Ranger Challenge...
Not for the weak or faint-hearted!
Ranger Challenge is the varsity sport of Army ROTC. A Ranger Challenge Team is made up of nine cadets. They compete against other colleges throughout the nation in events such as: patrolling, marksmanship, weapons assembly, one-rope bridge, grenade assault course, Army Physical Fitness Test, land navigation, and a ten kilometer road march.
Ranger Challenge started at North Georgia College & State University in 1987. The first team at North Georgia College & State was called Spurgeon’s Rangers, their advisor was Sergeant Major Spurgeon. The team won first place in the brigade competition held at Fort Stewart, Georgia in 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2009. They placed first among all other ROTC teams at the United States Military Academy's Sandhurst Competition in 1997, 2001, and 2009.
In 2009 the Ranger Challenge competed in the 6th Brigade Ranger Challenge Competition. The article below summarizes the training regime and results for the competition:
North Georgia College & State University Credits Training with Remaining Competitive. |
 The Ranger Challenge Team competed in the first inaugural Military College Brigade Sandhurst Completion and took 1st Place and 4th Place with our two squads! Each Senior Military College (NGCSU, VMI, Va Tech, Texas A&M, Citadel, and Norwich) participated with two 9 member squads in a 2-day competition testing the squads ability to complete a series of military tasks while moving over a 15 miles in a timed event at Fort Knox, Kentucky. The competition started on November 6th with a marksmanship event. On November 7th the competition consisted of the teams completing 12 military tasks at various locations across Fort Knox culminating with an award ceremony. The military tasks consisted of the following: movement and navigation, equipment inspections, leader reaction course, wall obstacle, litter carry, 1 rope bridge, weapon assembly, first aid, reconnaissance scenario, obstacle course, boat movement, and a mental challenge. This was the first Senior Military College-only competition, and the NGCSU team placed first. |
How do you become a member of the elite Ranger Challenge Team?
If you are a new Cadet, you will be observed during FROG Week (Cadet basic training) and evaluated on your physical fitness scores and leadership ability. If we believe that you can meet the challenge, we will invite you to take a Ranger physical fitness test consisting of a 5-mile run, 2-minutes of push-ups, two-minutes of sit-ups, and pull-ups. If you meet the standard, you become a team member. If you are a current Cadet, you be selected based on your demonstrated fitness and leadership ability.
Practices and Competitions
The team practices every week day during the semester, usually in the morning from 0500-0800. Practice consists of a lot of physical fitness activities followed by classes and practicing competition tasks. There are one to two competitions per semester.
