Guardsmen win “Best Ranger”
Army.mil reports that for the first time in the 33 year history of the Lt. Gen. David E. Grange Jr. Best Ranger Competition, a team from the National Guard won first place;
Capt. Robert Killian, from the Colorado Army National Guard, and Staff Sgt. Erich Friedlein, with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, were named the Army’s best Rangers after the 60-hour crucible came to an end Sunday.
Competing five times, with two second-place finishes in 2014 and 2015, Killian, a detachment commander with B Company, 5th Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne), said the win was humbling.
“It’s a big thing for the Guard and I’m humbled and honored to be the first,” Killian said. “I’m ecstatic and honored and I hope I’m an inspiration for others.”
Category: National Guard, Real Soldiers
My, SSG Friedlein looks young. Or am I just getting older? (don’t even think that)
Young enough to say, “As you wish”, or, “to the pain”.
I’m gonna go with “yes” and “yes”, respectively. 😉
I thought exactly the same thing! 😀
Well done, men, well done.
You do yourselves and your unit proud!
I wish I had half the shit ‘n git these days that the competitors have.
I’m with ya.
All I got left, is git shit 🙂
From a friend. “I used to have good shit. Now I just have shit.”
ATTENTION: for the rest of the day, be watchful for drooling lionesses. (smile)
To CPT Killian and SSG Friedlein: well done, men. Damn well done.
Fantastic! I remember a long long time ago when the Guard was just a political good ole boy’s club and summer camp was 2 weeks of fishing and drinking. I failed a BN at Camp Ripley and had a political shitstorm come on me without effect because my Pentagon bosses backed me up.
I had the experience of being in the Guard in both the early 1980’s and in the late 1990’s and the difference was night and day, at least in the conventional units. Discipline and appearance standards were enforced very loosely and weight control was non-existent. PT tests and weapons qual were done on the “buddy system” and “pencil whipping” qualifications was the norm in a lot of units.
It was Desert Storm that was the come-to-Jesus moment for the Guard, because all of a sudden their deficiencies were on display for everyone to see.
The National Guard of the late 1990’s – early 2000’s was, IMO, virtually the equal of active duty in terms of standards and training, the biggest difference being that UCMJ is generally not available during IDT (Drill) weekends and so other methods of motivation have to be found.
My experience was ’78 or so. Signal BN was supposed to do a tactical road march as they came into Ripley and have commo up within a few hours. It looked like an RV club coming into a KOA what with all the coolers, fishing gear, BBQ’s, etc on the tactical vehicles. 24 hours later they didn’t have a single system up. I failed them. Had the Minn Gov office on the phone yelling at me and a whole lot of Guard GO’s threatening me. I worked at DCSOPS in the Pentagon so what worse could they do to me? Plus I was there because the Army Chief of Staff had guys like me in the field because he wanted a read on how the Guard was doing. The threats didn’t work so they asked what could they do to correct. I said start all over again, including the road march. They were pissed but they did it and did a satisfactory job. The rest of the camp I had young soldiers sneaking up and thanking me because they too were tired of being in the field without doing any real training.
https://m.flickr.com/#/photos/jvolstad/albums/72157631412830168/
It has changed. I was stationed at Camp Atterbury for my last four years. We trained National Guard and Reserves deploying to Southwest Asia, KFOR, HOA, and MFO. While we still had units come through that were ate up, most were squared away. Not a single Soldier that mobilized through Camp Atterbury came home covered in a flag.
On a side note, it was while stationed at Atterbury that I came across TAH. I got called in off of leave because of a turd named Tim Poe in order to verify his claims and if he even if he had mobilized through there. I Googled his name and guess what the first link was to.
It was also cool that I was stationed at the same camp that my grandfather mobilized out of for WWII.
Sorry for going off on a tangent.
“Not a single Soldier that mobilized through Camp Atterbury came home covered in a flag.”
That’s the money quote, Twist. You can be proud you were part of that.
