Growing up on a cattle ranch near Melrose and serving three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan didn’t hurt Staff Sgt. Michael Noyce Merino’s chances to become the Army’s noncommissioned officer of the year.

Noyce Merino, a soldier with the Montana National Guard’s 1-163rd Cavalry Regiment, won the title Monday, becoming the first National Guardsman in U.S. Army history to hold the rank as NCO of the year.

In Washington, D.C., early Tuesday, he described the feeling as unreal.

“I can’t believe it happened — it’s a once in a lifetime thing,” he said. “Going into it, I was pretty confident, but I didn’t expect to win. I just wanted to leave my mark down there.”

Noyce Merino advanced after the regional competition held at Fort Harrison in May, where he beat out soldiers from Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Montana, and North and South Dakota.

The field of competitors was further narrowed to an elite 12 for the Army championship. Members of Special Forces and the training command competed in the finals at Fort Lee, Va.

The soldiers were scored in a variety of categories including appearance, marksmanship, physical fitness and life-saving skills. Competitors also were scored on clearing insurgents from rooms, calling in a medivac, rules of engagement and various combat skills.

“It was a point system,” said Maj. Tim Crowe, spokesman for the Montana Guard, who was with Noyce Merino on Tuesday. “The guy with the most points wins, and he won. He’s the first National Guard NCO to ever win that competition.”

Noyce Merino, a 27-year-old cattle rancher from Melrose, joined the Montana Guard last year after leaving the regular Army. He was working for UPS and attending Montana Tech in Butte when he entered the competition.

With the promise of a speaking tour promoting the Army at special events, the married soldier may have to reconsider his near future.

“For the rest of the year, I’ll have to put things on hold,” he said. “I was going to college, and I’ll have to talk to UPS and see if they can be flexible.”

The prize package includes cash, a laptop computer, a trip for Noyce Merino and his wife, Shelli, along with gift certificates and an interview on either the Today Show or Good Morning America.

“The best NCO in the U.S. Army is a Montana NCO,” said Sgt. Major Robert Bennett, the command sergeant major for the Montana Guard. “Noyce Merino is a phenomenal young NCO and he has a bright future.”

Reporter Martin Kidston: 447-4086 or mkidston@helenair.com