28 Infantry Battalion competitors departed
Finner Camp in the early hours destined for Camp
Edwards, Cape Cod and not before getting through
the challenges of the fuel protests along the
way to Dublin Airport. A mixture of nerves and
excitement kept us on our toes until we got on the
plane.
Arriving in Camp Edwards, the four competitors
immediately took advantage of getting to know the
area, adjusting to the extremely hot weather which
was not expected and embracing the opportunity of
a lesson on the Massachusetts Army National Guard
(MANG), way of 'call for fire'. One could sense the
intensity of the MANG Best Warrior competition 2026
and the four soldiers were fully tuned in to any advice
being offered on how best to approach the next three
days of gruelling tests.
All the training back in Ireland had come to a head and
over the course of the next three days their physical
and mental skills would be thoroughly tested. While
the soldiers trained as a team, this is an individual
competition from start to finish testing the strength,
skill and endurance of each soldier. The four soldiers
selected to represent Ireland on this extremely
demanding international stage were Sgt Ryan Kelly,
Cpl Dylan Quigg, Pte Stephen Mitchell and Pte Dylan
McGarrigle.
ARTICLE BY COMDT BRIDGET CLARKE
BEST BEST OF OF
THE BEST THE BEST
| 7
www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE
28 Infantry
Battalion competes
in Massachusetts
Army National
Guard 'Best Warrior
Competition' 2026
