After four days of working through tasks and drills similar to basic combat training, two soldiers were named the Army’s best drill sergeant and advanced individual training platoon sergeant.

Staff Sgt. Chad Hickey is this year’s Drill Sergeant of the Year, and Staff Sgt. Bryan Ivery is this year’s AIT Platoon Sergeant of the Year.

This year marks the first time that winners were chosen from both the active and reserve components, instead of a winner from each. Six soldiers competed for the Drill Sergeant of the Year award, and nine competed for the AIT Platoon Sergeant of the Year award.

The soldiers were recognized Friday morning at an awards ceremony at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

The competition, which ran Tuesday through Friday, focused on the soldiers’ abilities to teach others. Tasks included physical and mental challenges, such as obstacle courses, physical readiness training, a 12-mile ruck march and appearing before a board of command sergeants major to demonstrate knowledge of leadership and training.

Sgt. Christopher Moses, assigned to the 95th Training Division, performs a dead lift on Day 3 of the 2017 TRADOC Drill Sergeant and AIT Platoon Sergeant of the Year competition. (Spc. Tynisha Daniel/Army)

Hickey, a confinement specialist with E Company, 795th Military Police Battalion at Fort Leonard Wood, told Army Times he was “very surprised” when his name was announced as the winner.

“There was a great field out here and a whole lot of people who did a great job,” said Hickey, who has served in the Army for 12 years.

He said the land navigation portion of the competition was challenging, and the ruck march pushes soldiers to the edge, but everything he has learned as a soldier helped him throughout.

“One of the ways I prepared for the competition was just helping soldiers out,” Hickey said. “Teaching them and making sure we both understood.”

Spending four days around the other drill sergeants was also a confidence booster, he said.

“Going into the competition, I wasn’t real confident in myself,” he said.

But every time he had trouble with something, the other soldiers had his back, even though he was their competition.

“They were always there saying, ‘Hey, you got this,’” Hickey said. “It helped to really push me through when I wanted to get down on myself.”

Hickey said he’ll be moving to Fort Eustis in Virginia to serve as the Drill Sergeant of the Year, serving as a subject matter expert at the U.S. Army Center for Initial Military Training.

Competitors are graded on numerous warrior tasks. (Spc. Tynisha Daniel/Army)

Ivery, a cryptologic linguist at the Presidio of Monterey in California, received the highest score on the Army Physical Fitness Test. He has served for 13 years.

“Thank you very much to all the AIT platoon sergeants who pushed me to do my best,” Ivery said after receiving the award.

As an AIT platoon sergeant, Ivery developed a battalion movement screening that decreased injuries by 90 percent in two months, according to the Army.

About Charlsy Panzino

Charlsy is a Reporter and Engagement Manager for Military Times. Email her at cpanzino@militarytimes.com.

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