JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Through sweat, strategy and shared resolve, U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers pushed their physical and mental limits during a rigorous selection competition March 30 - April 3, 2026, at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, where they vied for spots to represent the United States on a global stage.
After five days of intense challenges, seven officers and five noncommissioned officers earned their place on the U.S. Army Reserve Command’s “Team USA,” set to compete this summer in Europe at the Interallied Confederation of Reserve Officers (CIOR) Military Competition.
Established in 1957, and hosted in a different country each year, the CIOR Military Competition brings together reserve officers and NCOs from NATO nations to sharpen interoperability, strengthen partnerships and test readiness.
USARC conducts its selection process at JB MDL because of its specialized training infrastructure, most notably, its NATO obstacle course at U.S. Army Support Activity Fort Dix. It’s the only course in the nation designed to mirror the standardized courses used internationally. But the course is just one piece of the much broader assessment.
Competitors tackle a full spectrum of warrior tasks, to include the Army Fitness Test, marksmanship, timed runs, utility swimming, grenade throwing, range estimation, map plotting and land navigation. The goal? To find Soldiers who have grit, focus and can be team players.
“We’re looking for officers and NCOs who can perform at a high level physically and mentally, all while operating as part of a cohesive team,” said U.S. Army Reserve Master Sgt. Ryan Shackelford, director of competitions for USARC G 3/5/7 Competitive Programs and lead planner for the USARC CIOR competition. “The international competition is incredibly demanding, and the competitors here have shown the discipline, resilience and teamwork required to compete alongside the best reserve forces in NATO.”
At its core, the competition is about battlefield relevance, said U.S. Army Reserve Staff Sgt. Corey Laframboise, training NCO for USARC G 3/5/7 Competitive Programs and planner for the USARC CIOR competition.
“The competitors must shoot accurately, move efficiently, think clearly under pressure and rely on their teammates,” Laframboise said. “Those are critical skills that directly translate to real-world combat operations.”
With an emphasis on the whole Soldier, the competition encompasses more than tactical and technical proficiency. Events like the interview board push competitors to demonstrate character and professionalism.
“We’re not just evaluating Soldier knowledge,” said U.S. Army Reserve Master Sgt. James Harrington, training NCO for USARC G 3/5/7 Competitive Programs and planner for the USARC CIOR competition. “We want to see who you are as a person, who you would be as an ambassador of the United States.”
While every event carries weight, the obstacle course stood out as the centerpiece, a compressed test of strength, coordination, endurance and teamwork across 20 tightly packed obstacles.
“It’s a more challenging obstacle course than most,” said U.S. Army Reserve Capt. Tyler Davis, a competitor who serves as force protection officer in charge and Holistic Health and Fitness System manager for Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 377th Theater Sustainment Command. “Because of the height of some of the obstacles, and the short distance between them, they require a higher level of skill and cardio capacity for explosive movement.”
Returning CIOR competitor U.S. Army Reserve Capt. Jake Straub, commander for the Greater Kansas City Army Recruiting Company, said the strategies needed to successfully navigate the obstacle course apply to every aspect of the competition.
“You have to commit fully to every obstacle and trust your preparation,” Straub said. "That mindset carries over into every event. When fatigue hits, your training is what keeps you moving.”
Straub, who earned three medals in 2024 at the international competition in Estonia, emphasized the importance of deliberate planning and repetition.
“We rehearse everything, not just the obstacles, but also the transitions between them,” Straub said. “We visualize the course, understand where our teammates need support and execute as a unit. That level of preparation prevents mistakes and reduces the risk of injury.”
A team-first mindset becomes even more critical under stress, said U.S. Army Reserve Capt. Michael Vigh, a returning competitor and critical care nurse for the 628th Forward Resuscitative Surgical Detachment.
“When you’re operating at maximum effort, your vision narrows and fine motor skills degrade," Vigh said. “Supporting each other conserves energy and keeps the entire team moving effectively.”
