ESU Success Stories – Matthew Phelan

Staff Sergeant Matthew Phelan ’02 was a finalist in the U.S. Army’s prestigious “Best Warrior” competition, a physical and mental contest that named the best soldier and best non-commissioned officer of the year. The contest started with more than 1 million competitors and narrowed down to a field of the 24 most elite soldiers in the Army, National Guard, and Reserves, Phelan among them.

“It’s a humongous honor,” Phelan said. “Being recognized as the best of the best by your company and by your commanding officers tells you that you’re the best in your field.”

Phelan joined the Army just a few months after graduating from ESU with a degree in sociology and criminal justice, and he says that completing his undergraduate degree prepared him well for service.   “A lot of people come in when they’re 18, but by the time I got here, I had been through college and had grown up a little more.”

He has completed three tours of duty in Iraq, and was promoted to staff sergeant on Oct. 1.

The final round of the “Best Warrior” contest was held over three days in September at Fort Lee, Va. The series of tasks included written examinations, a timed two-mile run, and “urban orienteering,” in which soldiers were asked to locate certain points scattered over a large geographical area.

“You end up walking from five to seven miles within a two- to three-hour period,” he said. “And then you do it again that night.” Phelan spent months preparing by physically working out and studying.

“One big part of the competition is called the ‘Board Appearance,’ and the sergeant majors can ask you questions about almost anything related to the Army, from military justice to Army procedures,” he recalled. Competing soldiers also must be up on about current events, and write an essay as part of the examinations.

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