GRAFENWÖHR, Germany — A Pitman High grad was part of the team that won the U.S. Army’s 21st Theater Sustainment Command’s 2026 Best Squad Competition in Grafenwöhr, Germany April 19 to 24, identifying the team that will represent the command at the upcoming U.S. Army Europe and Africa Best Squad Competition.
The winning squad, representing the 7th Engineer Brigade, included 1st Lt. Benjamin Flaherty, Staff Sgt. Jonah Mang, Turlock native Sgt. Marcus Robinson, Spc. Pedro Cardona, Spc. Matthew Falone and Pfc. Cleopheus Lane.
The squad emerged from a field of competitors representing the 7th Mission Support Command, 21st Special Troops Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade, 18th Military Police Brigade and 30th Medical Brigade after completing a week of physically and mentally demanding events designed to replicate conditions Soldiers may face in large-scale combat operations.
“This competition is about identifying squads that can operate and win in a contested environment,” said Maj. Gen. Michael B. Lalor, the command’s commanding general. “The team moving forward has proven it can meet the standard and represent this command at the next level.”
Over six days, squads completed events such as the Army Fitness Test, land navigation, weapons qualification, obstacle and confidence courses, and a 12-mile ruck march, often under limited rest and sustained physical stress across extended training days. Each event tested the fundamentals Soldiers are expected to perform in any environment.
Sgt. Maj. Mitchell Ledet, the command’s G-3 sergeant major and noncommissioned officer in charge of the competition, said the event was designed to reflect real-world operational demands.
“We built the events to reflect real-world requirements,” Ledet said. “Everything was aligned with higher headquarters guidance and focused on tasks Soldiers are expected to perform in large-scale combat operations.” He said coordination across the formation was critical to executing the competition.
“One of the biggest improvements was making sure every brigade had a voice in the process,” Ledet said. “That shared ownership helped us build a stronger, more effective competition.”
Command Sgt. Maj. Denise M. Malave, the command’s senior enlisted leader, said the competition reinforces standards across the formation and develops leaders.
“We are looking for disciplined teams that are consistent under pressure,” Malave said. “That comes down to adherence to standards, accountability and competence in the fundamentals.”
“This places NCOs in positions where they have to lead in real time, make decisions and be accountable for outcomes,” she said. “It reinforces that NCOs enforce standards, develop Soldiers and drive readiness.”
Robinson is a 2020 Pitman High School graduate. He said he decided to join the Army because he wanted to “challenge myself into trying new things, and have the experience that not many people get to have. I also wanted the ability to see different parts of the world.”
Robinson is a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Specialist assigned to the 7th Engineer Brigade.
In his own words, “a CBRN Specialist deals with identifying chemical, biological and nuclear materials; more importantly prevents other soldiers and equipment from being damaged from any chemical, biological, and nuclear threats.”
The Turlock native said his favorite thing about the Army is “the people I am with. I also love being able to live in different parts of the world.”
His advice to young people thinking about joining the Army: “The Army is challenging so be resilient and open minded to learning new things. I would encourage them to also to take advantage of the many benefits the Army has.”
Six Soldiers from the second-place 16th Sustainment Brigade team will join the selected squad to represent the command at the U.S. Army Europe and Africa-level competition in August, where they will compete against top squads from across the theater.
“This is about building teams that can operate anywhere in the theater,” Lalor said. “The squad moving forward will represent the command against the best in Europe and Africa.”
