Sgt. Cairo Prisco,
combat engineer, 299th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division,
zeroes his M4 Carbine at Range 13A during the Fort Carson Best Sapper Competition Feb. 24, 2016. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Craig Cantrell)
By Staff Sgt. Craig Cantrell
Garrison Public Affairs Office
Twelve Army engineers competed in a grueling competition Feb. 24-25, 2016, to determine which two-man team would represent Fort Carson in the annual Army Best Sapper Competition.
“The selection competition allows us to identify the best qualified teams to send forward to represent the 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson at the Army’s annual Best Sapper Competition April 17-22, 2016, (at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri),” said Capt. Timothy A. Sybert, engineer officer, 4th Infantry Division.
The team of 1st Lts. Ethan Dewart and Scott Ratzer claimed the 4th Engineer Battalion berth while the 299th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, duos of 1st Lt. Austin Wesley and Sgt. Cairo Prisco and 1st Lt. Michael Nouailletas and Staff Sgt. Cody Williams earned the two 4th Inf. Div. spots.
The competition tested the mental and physical abilities of all teams with a physical fitness test; drown proofing and poncho raft building; combat lifesaver skills; and knot, demolitions and shooting tests; followed by land navigation and a 12-mile ruck march.
“We covered around 13 miles on day one and another 18 on day two,” said Wesley, engineer officer, 299th BEB. “The cumulative effects of moving with a rucksack that far and also doing additional exercises was exhausting but our physical training program paid off as we were able to push hard until the end.”
Wesley and Prisco trained six days a week to prepare for the competition.
“We have been doing a strict workout program from the World Class Athlete Program and studying the technical skills needed,” said Prisco, combat engineer, 299th BEB. “The workout program showed its effectiveness as we definitely had the endurance to continue to push hard all the way to the end of the tryouts.”
The three teams will represent Fort Carson and the 4th Inf. Div. during the six-day event at Fort Leonard Wood and compete against 47 other teams from across the Army and Marine Corps.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to compete, and I am excited to get to Fort Leonard
Wood and make a name for the 4th Inf. Div. in this competition,” said Prisco.