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The Ranger Olympics
April 21, 2008
Army News Service

FORT BENNING, Ga. - Staff Sgts. Michael Broussard and Shayne Cherry of the 75th Ranger Regiment crossed the finish line Sunday in first place after a grueling weekend to win the 25th Best Ranger Competition.

Brothers Capt. Jeff Soule and Maj. Greg Soule took the second spot representing James Madison University ROTC; and Sgt. Jeremy Billings and Sgt. Jeremiah Beck took third representing the 75th Ranger Regt.

This year's field of competitors included almost 30 teams from force generating units in Training and Doctrine Command to operational units from Forces Command, and both active and reserve components.

The core 2008 Best Ranger Competition events involved foot movement, engaging and destroying an enemy target, evaluating, treating and evacuating a casualty, and the demonstration of physical and mental toughness. Upon completion of the three-day competition, during which no sleep was scheduled, each Ranger team moved in excess of 60 miles, with equipment, and fire nearly 250 rounds of ammunition using multiple weapon systems.

Day one of the competition began at Camp Rogers Friday morning and included events at Malvesti Field, Todd Field, Hurley Hill/Victory Pond, Lee Field and the Malone Range Complex. Teams finished day one with the beginning of the unknown distance road march.

Day two of the competition on Todd Field tested the Ranger teams' technical proficiency on military skills, including mountaineering, demolitions, communications, medical tasks and employment of hand grenades.

As the sun set on day two, the Ranger teams began the orienteering event which ended at Camp Darby and began the third and final day of the completion.

The third day of the competition was designed to identify the most physically and mentally tough and technically competent Ranger team in the military based on a combined score of all three days of the competition. But before the winners teams could raise those pistols Monday at the Ranger Memorial for the awards ceremony, had to negotiate the Darby Queen, conduct the helocast/swim at Victory Pond and complete the Buddy Run.

The Best Ranger competition started in 1982 as a "Ranger Olympics" among the Ranger Department Ranger Camps. In 1984, it became an Armywide competition to identify the most physically and mentally tough, and technically competent Ranger team in the military. In the 27 years since Sgt. 1st Class Philip Sebay and Sgt. 1st Class Charles Light, of the 3rd Ranger Company, Benning Ranger Division, were recognized as the Best Ranger Team, the competition was suspended only twice. The first was 1991, during Operation Desert Shield, and the second was 2003, during Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

(Information provided by Fort Benning Public Affairs.)

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