Each year, the U.S. Army brings together the very best of the elite combat engineers, known as Sappers, to a single location for a multi-day competition of technical proficiency, mental agility, and physical endurance. This competition known as the Best Sapper Competition takes place at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri and stands as a fierce testament to the skills, dedication, and teamwork needed of today’s top military combat engineers.
Safety is an integral component in any military operation and the Best Sapper Competition places high importance on the well-being of all participants. For this year’s competition, in collaboration with the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM), SlateSafety’s BAND V2s were incorporated into the competition to help prevent heat illnesses as an additional safety precaution. Using this tool for real-time physiological monitoring, instructors and medics were able to monitor each competitor’s location and important safety metrics such as heart rate, estimated core temperature, and physical exertion.
SlateSafety CEO, Zack Braun, who attended the competition said, “We were grateful our technology was incorporated into the competition this year and we were proud to be able to provide an extra layer of safety through such a physically rigorous competition. We are always honored to serve our military and help protect our warfighters who are at outsized risk for heat exhaustion and other on-the-job injuries.”
The competition consists of a series of trials to test the physical and problem-solving capabilities that all fifty teams of two face. The trials include everything from demolitions and breaching obstacles to constructing various field expedient structures and engaging in combat-focused tasks. Participants must showcase their expertise in route clearance, mine detection, bridge building, tactical communications, and other critical engineering functions. The Best Sapper Competition sets a remarkable example for military engineering competitions worldwide, highlighting the importance of safety, collaboration, and cutting-edge advancements in the field.
This year, after a grueling test of technical proficiency, mental agility, and physical endurance, CPT Cushing and CPT Palazini secured first place for the 21st Brigade Engineer Battalion, 3rd BCT, 101st Airborne Division. Second place went to CPT Masley and SFC Varela of the 75th Ranger Regiment and third went to Cadet Nylund and Cadet Cunningham of the U.S. Military Academy.
SlateSafety BAND V2s are already in use to protect soldiers during training at several military bases, where wearable technology has become a seamless part of the standard operating procedure to decrease heat stress and overexertion injuries by over 90%. SlateSafety plans to continue working with USARIEM and the Sapper Training Company to provide these capabilities in the future.
Video linked from the Best Sapper Competition Facebook Page
*Photo courtesy of Lekendrick Stallworth, Retired Master Sergeant, Sapper Qualified