Read the article in my Sports Illustrated last week, very cool stuff. Once again proof that it doesn’t matter how hard I train, I’m still a great big skirt-wearing nancy-boy…
Anywhom, the article mentioned that the competition was open to those who had completed the Ranger school. Looking through the participants, it seems like all are US Army Rangers (duh). However, I know some other services attend Ranger school; for instance, a buddy of mine who’s Marine Recon went through the school. Are members of other services who have completed the school eligible to participate in the competition?
Just curious.
I saw a show on this on the Discovery Channel. I think that makes me an expert. On the show, a Marine won. First prize was a Colt .45 (pistol not malt liquor). Now if I can just get the chopper built like those Orange County Boys.
In addition to graduates of the U.S. Army Ranger School at Fort Benning, Georgia other military units/athletes may be invited to compete including foreign nationals and foreign units on TDY training within the U.S.
Typically the battalions have tems training somewhat specifically (as specifically as their normal duties allow) for the Best Ranger Competition.
Also, some units feature their own versions. A Long Range Surveillance Unit I was in, Company “F”, 425th Infantry (Ranger/Ariborne) LRSU, conducted their own training evolution in the form of a “Best Ranger Competition” over the course of a three day period at Phelps-Collins Air National Guard Base near Alpena, Michigan. It featured the standard parachuting, land navigation, patrol, physical training type evolutions in addition to some recon specific activities such as establishing commo using our (at the time) new Digital Message Device Groups (DMDG or “dumb dogs”). It was cool. If I recall correctly, our patrol, 3 Bravo, Surmacz, Koscielney, Hockley, Jimmy Ray and I did quite well.
On the show, a Marine won.
I bet you mean to say that a pair of marines won! Although some of the events run competitors individually, points/time are cumulative and require both soldiers to complete the events in order to continue mostly non-stop, over the course of 3-days!
http://www.benning.army.mil/RTB/Best_Ranger/bestranger.htm
Michael