Combat engineers in the Army, also known as “Sappers,” will compete for the “Best Sapper” title at the 18th Lt. Gen. Robert B. Flowers Sapper Competition at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., Friday through April 28.

Competitors will be expected to perform advanced tasks under extreme stress and pressure, lack of sleep, long hours and a lot of miles on their feet, according to Capt. Stephen O’Brien, Sapper Training Company commander.

“Sappers can complete any task because they are some of the strongest soldiers, both mentally and physically,” O’Brien said.

The U.S. Army Best Sapper Competition began in 2005 and is open to two-person teams. The competition not only determines the next “Best Sapper” team but tests Army combat engineers’ knowledge, physical prowess and mental fortitude. To compete, at least one team member must have earned a Sapper tab from the 28-day Sapper Leader Course at Fort Leonard Wood.

Competitors will arrive already tired to the opening ceremony Friday, according to Sgt. 1st Class Joshua Mohon, and for their grand entrance they will rappel from CH-47 Chinook helicopters. Thirty-five teams of two are then set to begin the competition.

Expect competitors will be “caught off guard” by some of the tasks this year, Mohon said.

“We are getting to do things a little bit differently,” he said. “It will be a new experience for competitors.”

For this year’s competition, O’Brien said organizers have integrated emerging technologies.

“As we celebrate 40 years of the Sapper Leader Course, we are integrating legacy tasks and events into the competition, in addition to modern tasks,” O’Brien said. “We are embracing our legacy as we step into the future.”

Community members can attend the four-day challenge to show their support for the competitors, see military vehicles and weapons on display and participate in other events happening during the competition. There will be an interactive map available to spectators to follow and understand the events taking place.

Daily spectator guidance and team standings are scheduled to be posted on the competition’s official Facebook page. The winners of the 2025 Best Sapper Competition will be announced during an awards ceremony at Nutter Field House at Fort Leonard Wood on Sunday.

To learn more, visit the Army’s Best Sapper Competition page.