Ranger Challenge team?

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ballsy

5-Year Member
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Oct 5, 2012
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Hello everybody. While thinking about ROTC next year, I became curious about the ranger challenge teams with different battalions. If anybody could help with my questions, it would be much appreciated.

1.) Is it common for freshman to be on the ranger challenge team?

2.) What PT score should I shoot for? I'm guessing a solid 300 or above.

3.) How many cadets are on a team?

4.) When does this challenge happen? During the summer or during a school year?

5,) Would this count for points on the OML, for leadership or maybe athletics?

6.) Can a cadet do both the ranger challenge team and CULP?
 
My DD was on the team as a freshman so yes it can happen- I think they need at least one.
Always try for the highest PT score. Everyone on team had at least 300
I think there were nine members and one alternate
During first semester school year
Yes on OML points
Yes she did CULP as that was in the summer
:) it all works out
 
1.) Is it common for freshman to be on the ranger challenge team?
A: DS was on as a freshman. Ive also read that there must be one Freshman but DS said he wasnt sure if that was a rule for each brigade and had no knowledge of that rule.

2.) What PT score should I shoot for? I'm guessing a solid 300 or above.
A: Unsure of the score to shoot for except to be one of the top scorers. DS' apft for the ranger challenge team was 370. According to DS he was very good at some events and extremely bad at some events.

3.) How many cadets are on a team?
A: Unsure

4.) When does this challenge happen? During the summer or during a school year?
A: Practice starts right when school starts (for some schools it is the wk before school starts). Practices are in addition to the Battalion PT. Brigade competitions are in nov.

5,) Would this count for points on the OML, for leadership or maybe athletics?
A: Yes

6.) Can a cadet do both the ranger challenge team and CULP?
A: Yes, in fact, RC gives you OML points which help you to secure a CULP spot.

Good Luck.
 
Since practices start early in the year, will I have to be in contact about this with my school's ROO before arriving?
 
Different Battalions do this differently. IMO there is nothing wrong with reaching out to the cadre to express an interest. But more knowledgeable posters than I can answer that ? better.
 
On thr note of teams, i think there are 9 man and 4/5 man teams. I was reading about the 4 man team at one of my schools of intent. (Don't take my word for it though.)
 
StowieJ said:
On thr note of teams, i think there are 9 man and 4/5 man teams. I was reading about the 4 man team at one of my schools of intent. (Don't take my word for it though.)
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It's great that your fully involved with joining ROTC, but just a word of advice, for some questions it's best to let those that have had the experience answer some of the questions. When it comes to questions about Ranger Challenge, and other ROTC activities, cadets that have been directly involved with these activities will answer soon enough.

You have given some great answers regarding the current application process which you have experience, as you move on through ROTC you will have much more to offer as you gain the experience.
 
Jcleppe said:
It's great that your fully involved with joining ROTC, but just a word of advice, for some questions it's best to let those that have had the experience answer some of the questions. When it comes to questions about Ranger Challenge, and other ROTC activities, cadets that have been directly involved with these activities will answer soon enough.

You have given some great answers regarding the current application process which you have experience, as you move on through ROTC you will have much more to offer as you gain the experience.
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I appreciate the advice.

I wanted to chime in on the discussion, because I'm curious about the ranger challenge myself. I didn't know that freshmen could join the team, and I'd been following the thread for a few days, so when I found the paper I read originally I put in my two cents.

Quoting the MTU AROTC paper: "Two teams were sent, a five-man and a Nine-man. The nine-man was made up of... (lists the name of the cadets, two of which were ms1s.) The five-man team consists of... (lists cadets, 2 of which were ms1s.)"

I do realise that did mis-speak on the last post, and I apologize.

One other thing that was noted in the notice was "the majority of the team members scored above 300 on the test." Referring to the PFT. So I think it's a solid statement that they all are almost all at lr above the 300 mark.

I'll take your advice to heart and not post on topics that I'm not certain about. (It's easy to get caught up in the forum and post on everything. Passion gets a little in the way of judgement.)
 
Hey everyone, have a couple more questions if anybody's up for answering them.

1.) Does every AROTC program do the challenge differently? I haven't seen a fixed number of events, but PT and field exercises seem very common.

2.) As a little background, I have never rucked or land nav'ed. Should I have at least a little experience with this before showing up for tryouts, or will I be able to learn this throughout the year before the challenge?
 
ballsy said:
Hey everyone, have a couple more questions if anybody's up for answering them.

1.) Does every AROTC program do the challenge differently? I haven't seen a fixed number of events, but PT and field exercises seem very common.

2.) As a little background, I have never rucked or land nav'ed. Should I have at least a little experience with this before showing up for tryouts, or will I be able to learn this throughout the year before the challenge?
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Ballsy - "most" Ranger Challenge competitions are set up similarly. 9 man teams, 1 female, 1 freshman,+ alternates.

The events don't vary too much from year to year, they typically always involve One Rope Bridge, Hand Grenade Assault Course, Assemble/Disassemble M-16, etc.

Tryouts of some sort usually begin as soon as school does. Assuming you make the team, you have more than enough time to learn the skills necessary in order to compete. The competitions are usually in or around November. You don't necessarily need to know how to ruck or do Land Nav, but you do need to be in good shape to make and contribute to the team.
 
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also, not sure if this is true for any other brigade, but 6th bde has their competition on January. Much longer training periods than the past, when the competition was in October or November for us.
 
DS had no previous experience with any aspect of the competition other than APFT and rucking.

...and Rucking isn't rocket science.

:) good luck to you.
 
Thanks guys! I plan on attending the University of Missouri. Being a bigger school, I bet it will be a challenge to make the team. Again, thanks for the help.
 
Fgr0001
The 6th brigade RC comp is now in October

Just came out about a month ago
 
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