JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas -- Master Sgt. Troy Reed, Military Liaison Supervisor at the Montgomery Military Entrance Processing Station, Alabama, 331st Recruiting Squadron, has earned a spot on Team USA for the Natural Strongman World Championship in Glasgow, Scotland, August 21-23, 2026. Reed secured the opportunity after taking first place in his weight class at the Midwest Clash Natural Strongman World Qualifier, El Paso, Illinois, April 11, 2026.
Reed outperformed top-tier athletes across a series of grueling events, including a 140- pound circus dumbbell press, a 495-pound axle deadlift, a 310-pound sandbag‑to‑shoulder lift, a 240-pound sandbag carry and a heavily loaded truck pull. His strength, speed and endurance propelled him to a decisive victory and an official invitation to compete on the world stage.
Reed is the first active-duty Airman to qualify for the championship, a milestone he describes as both humbling and motivating. He said the achievement reflects not only his personal dedication but also the discipline and resilience found throughout the Air Force.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” Reed said. “This is the payoff from years of getting up early, skipping things I’d rather be doing and spending hours in the gym to become my absolute best. Getting the opportunity to show what someone in the Air Force is capable of, and that we are more than just our jobs is an incredible honor.”
Reed said being the first active-duty Airman to reach this level carries a sense of responsibility. “I’m not just representing myself anymore,” he said. “I want to show Airmen that you can chase personal goals while you serve and still represent the Air Force in a positive light.”
Strongman competition, he said, pushes him in ways traditional training cannot. “It tests you in ways that lifting weights in a normal gym can’t, forcing you to keep pushing when everything in you is trying to quit,” Reed said. “My motivation is a personal obsession with pushing past my limits and challenging myself to do hard things.”
Reed credits the Air Force with shaping his approach to discipline and preparation. “The Air Force taught me how to turn a large objective into small actionable tasks,” he said. “You need to show up, trust the plan and execute it without excuses.”
He hopes his journey inspires other Airmen and future recruits. “You don’t have to pick just one thing to excel in,” he said. “You can be a great Airman and chase a personal passion outside of work. Don’t settle for good enough, find something you’re passionate about, set a goal and start chipping away at it.”
As he prepares to step onto the world stage in Glasgow, Reed is excited to compete alongside the strongest athletes in the sport. “There’s a quiet moment before each competition where I look back on all the hours of training, sweat and sacrifices,” he said. “The win is in the preparation. I’m incredibly proud to have this opportunity to represent the Air Force in such a unique way.”
Balancing elite-level training with military duties requires careful planning, Reed said. “My job in the Air Force is priority number one, so my training needs to fit around the mission,” he said. “That means early mornings and late nights. You need to be willing to do the things you don’t want to do now to get the result you want later.”
Reed has been competing for several years, beginning with local strongman events in 2019 before earning state powerlifting records in 2022. In 2024, he lost 70 pounds to win a natural bodybuilding competition and earn his pro card. He returned to Strongman in 2025, drawn by the sport’s blend of strength, athleticism and endurance.
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