Special Forces Soldier Earns Fort Bragg Athlete of the Year Award

[Dan]

Special Forces Soldier Earns Fort Bragg Athlete of the Year Award
USASOC News Service

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (USASOC News Service, April 12, 2007) – An Army Special Forces Soldier became the first ever to win the Fort Bragg Male Athlete of the Year Award in two consecutive years and was recognized for his achievement during a ceremony here April 11.

Sgt. 1st Class Troy E. Kirk, a Special Forces intelligence sergeant with 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), received the award for his incredible athletic success during the past year.

Kirk said his accomplishments include success in road races, track and field, and swimming.

On the road, he’s often won or placed in the top of his age group at various local races around Fayetteville. More impressively, during Fort Bragg’s track and field meets in 2006, both spring and fall competitions, Kirk earned more medals than any other competitor. His accolades for both competitions included 14 gold medals and 11 silver medals. At the post swim meet, the 38-year-old Kirk dominated his age group - winning 11 medals, including four gold and four silver.

The Fort Bragg Athlete of the Year Award is presented to Soldiers who exhibit outstanding military performance and sportsmanship as well as participation, demonstrated leadership, and athletic achievement in the installation intramural and/or higher level sports programs. Military bearing, appearance, and behavior of the highest standards are also considered.

Col. Ben Hodges, the XVIII Airborne Corps chief of staff related that this is a very significant achievement, saying that when people think of Fort Bragg, they think of paratroopers and special operations -- they also think of fitness.

He also stated that Fort Bragg attracts a lot of Soldiers who strive for excellence, and the Soldiers who win the award are those whom others want to follow.

“Kirk embodies the noncommissioned officer others want to follow, and exhibited outstanding leadership traits as he assumed the organizational and coaching responsibilities associated with the Fort Bragg Ten-Miler teams this past year,” his Command Sergeant Major Jeff Wright said. “He’s been involved with the post’s Ten-Miler team for the past five years and realized profound coaching success as the women’s team won the Commander’s Cup at the Army Ten-Miler in Washington, D.C., and the men finished just seconds behind the victorious U.S. Army Korea Team.”

Kirk sets the example for both older and younger Soldiers stating, "the younger guys need to step up their game and older guys need to know they can still do it."

He credits the stability of his former position at the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School with his ability to maintain a consistent training schedule – a schedule that sometimes includes three workouts and more than 20 miles of running per day.

When asked how he does it all, he described a regimen of fitness, diet and health. His diet consists of balanced meals high in nutrition and low in fat.

"I cut the soda," says Kirk, "and drink lots of water during the season." Additionally, he’s been able to surround himself with others who push the limit everyday, stating, "in Special Forces, I’m constantly around guys who could have sought a professional athletic career, but instead chose to join the Army."

He also notes the quality of the men and women on the Ten–Miler team as a motivator during intense training sessions.

Most importantly, however, Kirk says that the support of his wife and five children has been critical. This was evident as his youngest daughter helped Hodges present a giant trophy to him as he beamed joyfully.

When asked how he felt, Kirk simply stated, "to rise to the cream of the crop -- it’s pretty amazing."

--usasoc--