GRU finishes 5th in Army ROTC Ranger Challenge Competition

Written by contributing writer Lt. Col. Jessica Cranford, Chair of Georgia Regents University’s Department of Military Science.

Georgia Regents University’s ROTC cadets traveled to Camp Blanding, Fla., on Jan. 22 to compete in the Annual 6^th Brigade Army ROTC Ranger Challenge Competition.

Two GRU teams competed against 54 other Army ROTC teams from 39 ROTC programs in universities throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Puerto Rico.  The competition included events like weapons qualification, obstacle course, and scenario-based critical and creative thinking challenges.

Over the course of the two-day event, teams walked and ran nearly 30 miles in the physically and mentally grueling competition. Of 56 competing teams, the first GRU team finished fifth overall. The second team finished among the top teams and departed the competition with the experience and knowledge to excel at the competition next year.

In addition to their overall accomplishments and ranking in the competition, the GRU teams were awarded the coveted Ranger Challenge Warrior Spirit Stick. The Spirit Stick is awarded to the school that best represents the Warrior Ethos: “I will always place the mission first.  I will never accept defeat. I will never quit. I will never leave a fallen comrade.”

We are Jaguar Spirit, Jaguar Strong!