FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- Donning the Ranger Tab on the left sleeve of the Army Service Uniform is an honor both officers and enlisted personnel earn by surviving the arduous tasks required during the U.S. Army Ranger School at Fort Benning, Ga.
Eight of the 10th Mountain Division's finest Rangers endured 60 hours of grueling physical and mental tests during the Best Ranger Competition, held April 13-15 at Fort Benning.
While top honors were awarded to a team from the U.S. Special Operations Command, all four of the division's two-man teams completed the competition.
"Generally, units that send more than two teams rarely have all of the groups complete the competition," said Sgt. 1st Class Vernon Kenworthy, who coached the 10th Mountain Division (LI) competitors.
The teams were made up of Soldiers from 1st and 2nd Brigade Combat Teams at Fort Drum and 4th Brigade Combat Team at Fort Polk, La.: Capt. Kevin Cremin, 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment; Capt. Ian Kent, 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment; Capt. Steven Solaja, 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment; 1st Lt. Kyle Atwell, 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment; 1st Lt. Eric Boyer, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment; 1st Lt. Austin Riker, 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment; Staff Sgt. Justin Van Zant, 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment; and Sgt. Coby Cochran, 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment.
The competition put 50 teams to the test on Day 1, which required Soldiers to complete nearly 50 miles during two road marches, the Darby Queen (an urban obstacle course), day orienteering and a new event: mortar familiarization and firing. On Day 2 and 3, Soldiers were required to complete Day Stakes, night orienteering, two buddy runs, helocast / swim and water confidence test, and fast-rope insertion and extraction system, or FRIES, operations.
By the end of Day 1, 16 teams had dropped from the competition.
Many of those who drop out of the competition succumb to the heat and weather, but others fall out because they weren't physically prepared for the event, according to Kenworthy.
Kenworthy, who also serves as a platoon sergeant for 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, participated in the Best Ranger Competition in 2010. He said he used his experiences to help prepare the teams.
The Soldiers began training in January, traveling back and forth from Fort Drum to Fort Polk to get ready for the competition. Because 80 percent of the competition would involve grueling physical tasks, Kenworthy added that it was important for the Soldiers to be acclimated to the weather.
"Fort Drum is so cold (in the winter), so we went to Fort Polk (in February) to train (in an environment) closer to the temperatures at Fort Benning," he said.
The teams' training consisted of six to eight hours of physical training every day, Kenworthy said, adding that ruck marching was one of the main exercises used to prepare the Rangers.
"The competition's ruck march event can be up to 25 miles long; you don't know how long it will be in advance," he explained.
Depending on the number of teams to be disqualified, the length of the ruck march can change; this year it was 14.8 miles, Kenworthy said.
The extensive focus on the ruck march proved to be a huge benefit to Riker and Cremin, who also both attributed their success to their commands' flexibility in providing ample time to train during the past few months.
Cremin said that hours of long distance endurance training prepared him for the competition.
"We also did a lot of hands-on skills training, which paid dividends," he added.
Training for the competition required the Soldiers to push their bodies to the limits, resulting in muscle fatigue, which takes a toll on the body, Kenworthy said. The intense training was necessary because the competition allowed very little time between each event.
"A lot of people sit back and think they could (finish the Best Ranger Competition), but they don't realize the events are back to back," Kenworthy said. "(Competitors) have to go into this fully knowing that it's what they really want."
"They were sore for the first month of training," he continued, adding that the harder the Soldiers trained, the more conditioned their bodies became.
After a few weeks, the Soldiers were teamed up according to their abilities, not by unit, Kenworthy noted.
While each individual was required to complete every task, each pair had to compete as a team.
"We were warned ahead of time by past competitors that no matter how strong you are, you're only as strong as your partner," Atwell said. "We were partnered up based on our capabilities and for a few months, trained with our partners for this competition. During the competition, no matter what we did, we always had to be within a few meters of our partner."
Because the Best Ranger Competition is a "buddy event," having a good team dynamic can sometimes make a difference in whether a team finishes or not, Cremin said. His partner, 1st Lt. Eric Boyer, helped him through the competition, especially during night land navigation event on Day 1.
"I hit my 'wall' during the night land (navigation event)," he said. "All my motivation was lost. I was pretty much walking in the dark being miserable … but (1st Lt.) Boyer helped me through it. He was really positive."
"You could have the two most in-shape guys in the Army, but if they don't have a good team dynamic, they still might not do well," Cremin continued.
A couple of weeks before arriving at Fort Benning, the teams trained in northern Georgia. The last-minute training paid off because although the temperatures remained in the low 80s throughout the competition, the Southern humidity took its toll on the Rangers, Kenworthy said, adding that the physical strain and the elements required the Soldiers to remain mentally tough.
"You come to a point where you question whether you want to continue or not, but you have to remind yourself that it won't last forever. We all learn that in Ranger School," Kenworthy explained. "Of course you want to win, but the last thing you want to do is quit."
Van Zant said being under that kind of physical and mental stress made him realize who he is as a Soldier and person.
"It was the toughest challenge physically in my Army career, but the most enjoyable at the same time," he said. "Our coach, Sgt. 1st Class Kenworthy, a former BRC competitor, trained us well.
There was not one second I thought I could not negotiate an obstacle, finish a foot march or wanted to quit. Part of that was due to our vigorous trainup."
The eight Rangers remained resilient and completed the competition. If simply finishing the Best Ranger Competition isn't rewarding enough, Riker possibly felt the most satisfied.
During 4th BCT's recent deployment to Afghanistan, Riker suffered serious injuries, including two broken vertebrae, after a roadside improvised explosive device detonated.
"It was an extremely rewarding experience." Riker said of the competition. "I would absolutely do it again. The competition was awesome. Lt. Atwell and the other guys from 10th Mountain really tore it up.
"I'd love to compete again and represent the 10th Mountain Division and place higher and higher," he continued.
Staff Sgt. Erick Rodriguez, 4th BCT Public Affairs NCOIC, contributed to this article.
Social Sharing