WIESBADEN, Germany — A Biddeford native is competing to be named the top non-commissioned officer for U.S. Army Europe for 2014.

Sgt. Nicholis P. Couture, a team leader with Company C, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, is taking part in USAREUR’s Best Warrior Competition, Sept. 14-19.

The six-day event takes place at USAREUR’s Joint Multinational Training Command facilities in Grafenwoehr, Germany, and challenges competitors to complete a series of approximately 20 tasks and missions. Competition events are designed to test each participant’s knowledge, physical and battlefield skills in hands-on and situational testing, and oral and written examinations, according to a statement from the U.S. Army.

Those events include a day and night land navigation exercise, obstacle course, physical fitness test, hand-to-hand combat tournament, battlefield medical scenario and other physical activities. Soldiers and officers also participate in a simulated media interview, write an essay, take a written examination, and demonstrate their military knowledge and bearing for a board of sergeants major.

Couture and his fellow competitors were previously selected as top NCOs in local competitions at their units across Europe. The NCO event in Germany takes place alongside similar events to select USAREUR’s top junior officer and top enlisted soldier.

“I feel proud to be able to represent my company and brigade at the USAREUR competition,” Couture said in a recent statement.

Competitors leverage each other’s strengths and weaknesses to better the team as a whole, the sergeant said. He described the “best warrior” as someone who is tactically proficient, a leader of character and a role model for his soldiers.

Winners in the NCO and soldier categories of the USAREUR-level competition will go on to compete at the Department of the Army level Oct. 6-10 at Fort Lee, Virginia.