Above: Sgt. Luke Churchwell participates in a one-mile weighted run during the 10th Mountain Division Soldier and Noncommissioned Officer of the Year competition, July 16, on Fort Drum. The run was part of a larger event, which included a 25-meter casualty evacuation lane and a weapons qualification table.
10th Mountain Division troops compete for Soldier, Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
Spc. Kade Bowers
27th Public Affairs Detachment
FORT DRUM, N.Y. (July 19, 2024) – Competence is the watchword of every noncommissioned officer in the U.S. Army, but it’s also the guiding principle of every Soldier assigned to the 10th Mountain Division (LI).
That same concept guided the foundation of the Soldier and Noncommissioned Officer of the Year competition, held July 15-17 at Fort Drum. The competition consisted of three main events: an Army Combat Fitness Test, a stress shoot, and a board appearance.
Annually, the 10th Mountain Division holds a series of contests from the company to the division level, where the best of the best is afforded an opportunity to compete and represent today’s Blue-Collar Division.
The titles of Soldier and NCO of the Year were awarded respectively to Spc. Logan Palmsteen, a fire control specialist with 3rd Battalion, 6th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, and Sgt. Luke Churchwell, an infantryman with 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team.
Palmsteen noted the amount of work that went into preparing for a competition of this caliber.
“It took a lot, a ton of studying, and training from previous schools I went to,” he said. “It took all of that to show up and execute for the competition.”
For Palmsteen, the contest wasn’t a matter of only his pride, but also a means of paying respect to his family’s legacy of service.
“Both my great-grandfather and grandfather served in the Army, the first in World War II and the other in Vietnam,” he said. “Winning this really helps me live up to the legacy of service they built the foundation of.”
Churchwell took the opportunity of his victory to recognize the greatness of the NCOs and issued a call to action for them.
“I’m happy to win, and it means a lot to me, because there are a ton of great NCOs in this division,” he said. “But it also means that a lot of people who could’ve won didn’t show up, and I hope they do next time.”
Both offered advice to future Soldiers and NCOs looking to enter and win the next competition. Churchwell emphasized sacrifice, while Palmsteen stressed the importance of staying ready and prepared.
“You have to be ready to sacrifice a lot; it starts with your time,” Churchwell said. “When you become ready to do that you become ready to sacrifice whatever is needed.”
“You have to study, learn what it means to be a great Soldier, and you have to truly understand that as a result to win,” Palmsteen added.