(Story by Spc. Samantha Power, United States Army Cyber Center of Excellence)
Soldiers and community members participated in the inaugural Gary Gordon Challenge and 5K at Barton Field on Oct. 24, 2026, honoring the legacy of Medal of Honor recipient Master Sgt. Gary I. Gordon through a competition designed to test physical endurance, tactical skills and teamwork.
Organized by the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence (CCoE) and Fort Gordon, the event featured a timed 5-kilometer competition in which two-person teams navigated 12 physically demanding task stations. A separate 5K run and walk gave military personnel, families and community members an opportunity to participate.
A total of 178 participants completed the 5K portion, while 46 teams competed in the first Gary Gordon Challenge.
Competitors completed the course wearing Army combat uniforms, boots and protective equipment, including plate carriers weighing at least 25 pounds. The challenge included rope climbs, weighted carries, deadlifts, sled drags and body-weight movements, requiring teammates to coordinate their efforts while racing against the clock.
Among the required tasks, teams completed 100 body-weight squats, loaded and unloaded 24 sandbags, and dragged a 90-pound sled for 160 meters. Each competitor also completed a 20-foot rope climb. The event used staggered starts, with teams progressing through the course while graders monitored performance and assessed penalties for incomplete or unattempted tasks.
Pvt. Benjamin DeJesus of the 551st Signal Battalion said he would recommend the event to others.
“Absolutely,” DeJesus said. “If you really want to push yourself, this will do it. It shows you how athletic you really are.”
1st Sgt. Alexander Buza, headquarters branch chief for the Fort Gordon Noncommissioned Officer Academy, said the event carries special meaning because of the legacy it honors.
“I truly take this event to heart,” Buza said. “Being one of the main coordinators, I want to honor his legacy and put leaders through events that inspire them to push harder as a team. This event builds courage, leadership and teamwork among the individuals competing.”
The event commemorated Gordon, a U.S. Army special operations sniper whose actions during the Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia on Oct. 3, 1993, earned him the Medal of Honor.
While providing aerial security during a military operation, Gordon and fellow sniper Sgt. 1st Class Randall D. Shughart repeatedly volunteered to protect the crew of a downed U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter. Despite the danger posed by overwhelming enemy forces, the two soldiers were inserted near the crash site, where they fought to defend the aircraft and its surviving crew.
Both men were killed during the battle, but their actions helped save the life of the helicopter’s surviving pilot, Chief Warrant Officer Michael Durant. Gordon and Shughart were posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for extraordinary heroism and sacrifice.
Fort Gordon was officially dedicated in Gordon’s honor on Sept. 26, 2025, establishing a lasting connection between the installation and his legacy of selfless service.
The challenge reflected that legacy by emphasizing perseverance, shared responsibility and teamwork – qualities central to military service and the demands of the competition.
Ian Gordon, the son of Medal of Honor recipient Master Sgt. Gary Gordon, said the event serves as both a tribute and a personal reminder.
“To me, it’s a gut check, a memory and a sense of pride,” Gordon said. “It’s nowhere near what those men went through that day, but it’s a small piece of it. It will always stay with me, and events like this should continue.”
Alongside the competitive challenge, the separate 5K run and walk allowed participants to take part without completing the additional physical task stations, extending the event’s reach beyond the competition itself.
The winning team of the Gary Gordon Challenge was Pfc. Trenton Wilmore and Pvt. Ezekiel Hernandez, both of the 551st Signal Battalion, with a finishing time of 37 minutes, 55 seconds.
“I thought it was amazing,” said Hernandez, explaining how it felt to be competing in the Gary Gordon Challenge, “just experiencing the camaraderie, or the atmosphere of other men and women pursuing the drive to get better and work hard.”
The team received a large trophy that will bear their names as the first winners of the challenge and will be displayed at the Cyber Center of Excellence headquarters. They also received a smaller glass plaque bearing the name of the challenge.
Through competition and remembrance, the Gary Gordon Challenge brought together soldiers and members of the Fort Gordon community to recognize a legacy defined by courage, sacrifice and commitment to others.
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