Thanks.
Twist, our stories of our service are the threads in the fabric that binds us all together as veterans. Among the oldest regulars here (ETS’d in 1967) I enjoy learning about the experiences of those of you who have served in the 50 years I’ve been out although I’m often baffled by some of the newer acronyms and terminology.
In fact, I think it would be great for Jonn to have a personal stories feature, perhaps on slow weekends, where readers could write of their military experiences. There has to be a wealth of really interesting and entertaining collective military history among TAH readers.
I knew I should have joined the Marines. At least, I’d have some stories to tell.
I worked with a nurse many years ago, whose son was in the Boy Scouts. I lived in GA at the time, and her son and his fellow scouts went on a camping trip into North Georgia (sorry, don’t remember exactly where.) The first night of their trip, they set up camp at the base of a cliff; it was dark, the campfire was lit, and all was normal — until a small group of Army Rangers fast-roped directly into their midst from above. They were geared up, face paint, the whole nine yards. They then proceeded to spend the rest of the evening with the troop, teaching them, talking to them, telling them about themselves, the Rangers, and what the Rangers do. When it was time for the Scouts to turn in for the night, the Rangers formed up and disappeared silently into the dark. As you may imagine, the boys could talk of nothing else for the rest of the trip, and when they got home, their parents didn’t hear about anything else, either! This is one of my favorite stories about the Rangers.
Nag, it’s a great story! And while it’s not a direct military experience of a TAH reader, it is the kind of experience that I was referring to. Can you imagine how many times those Rangers have told that story over the years?
Amen Poet. I retired in ’83 but was blessed with being able to stay in touch with things as a GD Contractor that included NTC time. I was blessed with a lot of things in uniform including being taught as a 2LT by NCO’s in the 82nd that had gold stars on their wings. Conversation usually started with: “Would the LT like for me to…” (shit I never thought of)…my answer always was “rgr that Platoon Sgt, thank you for suggesting that”.
Oh, and my first CG in Vietnam in the 1/101(Sep) was BG Salve Matheson…a Band of Brothers member. Was I blessed?
“It was also cool that I was stationed at the same camp that my grandfather mobilized out of for WWII.”
I was in a barracks made of wood. The barracks was from the WWII era and it looked it, inside and out. Clean, painted, but old. My father was there before he went overseas. He and I may have slept in the same barracks, 30 years apart. One other thing. By absolute coincidence, he and I entered the Army on the same month and day.
When stationed in Germany the first time, I lived on the same kaserne my high-school best friend’s father had trained on (he was German AA in WWII) Second time I was there I was stationed in the same town my father ran in the Occupation – second generation!
I was very lucky. I joined the Guard in 1980, 1106th Trans Co Missouri Army NG. It was an aviation unit with almost all VN pilots and Senior NCOs. When I went active duty 4 years later my first assignment was to the Aviation Squadron of the 11th ACR in Germany. Some of you almost old farts will remember that the 11th was THE unit over there at the time.
Anyway, I didn’t have any adjustment issues at all. Later however, when back in the States, I had ample opportunity to work with some ate up Guard units and it pissed me off because I knew from experience that they could have been squared away if they tried.
Can you hear that clanking? Must be the big brass balls of these two soldiers clanking. Good Job!
How come they didn’t look like this when I was that age?
It is SO unfair.
Not too many Rangers in the Navy, Ex-PH2. (smile)
You got that right, Hondo.
Well, except for this badass who earned 13 battle stars in Vietnam…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Ranger_(CV-61)
I believe “one” qualifies as “not many”, PT. (smile)
Seriously, it’s my understanding that on occasion SEALs do attend Ranger school, and maybe a few Navy folks in other specialties. But not that many.
Two SEALs were in my ranger class, but they did not receive the tab because they could not pass enough of their leadership positions in the FLA phase. We loved them because they always stepped up to swim the rope across water obstacles.
Same here.
