CRTC BAC airman makes history in Best Warrior competition

A Pass Christian native relied on his mental and physical toughness to make history for the Mississippi National Guard.
The Combat Readiness Training Center Battlefield Airmen Center in Gulfport is celebrating the accomplishments of Technical Sergeant Joshua Parker. The Air National Guardsman represented the base in this year’s Best Warrior Competition which is an Army contest that took place last week at Camp McCain.
After excelling in a weapons qualification, a physical fitness test, a land navigation exercise and a written exam, Parker became the first airman ever selected as noncommissioned officer of the year. “Of course, the Army is going to be coming for us now pretty strong so we definitely want to be prepared. We can’t just back out of the event now that we’re in it. So, I just want to train guys to do their best. Not really so much compete against the Army, but to compete against themselves, better themselves.”
Technical Sgt. Joshua Parker is part of the security forces team at the base and also a state trooper with the Mississippi Highway Patrol.