March 11th – 15th 2013 David Maybury was selected to participate in the 2013 372nd Engineer Brigade’s Best Warrior Competition. This competition was comprised of the top Soldiers in the Brigade. This was a four day event full of physical and mental events meant to push the Soldiers to their limits. Back in October 2012, David Maybury suffered from a broken Tibia and Fibula and resulted in having plates and screws in his ankle. With having less than two months to recover and get back in shape, this definitely tested his physical and mental toughness.

            The event started off with a written exam and written essay on various military subjects. The next morning is when the physical aspect of the competition started. Only being around 15 degrees outside, the morning started with the Army Physical Fitness Test consisting of two minutes of push-ups, two minutes of sit-ups, and a two mile run. David ended up getting the second highest score in his category. From there, the next event consisted of Army Warrior tasks. There was five different Army Warrior Tasks he was tested on; map reading, evaluating a casualty and calling in a nine line medevac, properly breaking down an M16, M9, and a M249 weapon system and properly conducting a functions check, the use of tactical hand and arm signals, and issuing a Warning Order. The last event of the day was the Army Combative Tournament. The tournament started out with Ju-Jitsu and the final bouts had intermediate rules that allowed striking. David won the Combative Tournament for his category and also won the overall Combative Tournament for all categories.

            The third day started off with the Day Land Navigation Course. Having only three hours to find three points while only been given a map, compass, protractor, and grid coordinates. The three points have been hidden throughout over five miles of wooded area covered in two and a half feet of snow.  Due to previous ankle injury and reinjuring it during the Combative Tournament, David was unable to complete the Day Land Navigation Course in the allotted time frame. The next event for day three was the M16 and M9 weapon qualification range. David was tasked with qualifying with his assigned M16 and M9. David was able to his 30 out of 40 targets with his M16 and 25 out of 30 targets with his M9.

            The fourth and final day of the event started at 4 a.m. with a six mile ruck march. David had to complete a six mile road march while wearing all his body armor and helmet with a 42 lbs ruck sack and rifle. David ended up finishing his six mile ruck march in one hour and fourteen minutes. This time earned him 3rd place in his category for this event. This day ended with a board presentation in front of five Sergeants Major consisting of questions about current events and military subject/history. During this event David was awarded the Purple Heart Coin by the 372nd Engineer Brigade’s Command Sergeants Major. He was given this coin due to earning a Purple Heart for being wounded in combat during his deployment to Iraq back in 2006-2007