JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD - Serving in an all-volunteer unit such as the Security Force Assistance Brigade requires maturity and initiative, in fact, these are two of the eleven Advisor Attributes the 5th SFAB expects from all of its Advisors.

Resident 5th SFAB bodybuilder Capt. Dan Hughes, an Operations Advisor in 3rd Squadron, recently put these attributes on display placing tenth place during the 2020 Strongman North American National Championship in Montgomery, Alabama Oct. 15-17, 2020.

This was Hughes first time competing as an "at large" athlete with the U.S. Army Warrior Fit Team, but he is no stranger to competitions. Capt. Hughes has been competing in strongman events for over two and a half years and has earned several coveted titles such as "Alaska's Strongest Man" and "Tampa Bay's Strongest Man."

"My Commander, Lt. Col. Trevor O'Malley, has been nothing but supportive in my goals and has allowed me the time to train and compete," Hughes said. "To be competitive in Strongman, you have to prioritize it, and this unit allows me to do that."

Discipline is another Advisor Attribute that Capt. Hughes embodies as he spends countless hours each week in the gym maintaining his chiseled physique.

"Capt. Hughes' ability to codify his own program, and then tailor and replicate the methodology to help others achieve high physical fitness goals is simply unmatched," O'Malley said. "He has already helped implement a C Troop fitness challenge."

Capt. Hughes is not only a leader for his Advisor team, but a team player in the SFAB organization.

As for the future, Capt. Hughes foresees a busy training schedule ahead. After a Joint Readiness Training Center rotation in November, Hughes plans to focus on general strength improvement with a goal of competing in the Arnold Strongman Classic in Columbus, Ohio, March 4-7, 2021.

"I absolutely plan on competing at the Arnold," Hughes said. "I don't foresee any training schedule conflicts so it should work out!"