Friday Rangers
The Army just finished its Best Ranger competition, in which 52 two-person teams compete to be named the Army’s Best Rangers. Pretty fast company! And the winners this year are 1st Lt. Griff Hokanson and 1st Lt. Kevin Moore — both are members of the 75th Ranger Regiment. Helluva job, gentlemen!
Soldiers participating must all be Army Rangers, and they compete in more than 30 events.
According to the competition, soldiers must move more than 60 miles during the three days, with little rest. It includes helicopter missions, physical fitness tests, land navigation, weapons qualification, obstacle course and other tests.
Sixty miles in three days…maybe on a bicycle or by car – my hat’s off to the 52 teams who competed and the 16 teams who were left standing at the end. (yes, that is a more-than 2/3ds attrition rate for folks who already in Ranger shape.)
It’s also worth noting a first which we will not hear of through the Army – and it’s a crying shame.
First Lt. Gabrielle White, and her teammate, Capt. Seth Deltenre, were among the 16 teams that made it through the final events, where Ranger teams compete for accolades as the best of the elite military force. All together, 52 teams competed and all of the others were made up of only male soldiers.
So she and her teammate beat 38 other teams. May not be first place, or as Will Smith so famously described “the best of the best of the best” – but it sure looks like she deserves accolades for getting as far as she did.
White, 25, is a Black infantry officer assigned to the maneuver captains career course. She graduated from the Military Academy at West Point in May 2021 and completed the Ranger School in April 2022, according to Christopher Surridge, an Army spokesman.
According to the article, 154 women have graduated the Ranger course as of January. CPT White is the first to compete in the Best Ranger contest, and certainly did credibly well. I sincerely doubt standards were lowered for her team.
Congratulations to all the 32 who finished!
Did she have to do an Army Physical Fitness Test to get in to the Ranger competition or on Day 1? Because there are lower standards for females…assuming she identified as a female.
“I sincerely doubt standards were lowered for her team.”
The Best Ranger competition is far and away beyond the Army Physical Fitness Test.
That she and her teammate finished is proof, IMHO, that this is one tough lady and worthy of respect.
There are 52 teams with 104 slots.
Just getting a team into this challenge is an accomplishment. How many never had a chance because a lower standards DEI chick got that slot?
KNEW there was gonna be at least one. You might note that she has been a Ranger for three years, and while 60 teams are authorized they only had 52 in the competition, so there were still open, unfilled spots. So the answer to your question is “zero”.
Hell, I wish I was in good enough shape to even consider thinking about entering such a competition.
A Salute to the winners and a BZ to all that competed.
60 miles in 3 days?
At my age I’d be lucky to make 60 miles in 3 weeks…and that’s if I had a car.
Hell, I can make 60 miles in less than one hour, with my fat behind in a vehicle. Seriously though, these are great athletes and warriors.
My full respect to all competitors.
I am impressed! Congratulations to them all.
Hoooooah !!!!