Ranger Challenge

jbm02

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My DS (MSII) went back to school a week early to compete for a spot on the Battalion Ranger Challenge team. His battalion is made up of 3or 4 colleges/universities. He tried to explain it to me, but I'm not really sure what it entails. He is so excited about it. Hope he makes it but if not, I know he will try next year. For those who are familiar with it, what are the typical prerequisites to make a team ( and I understand that there will be differences with each team, I'm just asking in general), what is the purpose of the team, the typical time commitment, etc? I know it's DS's show and we're not involved. Would just like to understand more of the AROTC community he's entered. Thanks for any input you can provide!
 
My DS (MSII) went back to school a week early to compete for a spot on the Battalion Ranger Challenge team. His battalion is made up of 3or 4 colleges/universities. He tried to explain it to me, but I'm not really sure what it entails. He is so excited about it. Hope he makes it but if not, I know he will try next year. For those who are familiar with it, what are the typical prerequisites to make a team ( and I understand that there will be differences with each team, I'm just asking in general), what is the purpose of the team, the typical time commitment, etc? I know it's DS's show and we're not involved. Would just like to understand more of the AROTC community he's entered. Thanks for any input you can provide!

As you mentioned, every battalion handles Ranger Challenge differently when it comes to try outs and training.

I can give you a little info based on my Son's battalion. The APFT score and ROTC skills were a big factor, run and ruck times and overall endurance was also very important in being selected.

Those that were selected attended their own morning PT 5 days a week instead of the normal 3 days. They would train at least one afternoon during the week and some weekend days, weekends happened more often when they got close to the competition date. They would have special labs every now and then to work on the less physical parts of Ranger Challenge.

Depending on which Brigade the competition could take place over 4 days, my son's team missed 2 days of school.

My younger son did RC his Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior years, he won't be doing it this year, just too busy with school.

RC can be a great experience but it does take a lot of extra time and more early mornings. Time management is important to keep up with everything. RC is nice, but if it comes at the expense of Grades then it is not worth it, so tell your son to stay ahead on his school work and he should be fine.

Oh, and if they win their Brigade competition they would go to Sandhurst in the Spring and be away from school for a few more days.

Best of luck to your son.
 
http://armyrotc.unc.edu/ranger-challenge-team/

Above is a brief summary of how it works. Both my kids competed at one point or another so I'll take a shot at explaining it. *Generally* speaking, you get selected if you excel at the listed events and obvioulsly, physical fitness comes into play. The PMS/cadre usually pick the RC squad leader and then that leader is tasked with picking the team. During the competition, there must be at least (1) female team member.

Needless to say, politics sometimes rears it's ugly head. At one of my kids schools, the PMS decided to overrule the cadres selection for squad leader which caused many of the better candidates to drop out. The team didn't do well and surprise, surprise, the squad leader this year is the cadet who was bumped off the spot last year.

From a time commitment, I know at both my kids schools, you do PT (5) days a week instead of (3) and an occasional saturday. Obviously, a weekend is spent at the competition as well.
 
Not sure about other brigades, but I know that at least 7th Bde's Ranger Challenge competition has been cancelled for this year. At DS's school, the Ranger Challenge team will still be selected and will still train for the other competitions they take part in.
 
Not sure about other brigades, but I know that at least 7th Bde's Ranger Challenge competition has been cancelled for this year. At DS's school, the Ranger Challenge team will still be selected and will still train for the other competitions they take part in.

Well that's news.

Son just started school Monday, he hasn't said anything in regard to Ranger Challenge, he's not planning on doing it this year so he may be out of the loop. Will be interesting to see if his or other Brigades will be cancelling their competitions as well.
 
DS hasn't said RC canceled, but things have changed. Might be cadre change over. Might be shift in focus for cadets through transition to significant new phase for Army. He enjoyed last year although he did not make competing team. RC team did not come early to train this year before school started.
 
Are teams required to have a MS1?

Yes, the team that goes to the competition is required to have at least one MS1, they are also required to have one female cadet.

That's usually one of the benefits of showing up to school as a MS1 and doing extremely well on your first APFT, a very good run time helps as well. Ranger Challenge training starts very early in the semester, if not before the semester starts for some battalions. The APFT and Run is the only thing they have to gauge the ability of the new MS1's that early, that's why a good APFT and Run time can go a long way in being that MS1 that is selected.

That is unless of course they have changed things completely, which after watching the last few months go by would not surprise me a bit.
 
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Yes, the team that goes to the competition is required to have at least one MS1, they are also required to have one female cadet.

That's usually one of the benefits of showing up to school as a MS1 and doing extremely well on your first APFT

thanks Jcleppe, DS (MS1) has worked all summer long on this (working out + rucking + running) .... he takes his first shot at the APFT on Thursday (I think). crossing our fingers here.
 
DS - a MSII was happy to call yesterday and was thrilled that he made RC team again. They have new cadre in charge of the team with harder work outs. In retrospect, it's a lot for a first term freshman.
Last year, with the government shutdown, the competition didn't take place till November I think and so the extra training went weeks longer.
 
DS - the competition didn't take place till November I think and so the extra training went weeks longer.

Son MS1 works out with them but im not sure of that means he makes the team or not. How long does the season go or is it all year long?
 
Son MS1 works out with them but im not sure of that means he makes the team or not. How long does the season go or is it all year long?

At DS' battalion (2nd brigade ) they picked 11 cadets and that includes 2 alternates. Those 11 have the heavy duty training now. Nine compete and that has to include a MS 1 and a female if the battalion has one. DS hopes to earn a competing spot again this year. It was DS' goal to make the RC team last year as a MS1.

If your son is the only MS 1 trying to get selected then he's got it made. DS said RC is in October sometime. I think it's the top 1 or 2 schools from the brigade that go on to Sandhurst? At DS' school the training stops after RC.
 
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