An Air Force Reservist helped lead a joint U.S. military team to third place in the novice division at the 2026 International Confederation of Reserve Officers Military Competition held in Bucharest, Romania, according to the Department of War.
Air Force Lt. Col. Lance Speed competed as part of 18 American reserve service members from the Air Force Reserve Command and Army Reserve Command against 37 teams from 14 NATO member states.
The military pentathlon tested competitors across five disciplines: combat marksmanship, land obstacle course, water obstacle course, utility hand grenade throwing accuracy, and military orientation march.
Speed prepared through a 15-day overseas mission beginning with a week of training at the Hellenic Army Academy in Athens, Greece, followed by two days of weapons familiarization and live-fire training in Romania with foreign defense platforms.
Speed's three-member joint team placed in the top four in five of the competition's seven categories, securing the highest novice shooting score, highest novice hand grenade score, and third-fastest water obstacle course time in their division.
Speed, assigned to the 919th Special Operations Wing, said he valued the experience of working with international military partners from different organizations and nations.