Wisconsin Army National Guard Specialist John P. Wiernasz of the 950th Clearance Company was recently awarded the Army National Guard Region 4 Soldier of the Year. The contest included the best soldier from the states of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana, Michigan, Iowa, Ohio and Illinois.
Specialist Wiernasz will now compete to be the Soldier of the Year for the Army National Guard in August at Fort Benning, Ga. If he wins in August, he will compete to be the United States Army Soldier of the Year for 2009.
Sgt. Raymond Heilman of the 950th Clearance Company won the State of Wisconsin NCO of the Year. Both soldiers are from the same platoon.
In order to be selected for the regional competition, Wiernasz had already won the 950th Clearance Company, 724th Engineer Battalion, 157th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade and the State of Wisconsin Soldier of the Year competition during the past six months. The regional competition included a grueling 12 mile road march with a minimum 35 pound pack, physical fitness test, hand-to-hand combative matches, M16 Rifle Qualification Range, day and night land navigation courses and warrior task tests. In addition the soldiers had to write an essay, take a written test and an appearance board where the state command sergeants major grilled each soldier on their Army knowledge. Wiernasz joined the Wisconsin Army National Guard in 2007 and went to Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., to become a combat engineer. The 950th Clearance Company is located in Spooner and Superior.
