1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) names top 2026 Adjutant General professionals

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. - Soldiers from across 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) competed in a demanding, multi-day evaluation to identify the organization’s top Adjutant General professionals and prepare them for the next level of competition.

After three days of academic, physical and scenario-based events, Sgt. Gerardo Reynoso, representing 2nd Battalion, was named the organization’s 2026 Adjutant General (AG) Noncommissioned Officer of the Year. Spc. Alonzo Douglas, representing 5th Psychological Operations Battalion, earned the title of AG Soldier of the Year.

The annual competition serves as 1st SFG(A)’s qualifier for the U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) Adjutant General Soldier of the Year competition, where Reynoso and Douglas will face other top AG professionals from across USASOC.

“The competition serves as the AG professionals’ premier stage is to display what they do technically and tactically,” said Master Sgt. Jeremiah Carr, 1st SFG(A) senior AG Noncommissioned Officer. “We have to create that hard competition to prepare them for the next fight.”

On the first day of the competition competitors completed an academic examination covering AG technical competencies, Army programs, Army history and unit history. Day two began before sunrise with a 12-mile ruck march, with the final day placing competitors before a board of subject-matter experts.

With little separating the top competitors, the final standings reflected just how closely contested the competition had been. Both Reynoso and Douglas won in their respective categories by fewer than five points on a 300-point scale.

While team-based competitions remain an important component of the organization's training and development efforts, the AG competition provides an opportunity for personnel to demonstrate the technical proficiency, critical thinking and individual readiness required to support the force.

“It’s not only about competition with each other,” said Carr. “It’s about challenging yourself to learn something new and to prepare yourself not only for the next level of competition, but your next level of service.”

Throughout the competition, Soldiers were challenged to demonstrate more than technical knowledge or physical endurance. They were expected to prove why they deserved to represent 1st SFG(A).

“Why are you out here right now?” Carr challenged competitors before the 12-mile ruck. “Why does your battalion choose you? Are you actually the best? Show us.”

Both Soldiers will represent 1st SFG(A) as they advance to the next level of competition.