Uzbek military personnel compete with U.S. National Guard Special Units at Camp Shelby

Representing the Uzbekistan Ministry of Defense were Junior Sergeant Alishokh Abdullaev and Third-Class Sergeant Shokhrukh Jovqashev, who participated in the event at Camp Shelby from March 17–20.

According to the Ministry of Defense’s press service, as reported to Kun.uz, the competition was organized to strengthen international military cooperation and enhance the prestige of serving in special units. During the event, Uzbek military personnel competed head-to-head with their U.S. National Guard counterparts.

“The competition required our servicemen to successfully complete a range of tasks, including individual physical fitness tests (comprising six exercises), an obstacle course testing physical and mental endurance, a 15-kilometer nighttime navigation challenge, a 20-kilometer march with a 15-kilogram load, combat and general preparedness tests, a 500-word essay on military cooperation, artillery fire coordination, partial disassembly and reassembly of U.S.-standard firearms followed by firing in various methods and conditions, medical training, protection against weapons of mass destruction, and surprise exercises,” the ministry stated.

Notably, the Uzbek team completed the group challenge — a 20-kilometer march with a 15-kilogram load — in 1 hour and 50 minutes. In individual events, Third-Class Sergeant Shokhrukh Jovqashev covered a 3,219-meter distance in 11 minutes and 18 seconds, while Junior Sergeant Alishokh Abdullaev completed a 250-meter run with complex exercises in 1 minute and 18 seconds and threw a 5-kilogram ball 12.3 meters. According to the ministry, the Uzbek servicemen set new competition records across all these tasks.

At the conclusion of the event, the Uzbek military personnel were awarded a special prize for their outstanding performance.