Army names USASOC team as Best Squad, NCO and Soldier of the Year winners

WASHINGTON — The Army announced its 2026 Soldier of the Year, Noncommissioned Officer of the Year and Best Squad during a ceremony at the Association of… WASHINGTON — The Army announced its 2026 Soldier of the Year, Noncommissioned Officer of the Year and Best Squad during a ceremony at the Association of the U.S. Army Annual Meeting and Exposition, Oct. 12. Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael R. Weimer presented the awards for all honors to the squad of warfighters representing the U.S. Army Special Operations Command. USASOC’s five-Soldier squad from the 75th Ranger Regiment earned the 2026 Best Squad title with the squad’s Cpl. Michael Shield achieving the Soldier of the Year and Staff Sgt.

Colin Doyle earning the NCO of the Year honors. Their achievements are based on their squad and individual performances through the intense events held at Fort Benning, Ga., Sept. 11-19. During the Fort Benning competition, 11 squads representing their respective major Army commands demonstrated their technical and tactical proficiency as well as their ability to operate as disciplined and cohesive teams. The events ranged from a formal board, fitness assessments, weapons qualification and familiarization lanes to an 18.6-mile-night foot march and obstacle courses. They also had a few unique opportunities to experience the “First 100 Yards” evolution that drill sergeants lead our Army’s newest