughness across the force, while competitors point to the confidence that comes from getting through hard events together.

The Helena connection ran through the finish line. Bechtold serves with the 190th Chemical Reconnaissance Detachment in Helena, and Sheteron serves with the 95th Troop Command at Fort Harrison. Families, friends and fellow service members watched the recognition at the Capitol, a reminder that some of the state’s most demanding military preparation happens in plain view of the capital city.

Montana’s winners have also carried that standard beyond state lines. Sgt. Matthew Lee and Spc. Canyon Blassingame, the 2025 winners, later won the Region VI Best Warrior Competition in Idaho. This year’s event also included Maldivian partners through the State Partnership Program, part of a broader effort to build the same kind of soldiering skill and camaraderie elsewhere.