U.S. Army Sgt. Nicholas Ray, 1163rd Army Medical Command,

U.S. Army Sgt. Nicholas Ray, 1163rd Army Medical Command, Kentucky Army National Guard, demonstrates his strength and endurance while completing the six-mile ruck march with a full combat load on Fort Jackson during the Region 3 Best Warrior Competition at the McCrady Training Center, Eastover, S.C., April 30, 2013. Each of the 10 states and territories in Region 3 have one soldier and one noncommissioned officer competing in the four day event which will test their soldiering skills, April 29 to May 2. The first-place winners in the NCO and enlisted soldiers categories will advance to the National Guard Bureau, national-level competition to determine which soldier will compete in the Army’s Best Warrior Competition. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Caycee Watson/Released)