(Story by Tai Doick, Fort Gordon)
The U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence (CCoE) at Fort Gordon officially named its 2026 Best Squad during the CCoE Best Warrior competition ceremony on March 27, 2026, at Darling Hall, recognizing five soldiers who will now represent the command at the U.S. Army Combined Arms Command-led Transformation and Training Command (T2COM) Best Squad Competition May 2-8 at Fort Polk, Louisiana.
The announcement followed a week of physically demanding and tactically rigorous competition that brought together 23 soldiers from across the CCoE
Over seven days, competitors were tested on physical fitness, marksmanship, land navigation, obstacle courses and warrior tasks that was evaluated under the Army’s Total Soldier Concept.
From that field, the CCoE Best Squad was formed. It was comprised of top-performing soldiers from multiple formations, placing immediate emphasis on building cohesion, trust and shared purpose.
Selected based on their performance across these events, the squad consists of Sgt. 1st Class Michael D. Duran, 369th Signal Battalion; Sgt. Misael Burgos, 401st Cyber Battalion; Spc. Casey Phipps, 369th Signal Battalion; Spc. Erik Clark, 401st Cyber Battalion; and Pfc. Davis Ray, 401st Cyber Battalion.
In addition to being selected as squad leader, Duran was also recognized as the CCoE 2026 Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, while Ray earned honors as the CCoE 2026 Soldier of the Year, underscoring the squad’s exceptional level of performance across both leadership and individual categories.
Maj. Gen. Ryan Janovic, commanding general of the Cyber Center of Excellence and Fort Gordon, emphasized the broader significance of the competition and its direct link to Army readiness.
“These five soldiers are proof that technical expertise and tactical lethality are not mutually exclusive, they’re inseparable. The rigor of this competition mirrors the demands of the modern battlefield, and I’m confident they’ll represent the Cyber Center of Excellence with the same excellence they’ve shown here. This is what readiness looks like,” he said.
CCOE Best Warrior Competition 2026 video by Staff Sgt. Xavier Legarreta
CCoE Command Sgt. Maj. Timothy McGuire reinforced that message, highlighting the squad’s performance under pressure.
“These five soldiers didn’t just meet the standard, they exceeded it under pressure, demonstrating the tactical and technical excellence we demand across the Cyber Center of Excellence. I’m proud to prepare them for the T2COM competition, where they’ll prove what we already know: our Signal and Cyber Soldiers are warfighters first, technical experts always.”
The soldiers now begin the next phase of their journey, representing CCoE at the T2COM Best Squad Competition, where they will compete against top squads across the Army to determine the Best Squad of the Year, Noncommissioned Officer of the Year and Soldier of the Year.
For Duran, success is defined beyond competition results.
“What I’m looking forward to the most as we train for the Best Squad competition is training with the squad,” Duran said. “If we leave this competition better than we were when we started, then I think no matter what, we have succeeded as a squad.”
That focus on growth and adaptability was echoed across the squad.
Clark reflected on identifying both strengths and weaknesses through the competition.
“From this competition, I learned what weaknesses I have and what strengths I have,” Clark said. “From this competition, I’m going to work on my weaknesses and amplify my strengths for Best Squad.”
Phipps emphasized the importance of building cohesion moving forward.
“What I’m looking forward to is getting with my squad and getting a better connection with them, and train with them,” Phipps said.
For Burgos, the competition provided exposure beyond his primary duties.
“The most I learned was all the medical stuff,” Burgos said. “I’m supply, so I don’t really work with that, but doing the training and exercises, now I know something that I didn’t know in the past that I can keep in my kit bag for the future.”
He added that the experience tested both physical and mental endurance.
“The whole experience was great. I pushed my body; I did the best I could. Some days I was high, some days I was low, but that’s part of competitions, but we are ready here to do the next step.”
For Ray, motivation came from those closest to him.
“What motivated me was my family and my first sergeant, and I wanted to prove to them that I have what it takes to excel,” Ray said.
Throughout the competition, soldiers operated under compressed timelines and high operational stress, requiring not only technical excellence but adaptability and resilience—core attributes that directly support Army readiness and combat effectiveness.
As they prepare for T2COM, the squad carries forward not only their individual achievements but also the collective pride of their Signal and Cyber Regiments.
Their selection marks the beginning of a new mission, representing CCoE with excellence, demonstrating the Army’s commitment to unity through teamwork, merit through performance, and lethality through readiness.
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