Sault Ste. Marie Resident Named Top Soldier

LANSING, MICH--Spc. Carl T. Cole of Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., has been named

the soldier of the year, after winning a statewide competition held at the

Michigan National Guard headquarters in Lansing.

The soldier of the year is awarded annually to the best all around

(enlisted) soldier in the Michigan Army National Guard. Soldiers who

compete in this competition report to a military board where they are

quizzed and then judged on their knowledge of current events; proper wear of

the Army uniform; drill and ceremonies; leadership; training; Army programs

and common tasks (such as assembling/dissembling an M-16 rifle, map reading,

land navigation and reaction to enemy attack).

Cole, a member of the 1437th Engineer Company, Michigan Army National Guard,

located in Sault Ste. Marie, is now eligible to compete at the national

level. That contest will be held later this winter.

Cole, a bridge crewmember and radio telephone operator for the 1437th, has

been in the Michigan National Guard for two years. He attended basic

training at Fort LeonardWood Mo. in 1998.

In civilian life, Cole works for the Edison Sault Electric Company at Sault

Ste. Marie as a electronic technician and recently completed a bachelor of

science in electrical engineering from Lake Superior State University.

Cole and his wife, Michele have one child, Faith who is one month old. Cole

is the son of Donald and Debra Cole of Sault Ste. Marie.

Dawn Dancer
of the
Michigan National Guard Public Affairs office