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2LT Marchi ’24 Spearheads Inaugural Space Force Top Guardian Competition 

Category: Grad News
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By Erika Norton, WPAOG Senior Multimedia Journalist 

Space Operations Command hosted the inaugural Top Guardian competition, designed to test the elite physical culture and mental fortitude of U.S. Space Force Guardians on June 3, 2025. 2LT Maximus Marchi ’24 served as the officer in charge of the event.

The demanding course spanned a 12-mile route around Schriever Space Force Base in Colorado and featured eight physical challenges alongside eight tactical tasks. Competitors were evaluated on both speed and accuracy, reflecting the comprehensive expertise required on today’s battlefield. 

“As the battlespace develops further away from conventional warfare, the decisive point of battle shifts closer to space in many tactical situations,” Marchi said. “It is necessary that the Space Force fosters a warfighting culture in order to ensure the defense of the ultimate high ground—a culture of urgency, decisiveness, and lethal precision. The intent of the Top Guardian Competition was to encourage Guardians to make the connection between warfighting and our mission, while recognizing those individuals who fully embrace the growing warrior ethos within our ranks. Through the intentional design of a rigorous course, we succeeded in this mission.”

Competitors showcased their tactical proficiency and athletic prowess, reinforcing the enduring values of duty, honor, and country. Their performance sets a standard for what it means to be a warrior in the modern era, inspiring the entire military community to strive for excellence in every engagement.

All 20 competitors who started the contest finished the challenges throughout the day. The top three men and women were recognized with a plaque, and all competitors received a Department of the Air Force Achievement Medal from U.S. Space Force Lt. Gen. David N. Miller, Jr., SpOC commander, to acknowledge their tenacity in stepping up for this first-ever competition. Top Guardian is proposed to become an annual event that will expand, with plans to pit the best SpOC Guardians and Airmen against each other.

“What you saw today was a community of warriors coming together to execute a mission,” Marchi told SpOC. “It was the determination and dedication of each Guardian competing and each volunteer that made this event special and showcased what the Space Force is about. It’s not just knowledge; it’s not just physical strength and endurance—it’s true grit and resiliency. Guardians don’t quit—they will always be the invisible front line.” 

Marchi was the first West Point graduate to commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Space Force.

“I saw the Space Force as an opportunity to get hands-on with the battlefront of the future,” Marchi said. “Not only was I confident that my experience with space research would benefit the nation, but I knew I could approach the extraterrestrial battlespace with the same warrior ethos that West Point cultivated in me. West Point always reminded me that winning matters. On behalf of West Point and the nation as a whole, I intend on delivering wins from the ultimate high ground.”

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