MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – Members of the elite special forces, often referred to as ‘the tip of the spear, faced off last month during U.S. Special Operations Command’s annual Service Member of the Year competition. Thirteen elite warriors, representing the best of the best from across the special operations community, went head-to-head in a grueling four-day test of skill, endurance and mental toughness.
These individuals volunteered to compete from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force special operations commands, Joint Special Operations Command, each of the seven Theater Special Operations Commands, and U.S. SOCOM Headquarters. Each competitor earned their spot through superior performance and dedication.
“The U.S. SOCOM Service Member of the Year competition has been going on for over 10 years, and every year we change it up to keep it fresh and challenging,” said U.S. Army Sergeant 1st Class Jeffrey Schneider, SMOY competition noncommissioned officer in charge with U.S. SOCOM.
The competition was designed to push these already high-performing service members to their absolute limits. They tackled a written essay, physical fitness test, marksmanship event, ruck march and run, and a series of warrior skills tests. The skills test incorporated combat medicine, communications, expert weapons handling and navigating through unfamiliar terrain.
"If you look at the hardest problems facing our Nation in the darkest corners of this Earth – you will find our special operations noncommissioned officers solving them," said U.S. Army Gen. Bryan P. Fenton, commander of U.S. SOCOM. "Our NCOs exemplify the precision and the lethality of your special operations teams and demonstrate our competitive and comparative advantage. They are the reason we are envied by militaries around the globe."
Judges scored each event, tallying up the points to determine the winner. The competition ended with a panel of questions led by the command senior enlisted leaders from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps special operations commands.
“Everyone worked together, encouraging one another through the challenge this week,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Brandon Hochevar, a pharmacy technician at Special Warfare Medical Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, North Carolina. “Working together as a team and sharing different methods of how we do things has been something I feel very fortunate to have been a part of.”
This year's competition highlighted the standards expected of special operations forces, showcasing the dedication and commitment required to maintain the United States military edge. By testing these warriors across a range of combat-relevant skills, the competition directly supports U.S. SOCOM’s goal of building a more lethal and effective fighting force.
“Every individual who came here, volunteered to be here and a part of special operations” said U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Shane Shorter, command senior enlisted leader of U.S. SOCOM. “We expect them to do their job and be experts in their job every day, but what the panel appreciates is the wiliness to volunteer and go above and beyond their day-to-day jobs to compete in this Competition to maybe have the chance to win or lose.”
The winner was from Naval Special Warfare Command, Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, San Diego, California. and was recognized during a banquet dinner at SOF Week 2025, May 8, 2025, where he received the U.S. SOCOM Service Member of the Year Award and a Joint Service Commendation Medal. This recognition not only celebrates individual achievement but also highlights the talent and dedication each competitor,, showcasing the caliber of the service members within the special operations community.