The 167th Theater Sustainment Command (TSC), Alabama Army National Guard hosted the Central Alabama BEST Robotics Game Day Oct. 21, 2017 at the Armed Forces Readiness Center in Anniston, Ala. Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology (BEST) is an organization that encourages middle school and high school students to pursue degrees in engineering and science-based fields. The organization also holds a national competition each year.
Members of robotics teams from 17 schools in the Central Alabama region competed for trophies in several categories. They were given six weeks to plan and build working robots to compete on game day, with three specific tasks to complete in the allotted time.
The first task was to have a robot move a wooden stick figure to an area designated as a stretcher. The second was to relocate three cans that represented hazardous material to a safe area. The final job was to use pingpong balls to knock down cups stacked at various heights.
SFC Jamie Keith, an Alabama National Guard recruiter, kicked off the event by talking about the new Alabama National Guard Educational Assistance Program (ANGEAP) and the role technology plays in an ever-changing Army.
“It was a good opportunity to talk to these students about the new ANGEAP for Soldiers, which provides up to $5,080 per semester to in-state colleges,” SFC Keith said. “The way the military is evolving, technology and robotics have an important role in helping us accomplish the mission. This event perfectly highlights how technology can help get tasks done. The BEST organization’s goal of encouraging students to pursue degrees, and our goal of helping Alabama National Guard Soldiers get their college degrees, go hand in hand.”
SGT Rocky Vickery, an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) sergeant in the 666th EOD unit from nearby Jacksonville, Ala., said there’s an obvious comparison between what the students accomplish in the BEST competition and what his Soldiers achieve in their missions.
“They are getting tasks accomplished without having someone physically do it,” SGT Vickery said. “That is the exact same thing we do. What they do here is a small-scale, less-intense version of what we do out in the field, but the concept is the same.”
SGT Vickery talked about the role of robotics in today’s operational environment and the emphasis placed on protecting the lives of Soldiers and civilians through the use of robots.
“Specifically, a huge obstacle we face right now is the use of IEDs [improvised explosive devices],” SGT Vickery said. “We use robots to assess and address any threats, which protects our Soldiers in the field from having to be directly in harm’s way.”
Hosting the event offered another way for the 167th TSC to be involved in the community and support youth in the region. “It helps give back to the community,” said SSG Howard Storey, a training noncommissioned officer at the 167th TSC. “We get to give back to the kids of Alabama and give them the opportunity to show off their skills. We get to provide a platform.”
It was the first time the BEST competition was held at the Armed Forces Readiness Center, and SSG Storey would like to see the event return.
“We hope they come back,” he said. “It was an exciting event.”
by SGT Jeremy Dunkle, Alabama National Guard