This degree of synchronization will be essential in the months ahead. After the U.S. Air Force Reserve completes its own selection process, both teams will come together at JB MDL in June for an intensive training camp, during which, they'll rehearse each task in detail. They'll also work on team dynamics, because at the international level, every event will be executed as a three-person effort.
“This week's training was to understand our individual limits; in June, we'll build a team strategy that maximizes each member’s strengths,” Straub said. “Ultimately, the team’s performance is what matters, not any single individual’s performance.”
Following the camp, the teams will travel to Europe for more training, then participate in the international competition.
"By the time we get to Europe, each competitor should know their teammates’ strengths and weaknesses as well as their own,” Vigh said. “On competition day, there is no time for discussion, you simply execute.”
For newcomers like U.S. Army Reserve Staff Sgt. Tana Aley, a parachute rigger serving as a recruiter for the Greater Kansas City Army Recruiting Company, stepping into a competition of this scale for the first time is intimidating but also motivating. She said she believes success comes down to a simple formula.
“This competition demands that you perform at your best every time, regardless of the challenge,” she said. “You have to be physically prepared, mentally sharp and fully committed to your team, all while doing it safely.”
Whether they are new or seasoned competitors, participating in the 2026 CIOR Military Competition will be a defining milestone in their military journeys.
“The opportunity to give your best performance on a stage like this means everything," said U.S. Army Reserve Capt. Brandon Walp, movements officer for the 257th Movement Control Battalion. "This will be the pinnacle of my career."
When they step into the international arena, these Soldiers will carry not only the American flag, but also, pride and a profound sense of duty.
“It’s humbling to be competing with such outstanding Soldiers,” said Capt. David Petersen, deputy operations officer and joint operations center executive officer for Army Reserve Element European Command. "This role comes with great responsibility, and it's something we don't take lightly."
JB MDL leadership shared in that sense of commitment, recognizing the base’s critical role in building effective international partnerships and honing lethal battlefield warriors.
“It’s not lost on us that events like this build combat readiness as well as give Soldiers the opportunity to represent their country,” said U.S. Army Reserve Lt. Col. Joshua Yarbrough, deputy commander of USASA Fort Dix. “We are proud to be a part of this great opportunity for these competitors to improve themselves, strengthen their foxhole and become a better weapon system.”
As the selected Soldiers gear up for the challenges ahead, the foundation built at JB MDL, from the one-of-a-kind obstacle course, to the countless repetitions behind the scenes, will be pivotal to their success.
In a competition where every second counts and every teammate matters, the guiding principle is clear: be all you can be, but win as one.
The USARC selectees for the 2026 CIOR Military Competition are:
- Staff Sgt. Tana Aley, parachute rigger and recruiter, Army Greater Kansas City Recruiting Company
- Staff Sgt. Austin Blake, combat engineer and Basic Leader Course instructor, U.S. Army NCO Academy Fort Dix
- Capt. Tyler Davis, force protection officer in charge and Holistic Health and Fitness System manager, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 377th Theater Sustainment Command
- 1st Lt. David Grumhaus, military intelligence officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 415th Civil Affairs Battalion
- Staff Sgt. David Kratky, combat medic specialist and operations NCOIC, 452nd Field Hospital
- Capt. Mick McCarty, support division operations officer, U.S. Army Reserve Cyber Protection Brigade
- Staff Sgt. Cathier Ossiri, technical engineer, Alpha Company, 416th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne)
- Capt. David Petersen, deputy operations officer and joint operations center executive officer, Army Reserve Element European Command
- Staff Sgt. Christopher Rowe, cargo specialist, 489th Transportation Company
- Capt. Jake Straub, commander, Army Greater Kansas City Recruiting Company
- Capt. Michael Vigh, critical care nurse, 628th Forward Resuscitative Surgical Detachment
- Capt. Brandon Walp, movements officer, 257th Movement Control Battalion