Minnesota Guard Soldiers Test Skills at National Best Mechanic Competition
Jointly hosted by the Utah Army National Guard and the National Guard Bureau, the symposium brought together maintenance teams from across the 54 U.S. states and territories to share best practices and test their technical proficiency through a series of complex maintenance events. The winner of the competition will represent the National Guard Bureau at the Army Best Mechanic Competition at Fort Lee, Virginia in May 2027.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Tee Vang, assigned to the 224th Transportation Company, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Robert Theuringer, assigned to Bravo Company, 134th Brigade Support Battalion, represented the Minnesota National Guard during the competition. The team was sponsored by Chief Warrant Officer 4 Jesse Siemer, senior maintenance warrant officer with the 134th Brigade Support Battalion and the fulltime supervisor to both mechanics at the Field Maintenance Shop 1, in Rosemount, Minn.
Competitors navigated rigorous timed tasks designed to evaluate technical knowledge, troubleshooting abilities and teamwork under pressure. Facing 14 teams, Vang and Theuringer finished fourth overall, with the Oregon National Guard taking first place.
Vang said success hinged on balancing strict attention to detail with efficiency to properly diagnose and repair equipment — an approach he plans to emphasize back home.
“I learned that careful planning and methodical diagnosis saves time and avoids expensive errors when under pressure,” Vang said. “Prioritize planning, identify the underlying cause, and never omit a step.”
That precision extended to the grading of all competitors. Evaluators shadowed each team, verifying adherence to safety protocols and technical manuals while questioning competitors on their diagnostic rationale.
“They made sure of this by asking us to describe how we figured out the solution, how we troubleshooted, and even what wire number it was and how much voltage was displayed,” Vang said. “It was amazing how detailed each grader was.”
Working against the clock also reinforced the importance of seamless crew communication and role distribution. Vang noted that future competitors must recognize each partner's strengths, requisition required specialty tools early and divide tasks whenever feasible.
“I would advise future competitors to plan and manage their time effectively as soon as they are given their task,” Vang said. “Rely on one another, have faith in one another, and divide and conquer any task that doesn’t need help. The last piece of advice is to always wear personal protective equipment.”
The Best Mechanic Competition has grown beyond Utah in recent years. According to Siemer, the Utah Army National Guard has conducted internal best mechanic competitions for more than 12 years and began opening the event to teams from other states and territories approximately four years ago.
“The event is mainly full-time Technician based, M-Day mechanics are welcome to sign up and attend if their units have funding available,” said Siemer. “They invite other states to compete with a limited number of teams on a first come basis.”
For Minnesota’s team, the fourth place finish provided an opportunity to measure their skills alongside maintainers from across the National Guard while bringing lessons learned back to Minnesota to bolster readiness across the state.
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