U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with the Alabama National Guard’s 20^th Special Forces Group (SFG) in Birmingham, came out on top at the 2024 National Best Warrior Competition at Camp Ethan Allen Training Site in Jericho, Vermont.

Finnell, a resident of Georgia, serves in the 20^th SFG, one of the National Guard’s most elite units. He shares his experience in this video.

The Best Warrior Competition is a physically and mentally challenging five-day event that tests soldiers on a variety of technical and tactical skills.

Winners are named the Army National Guard’s Soldier and Noncommissioned Officer Best Warrior of the Year and move on to compete in the Department of the Army’s Best Squad Competition, with other soldiers from nationals filling out the ranks of their squad.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, rucks up a hill on Castle Trail during a 4-mile ruck march. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, scans for his target during the stress shoot event. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, listens to instructions for the M17 qualification. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, fires an M17 on the range. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, ties knots before climbing treacherous terrain. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, climbs to the top of the mountain. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, poses for a photo with his fellow competitors. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, relaxes between events. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

A mastery of various weapons is part of the National Best Warrior competition. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, throws up a “hang loose” hand gesture while admiring the mountainous range. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, poses for a photo with an M249. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

A mastery of various weapons is part of the National Best Warrior competition. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, fires an M249. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, studies 9-line before the warrior task event. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, fires and reloads an M320. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, applies a tourniquet to an injured manikin as part of the warrior tasks event. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, applies a tourniquet to an injured manikin as part of the warrior tasks event. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, pulls a manikin to safety after applying a tourniquet as part of the warrior tasks event. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, pretends to call a 9-line for an injured manikin as part of the warrior tasks event. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, gets a thumbs up from the grader after the casualty examination warrior task. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, sets up a Claymore mine as part of the warrior tasks event. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, sets up a Claymore mine as part of the warrior tasks event. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, sets up a Claymore mine as part of the warrior tasks event. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, sets up a Claymore mine as part of the warrior tasks event. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, sets up a Claymore mine as part of the warrior tasks event. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, assembles a radio as part of the warrior tasks event. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, makes a call after assembling a radio as part of the warrior tasks event. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, assembles an M4 as part of the warrior tasks event. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, changes his wet boots after the land navigation event. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, listens to a lecture about historical weapons. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, looks at a musket ball during the historic weapons event. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, fires a historic weapon during the historic weapons event. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, eats a sandwich for lunch after the historic weapons event. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, smiles at the instructors after zeroing his weapon before the biathlon. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, fires an M4 to zero it before the biathlon event. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, drinks water from his canteen to hydrate before the biathlon event. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, takes off at the start line with other competitors during the biathlon event. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, runs the ski portion of the track during the biathlon event. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, deadlifts during the Army Combat Fitness Test event on Camp Johnson in Colchester, Vermont. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, completes the Standing Power Throw during the Army Combat Fitness Test event on Camp Johnson in Colchester, Vermont. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, completes the Hand Release Push-ups during the Army Combat Fitness Test event on Camp Johnson in Colchester, Vermont. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, completes the Sprint-Drag-Carry during the Army Combat Fitness Test event on Camp Johnson in Colchester, Vermont. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, completes the Sprint-Drag-Carry during the Army Combat Fitness Test event on Camp Johnson in Colchester, Vermont. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, massages his sore muscles during the Army Combat Fitness Test event on Camp Johnson in Colchester, Vermont. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, completes the plank during the Army Combat Fitness Test event on Camp Johnson in Colchester, Vermont. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kirt Finnell, an engineer with 20th Special Forces Group, checks the time while running the two-mile during the Army Combat Fitness Test event on Camp Johnson in Colchester, Vermont. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)