Clovis native named Soldier of the Year

CLOVIS — Clovis native and National Guardsman Nathaniel “Nate” Rubio became Soldier of the Year this month after winning the New Mexico Army National Guard Best Warrior Challenge earlier this month.

Rubio will move on to represent the state in the regional competition, which will take place in Colorado Springs Monday.

The 2018 Clovis High grad joined the New Mexico National Guard in 2019, and has served in the Bravo Company ever since.

Rubio was the first of nine competitors to finish the ruck march, one of many grueling competitions that put soldiers' military training skills and knowledge to the test.

The competition began at the battalion level, Rubio said, and he was not the first to be chosen to compete.

Rubio said another soldier was due to compete, but was unable to attend.

“They kind of just threw me in there,” Rubio said. “And I like to say I hold my own.”

After breezing through the battalion level competition, he went face to face with soldiers on the state level, and “seemed to do all right.”

The ruck march, which required competitors to carry more than 40 pounds of equipment in their rucksacks and traverse an undisclosed distance over rugged desert terrain in under three hours, is where Rubio dominated.

Rubio said that the physical aspect of the competition was not as difficult as the written exam and essay.

The most physically demanding part of the competition for him was the water survival test, Rubio said.

“That one was probably the most physically demanding,” he said, “just because I haven't swam in I don’t know how long.”

The shooting portion of the competition was what Rubio enjoyed most, he said.

The shooting portion took place at the NRA Whittington Center in Raton, where the warriors competed using the M-16 rifle and the M-9 pistol.

In the end, Rubio is determined to continue advancing in the competition.

“Seeing what I can do, trying to be a better me and learning what I need to improve on, and what I need to work on,” is what motivates him, Rubio said. “I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing. Try to improve on my skills, try to improve on my knowledge. Take everything I can from the military. It’s always good everyday skills, good everyday things you can use throughout your daily lives.”

Rubio said he hopes he does OK on Monday, but doesn’t really feel much pressure.

“I’m going to go and do what I know how to do and do what I can. Hopefully I can take first in this next one and go to nationals,” Rubio added.

The national competition traditionally happens in July, and no location has been announced. Rubio hopes if he makes it to that level, he will get to compete somewhere he has never been before.