U.S. soldiers fire their M1A2 Abrams tank in a defensive lane during the U.S. Army Europe and Africa International Tank Challenge at Grafenwoehr Training Area on Feb. 13, 2025. Teams from five countries competed this year. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
GRAFENWOEHR, Germany — Five teams remained in contention heading into the final event of the U.S. Army Europe and Africa International Tank Challenge in Germany to see who would be crowned the best tankers in Europe.
The timed test, revealed to participants at Grafenwoehr Training Area shortly before the start on Monday, featured hand-to-hand combat with foam sticks, a stretcher-carry, a pistol shoot and offensive firing maneuvers on moving targets.
“Time to bleed!” shouted Danish tank commander Staff Sgt. Mathias Erichsen with a wry smile as the circle closed for hand-to-hand combat. The enthusiasm was reciprocated by whooping American soldiers nearby.
Erichsen’s team maintained a slight lead going into the event but was overtaken by a four-man U.S. Army crew from 1st Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment, who were the first Americans to win the competition, which was held from 2016 through 2018 and revived this year.
Erichsen gave the competition his all; at one point he dropped his foam stick, grabbed trainer U.S. Sgt. 1st Class Charles Neal in a headlock and tossed him over his hip. Neal came down hard atop the Dane and pressed him into the ground before they were separated, patting each other on the back out of respect.
U.S. soldiers flip tires during a relay in the U.S. Army Europe and Africa International Tank Challenge at Grafenwoehr Training Area on Feb. 11, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
A Danish tank crew fires its Leopard 2 during the U.S. Army Europe and Africa International Tank Challenge at Grafenwoehr Training Area on Feb. 13, 2025. Teams from five countries put their tank skills to the test in a competition featuring various physical and skill-based challenges. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
Sgt. Graham Parker, a gunner from 1st Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment, is knighted into the Honorable Order of Saint George after his team won the U.S. Army Europe and Africa International Tank Challenge at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, on Feb. 17, 2025. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes)
Five countries at the U.S. Army Europe and Africa International Tank Challenge display their tanks before an opening ceremony at Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany on Feb. 11, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
The competition, sponsored by the 7th Army Training Command, began in 2016 as the Strong Europe Tank Challenge and ran for two years before pausing for other regional competitions and the COVID-19 pandemic, training command spokeswoman Lacey Justinger said.
This year’s contest began Feb. 11 and lasts until Tuesday with the U.S., Denmark, Slovenia, Italy and Switzerland participating. The tank challenge gauges a tanker’s marksmanship, physical fitness and mental acuity in 10 graded events.
“It’s been an amazing experience to watch all the other guys and see what they do and compare our standards,” Erichsen said after collecting a third-place team trophy. Denmark’s other team took second place in the competition.
Pfc. Cole Stanek, a tank driver with 3rd Infantry Division, looks out of an M1A2 Abrams tank Feb. 11, 2025, during a display at Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany. U.S. Army Europe and Africa hosted teams from five countries during a tank competition. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
An M1A2 Abrams tank from 1st Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment fires at a target during the U.S. Army Europe and Africa International Tank Challenge at the 7th Army Training Command's Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany on Feb. 17, 2025. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes)
An Italian tank team displays its Ariete tank Feb. 11, 2025, during opening ceremonies of the U.S. Army Europe and Africa International Tank Challenge at Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
A tank crew from Switzerland enters its Leopard 2 before the opening ceremony of the U.S. Army Europe and Africa International Tank Challenge at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, on Feb. 11, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
On Feb. 11, two tank crews from each country and three from the U.S. began with the “Tanker Olympics.” Teams were timed as they flipped tires, military-pressed inert rounds and sprinted a mile, with the winners able to pick the firing order for future events.
The strenuous competition left soldiers from all nations splayed out on the ground, some heaving and others throwing up. After an opening ceremony that afternoon, the crews were given time to mingle and talk about their tanks.
Army Pfc. Jason Rodriguez Cruz, a 1st Armored Division driver, compared physical fitness routines with Pfc. Rasmus Poulsen, a Danish gunner, while Poulsen showed Rodriguez Cruz his Leopard 2.
“It’s not like we do this to see who’s better,” Poulsen said. “We do this to have a community.”
An American tank crew drives an M1A2 Abrams over a vehicle obstacle during the opening ceremony of the U.S. Army Europe and Africa International Tank Challenge at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, on Feb. 11, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
Service members from Denmark, Italy, Slovenia, Switzerland and the U.S. compete during the U.S. Army Europe and Africa International Tank Challenge at Grafenwoehr Training Area on Feb. 11, 2025, to determine the week's firing order. The competition featured various skill-based and physical fitness events. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Greene, a tank commander from 1st Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment, shows off his Honorable Order of St. George medal for armored excellence after winning the U.S. Army Europe and Africa International Tank Challenge at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, on Feb. 17, 2025. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes)
Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment team receive their trophy from Brig. Gen. Steven Carpenter, far left, commander of the 7th Army Training Command, after winning the U.S. Army Europe and Africa International Tank Challenge at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, on Feb. 17, 2025. From left, tank commander Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Greene, gunner Sgt. Graham Parker, loader Spc. Donovan Lavery and driver Pfc. Nicolae Lawson. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes)
After a week of night shoots and freezing temperatures, two Danish teams, two American teams and a Swiss team were all that remained.
The team from 1st Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment sped across the range in their M1A2 Abrams, loading and firing in fast succession.
The winners received Army Commendation Medals and initiation into the U.S. Cavalry and Armor Association’s Honorable Order of St. George for armored excellence.
The winning American team was made up of tank commander Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Greene, gunner Sgt. Graham Parker, loader Spc. Donovan Lavery and driver Pfc. Nicolae Lawson.
“It was definitely a challenge,” Greene said. “It’s an honor to be the first American crew to do it.”
A Slovenian tanker lifts a dummy round over his head during a physical competition at the U.S. Army Europe and Africa International Tank Challenge at Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany on Feb. 11, 2025. The physical events allowed the five countries participating to compete for their preferred firing order for the week. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
Denmark, Slovenia, Switzerland, Italy and the U.S. line up to fire their tanks at the opening ceremony of the U.S. Army Europe and Africa International Tank Challenge at Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany on Feb. 11, 2025. Teams from the five countries put their tank skills to the test in a competition to determine Europe's best tank team. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
Members of a Leopard 2 tank team from Denmark display their unit patch at the U.S. Army Europe and Africa International Tank Challenge at Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany on Feb. 11, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
The five countries involved in the U.S. Army Europe and Africa International Tank Challenge display their tanks before an opening ceremony at Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany on Feb. 11, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
Danish tank commander Staff Sgt. Mathias Erichsen, right, tosses U.S. Sgt. 1st Class Charles Neal of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command during the final event of the U.S. Army Europe and Africa International Tank Challenge at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, on Feb. 17, 2025. Erichsen's team finished third in the competition. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes)
An M1A2 Abrams tank from the U.S. Army's 2nd Squadron, 13th Cavalry Regiment fires a round at a target during the U.S. Army Europe and Africa International Tank Challenge at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, on Feb. 17, 2025. The team finished in fourth place. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes)
