Army National Guardsman Gains Honors While Deployed to the Middle East

Sgt. Zachary Flaxbeard is a chemical operations specialist with a decontamination unit based at . Right now he is serving at Camp As Sayliyah in Qatar.

A St. Louis Army National Guardsman, he continues to rack up honors while deployed to the Middle East.

Flaxbeard was recently named runner up in the 2012 “Best Warrior” Non-commissioned Officer/Soldier of the Year Competition for the Third Army’s U.S. Central Command at Camp Buehring, Kuwait.

He was one of eight soldiers whose unites chose them to compete in the four-day event.

 “It’s a win-win situation for the competitor and the Army,” said Command Sgt. Major Stephen Frennier, in a statement. “The competition makes each competitor a better soldier and a better noncommissioned officer for their units."

The Army’s annual Best Warrior competition requires soldiers to excel in physical fitness, day and night land navigation, marksmanship, a written exam and interviews before a formal board of one’s peers. In some events, soldiers were required to complete a mission task wearing full body armor in temperatures well over 100 degrees. 

Flaxbeard was deployed to Qatar last year with the 175th Military Police Battalion for a year-long base security mission, as Qatar serves as a central staging and recreation area for all U.S. Troops in the region.

In April, he was named the 2012 Noncommissioned Officer of the Year for Area Support Group Qatar and he was the .

He said like the competition, he pushes himself as an example for others to follow.

“I love inspiring soldiers to maximize their own potential,” he said. I want them to challenge themselves to do the best they can.”

Flaxbeard, the son of Tom Flaxbeard, of Overland, and Venessa Arseneau, .