Sgt. Sherri Gallagher Chosen As U.S. Army Soldier of the Year
By Brian Lepley, Michael Molinaro, Alexandra Hemmerly-Brown
Sgt. Sherri Gallagher of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, a soldier with 21 national rifle shooting records, added one more trophy: the U.S. Army’s Soldier of the Year award. This award is given to the top Soldier at the Army’s Annual Best Warrior competition. At the U.S. Army Assn. Annual meeting on Oct. 25th, Sgt. Gallagher was named Soldier of the Year by Kenneth Preston, Sergeant Major of the Army, and Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, Army Vice Chief of Staff. Sgt. Gallagher was selected for SOY honors over 11 other Best Warrior competitors from the Army’s major commands.
Sgt. Sherri Gallagher’s young life has been one of high achievement. Gallagher, one of the nation’s top long-range rifle shooters, won the National High Power Rifle Championship this summer. Now the 26-year old rifle shooter/instructor for the Army Marksmanship Unit is the first female ever to win the Army’s Best Warrior competition.
“This is such an honor — I don’t think it has sunk in yet,” Gallagher said moments after the announcement here Monday. “Any one of us could have won the competition. I learned so much from everybody out here and loved every minute of this experience.” The Best Warrior event, held Oct. 18-22 at Fort Lee, Virginia, is a multi-faceted test of soldiery. This year’s competition included hand-to-hand combat, urban orienteering, detainee operations, casualty evaluation, weapons familiarization and night firing. “The reason I was successful is the training my sponsor, Sgt. 1st Class David Steinbach, developed for me,” said Gallagher. “He pushed me so hard that I was ready for everything during the competition. I wish that I could share this with him because it truly was a team effort.”
Sgt. Gallagher’s preparation was tested at every level during the week at Fort Lee. Following a board led by SMA Preston Oct. 18, competitors were tested on their knowledge in a written exam and essay. Three days of field exercises Oct. 20-22 came next. The candidates conducted urban orienteering Wednesday and each led a squad through simulated battle operations that included engaging insurgents, tending wounded soldiers on the battlefield, and a stress shoot while moving under ‘enemy’ fire.
One event Gallagher was expected to ace, of course, was M4 rifle qualification. “It was faster-paced, quick, reactive shooting, but all shooting’s the same,” she said, “Keep your sights aligned and you’re good. I’m always more comfortable with a gun in my hand.”
In between preparing for her boards and Soldier competitions, Gallagher became the first U.S. military shooter since 1987 to win the Nat’l High Power Rifle Championship. She was only the second woman ever to win — the first being her mother, Nancy Tompkins.
Sgt. Gallagher’s family is legendary in U.S. shooting competition. Gallagher fired her first weapon at 5 years old. She spent her childhood summers touring shooting competitions with her parents, both competitive shooters, and now participates in the World Championships every four years. “My goal is to make the Olympic team,” Gallagher said, although long-range shooting is not yet an Olympic sport.
“My family is always there for me — we are really close,” Gallagher said. “Being named Best Warrior was that much more special since my mom was there sitting next to me today. I am who I am today because of my family. We have so much fun and live life that way.”
Sgt. Gallagher also gave credit to her fellow soldiers: “My Army family is awesome. My teammates on the service rifle team have always had my back. The entire unit went out of its way to support me in any way they could. Even the leadership at Accessions Support Brigade and Accessions Command would call me and offer help.”
This week begins a year of Gallagher representing the Army as its best enlisted Soldier. Next week, however, it’s back to training — Gallagher heads to Airborne School at Fort Benning, GA, before attending Warrior Leaders Course soon after that.
“How great is the Army?” Gallagher asked. “I just got to spend a week with some of the most talented people this Army has to offer, and in a few weeks I get to jump out of an airplane. Nothing is better than being a Soldier.”
Related Story from Prescott (AZ) Daily Courier (Interview with Sherri and family members.)
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Congratulations. What a gal. What a soldier. Awesome!
Watch it 6mmbr. There’s 2 wars going on and soldiers who are tacking live fire who did not receive this award.
Congratulations to Sherri on her success. Obama sucks!
As everyone knows in the shooting community, Sherri is simply exceptional — kinda from another world of excellence. Now, it appears that she is an even better soldier.
Keep in mind that no small part of Sherri’s duties with the USAMU is to train our troups in marksmanship — some of which lack fundamental rifleman skills when they enter the service.
Her efforts make her a “multiplier” far beyond any actual combat service as an “Army of One”. The best all around soldier and shooter in the world has shared her skillset with hundreds, if not thousands, of our troups — and her dedication has no doubt saved untold numbers of American lives who have called upon what they learned form Sgt. Sherri Gallager while engaged in defending the United States of America.
God bless those who have shed their blood for America on foreign soil, and God bless those who have prevented the bleeding of so many more.
Semper Fi,
Jim Hardy
I have not had the privelege of shooting with Sherri but I have shot with her mom (Nancy), step father (Mid), and sister (Michelle).
Sherri shares the fine qualities and hard work ethic of the rest of her family. It makes us very proud to know she is serving our country. Way to go Sherri, I know your mom could not be prouder of you. Look forward to day when we can meet and shoot together. You mom was the best shooting instructor I have ever shot with.
Don’t forget to bend your knees when you are landing at jump school.
Congratulations
Nat Lambeth
James West,
The Army SOY/Best Warrior competition is a “stakes” multiple event competition. It is not a MVP-type award.
The competition was comprised of boards and phyical events/soldier skills at multiple levels from unit, brigade, major command, and finally Army-wide.
Do you understand that a Soldier who was not involved in the process cannot compete?
These competitions have been going on for decades, including the last 9 years we have been at war. Don’t be ignorant. The award is not meant to elevate SGT Gallagher over any other Soldier, just to acknowledge her winning a specific competition.
The Army also has Best Ranger, Sapper, and Medic competitions-among others.
Emil Preslick,
Perhaps I was to hasty in my judgement.
Sherri is with out a doubt top gun and the shooting sports are much richer thanks to her contributions.
Well done Sherri, sounds like your having a great time doing your service , keep up the good work.
Sheeri all the best
i am proud to be a woman
thank you for your service
god bless you always and bless
your family