Maryland Soldier wins Regional Best Warrior Competition in WV

KINGWOOD, W.Va. — Less than one month ago, two Maryland Army National Guardsmen were in a grueling competition against 18 of their fellow Soldiers and Estonian Defence Force members to determine the victors who would go on to represent their state at the Region II Best Warrior Competition in West Virginia. Spc. Matthew Zrebiec, won the Best Soldier category at the 2026 regional competition, beating competitors from five states and the District of Columbia, May 4-7, 2026

Day 0, and Sgt. 1st Class Ian Mittel, a recruiting and retention NCO from the MDARNG Recruiting and Retention Battalion, and Zrebiec, an intelligence analyst from the 629th Intelligence and Electronic Warfare Battalion, arrived at Camp Dawson to compete in the regional competition. However, their journeys began long before.

Zrebiec is new to the military, joining in 2024 to serve a greater purpose and be a good example for his children, ages 6 and 8. He said that part of that example is pushing himself every day. “I enjoy competing and challenging myself,” said Zrebiec. “Training and competing against the best is as good as it gets.”

His fellow state competitor in the NCO category, has a more storied military history, joining the Pennsylvania Army National Guard in 2002. Following the events of 9/11, Mittel heard the call to serve the nation while still pursuing his civilian education.

Mittel’s wealth of knowledge and skill also helped prepare him to compete at the state level and subsequently in the regional competition, hosted by the West Virginia Army National Guard.

The Region II BWC consisted of 29 graded events ranging from the combat fitness test and stress shoot to land navigation and a river crossing across the more than 3,000 acres of light maneuver training area. The competitors were pushed to their absolute limits over four days in the mountains of Preston County in eastern West Virginia.

Beginning at 3 a.m., the first event on day one of the competition was a demanding ruck march through 12.5 miles of mountainous terrain. Unfortunately, not all competitors were able to safely complete the event.

Mittel suffered an injury at the state competition, but he did not let that keep him from representing his state at the regional level. During the ruck march, Mittel further aggravated that injury, resulting in his need to step back from the competition. However, his efforts during his time there did not go unnoticed.

“I want to say a special thanks to Sgt. 1st Class Mittel,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Patrick Metzger, MDARNG Command Sergeant Major. “We want him back in the fight, healthy and even stronger in his career going forward.”

Despite his fellow Maryland competitor’s untimely exit from the competition, Zrebiec managed to take first place in the Soldier category for the ruck march and the later three-mile boot run. He would carry this momentum throughout the rest of the competition.

Day one, concluding at 11 p.m., was not the only early rise and late end. The competitors would go on to wake up no later than 4 a.m. each subsequent day. Day two would begin at 2:30 a.m. and end at 8 p.m.

Despite these long hours, Zrebiec remained focused and unfazed, impressing everyone from his fellow competitors to the cadre supporting the event.

One of his biggest supporters is the 2025 MDARNG BWC winner, Staff Sgt. Miles Crawford, a human intelligence collector with the 628th Intelligence and Electronic Warfare Battalion. Crawford competed at the brigade, state, regional, and national levels. He was scheduled to represent the Army National Guard at the 2025 U.S. Army Best Squad competition last October, but the event was canceled due to a lapse in appropriations.

“I told Zrebiec when we first started training that it pays to be a winner and you have to put your best foot forward,” said Crawford. “I absolutely believe that he did that.”

Crawford was correct because Zrebiec took home the title of Region II’s Best Soldier, and he will go on to represent Maryland at the National Best Warrior Competition, which will take place July 9-16, 2026, in Florida, along with Sgt. 1st Class Erich Friedlein from the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, winner of the NCO category.

“You guys really exhibit what our warriors in the militia are and have been for the last 390 years,” said Maj. Gen. James Seward, adjutant general of theWest Virginia National Guard. “I would put you up against anybody. We win. Google us.”

Zrebiec’s own brigade command sergeant major, Command Sgt. Maj. Benjamin Davis, 58th Expeditionary Military Intelligence Brigade Command Sergeant Major, also sang his praises.

“Zrebiec has been knocking it out of the park all week long, doing the best he could in every single event,” said Davis.

Zrebiec may have only joined the military within the past two years, but he has already shown that he is among the best the Army has to offer. He has already begun to serve his bigger purpose while being the best example for his children.

“This was a grueling few days, but I look forward to training with other units and subject matter experts to become as expert as possible, while continuing to maintain a high fitness level for Nationals.”