We had a few. If I recall, some made it and some did not.
Same with a few Marines and SF types.
I’ve known some…most were SEALs or SARCs 3 were straight leg Marine Infantry. Recon routinely sends Marines to Ranger, but it’s hard to get a SARC the time off to attend. (I tried to go but my billet always got canc’ed.)
Navy/Marine personnel aren’t allowed to wear tabs though, so you wouldn’t know by looking at the uniform.
They usually wear them under the pocket on their BDUs/ACUs/Fatigues, etc.
Trey starch the shit out of them and iron them a lot. After a while, you can read “RANGER” under the top of the pocket.
If you earn a badge or tab that is authorized by a particular service, etc., you should be able to wear it. Period.
Pretty cool.
I’ve seen that under the flap technique, but more commonly I see the stitched into the cover technique.
Personally, I like the simplicity of the Navy/Marine uniforms…I never liked dressing up anyway, but having to wear excess badges and crap is just a nuisance.
I have seen the cover style.
But most of the guys I saw that passed in other branches rocked it in some shape, form and/or fashion. At least that was then.
These days it seems that you can earn one after nine recycles. And toss it in the political recycle bin.
Times change.
Before the pin on shit (all chest accoutrements) were deemed out of style in the Army, it was on field/ garrison/ UOD uniforms. ACU’s and above changed that. The colored Tab was never pin on in my day. Simply affixed at graduation for the ceremony and then tacked on the wall. Earning the Tab is easy; living up to it and owning it are different standards and stories entirely.
Every thing matched on the sew and subdued side of the house. Actually, most senior NCO’s made Privates and NCO’s sew that shit (chest scarab badges) on; pin-ons were for lazy turds that spent their money on beer instead of common sense and they got called on the BS. Peer pressure and being a squeaky wheel made you follow the standard.
Physical discipline is one hell of a motivator to get with the program.
Just saying.
That being said, the USMC’s “adaption” was pretty fly….
The USMC rocked the shiny stuff.
Word.
4/20 and everything…..
Rock out!
If all of the posers understood that, they wouldn’t be so easy to spot.
But I guess someone has to keep the badge company’s in business.
Yeah, what happened to all the gawky, awkward, stringy, bean poles we had to look at? They all were built like — and acted like — colts. Didn’t have anything like this around, because I’m SURE I would have noticed!
I think they all went into the Marines. Those guys were built like brick outhouses. Sailors – no so much.
Where was LTC Gerald H. Green III? I thought for sure that he’d be the first ARNG “Ranger” to win.
Good question. Wonder if he’s still on full-time active duty at Benning?
He hasn’t been in the global for a while. My guess is that, after his fun at Benning, he got pinged on the ARNG T-10 REFRAD board and got pushed out as soon as he hit 20 AFS.
Well, if he retired in-grade that’s more than he deserved. But if that’s the case, at least he’s done.
I’ve driven a Ford Ranger pickup. Didn’t get a tab (or a coke) though…
HOOOOOOAH !!!!!!!!!
🙂
🙂
“It’s a big thing for the Guard and I’m humbled and honored to be the first,” Killian said. “I’m ecstatic and honored and I hope I’m an inspiration for others.”
NOTE TO TAMMY GRACE BARNETT: See how this works? He accomplishes something AND THEN gets bragging rights and some attention. Of course, he won’t get the widespread attention you did, but I’m sure he doesn’t mind. I do mind, but that doesn’t count. Best of luck in BCT next year. I don’t think you’ll show up but, unfortunately, I can’t get anyone to book the bet for me.
I didn’t know it was named after LG Grange. He was my division commander in 1st ID when I was a cherry. The dude had a seriously commanding presence
Great for them!
But it would be poetic for a Red Bull to merit the honor. As I recall something like 80% of original Darby’s Rangers came out of the 34th ID – Minnesota and Iowa Guardsmen. The majority of the remainder came out of I think the 1st or 2nd AD.