WAIMANALO, Hawaii – A combination of 11 Soldiers from across the island were pushed to their physical and mental limits during the Hawaii Army National Guard’s 2026 Best Warrior Competition, held March 6-8.
The grueling three-day event took place at the 298th Multi-Functional Training Regiment, and Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe. The field consisted of seven junior enlisted Soldiers, two noncommissioned officers and two officers competing for the title in their respective categories.
The winner of this year’s Soldier of the Year category was Spc. Brock Lindman, from Alpha Troop, 1st Squadron, 299th Cavalry Regiment. Returning for his second year in a row, Lindman was surprised at the increased level of competition compared to 2025.
“Last year, in the lower enlisted category, everyone was awesome, but a few stood out,” Lindman said. “This year, everybody stood out in the lower enlisted category.”
The State of Hawaii, Department of Defense (HIDOD)’ Retiree News does not endorse any of the external hyperlinks listed or posted on this site. This includes linked websites, information, products, or services contained therein. We are a government run website for which transparency and accountability are paramount. HIDOD cannot have the appearance of endorsement and are bound by the HIDOD Social Media Policy concerning political posts being respectful, honest, and accurate. Operational Security will additionally be adhered to. Retiree News does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at linked sites. Some of the sites linked to may limit the number of stories you can access without a paid subscription. All links were provided with the intent of meeting the mission of the HIDOD’s version of Retiree News.