On Oct. 21, 10 members of the Royal Warrior Battalion Ranger Team, along with the Military Science Department’s Senior Military Instructor, Master Sergeant Alexander Ortega, and the Professor of Military Science, Lieutenant Colonel Ryan Remley, departed for Camp Smith, N.Y., for the annual 2^nd ROTC Brigade Ranger Challenge Competition. After several informational briefings Friday evening, as well as last-minute checks of gear and team strategizing, the competition kicked-off in the early morning darkness on Saturday.

Led by senior Cadet Evan Dimakas, the Royal Warriors found themselves going head-to-head in 11 different military skills events against Cadets from 24 different Military Science programs from across New England, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, as well as a team from the United States Military Academy.

The Rangers’ first event was the Army Physical Fitness Test, which consists of two minutes of push-ups, two minutes of sit-ups and a two-mile run. Immediately after the Physical Fitness Test, the Rangers set off on a five kilometer road march moving to the next series of events which included a land navigation course, one-rope bridge competition over a lake, and an IED reaction lane. As the day progressed, the Rangers made another five kilometer road march in order to move to other events such as a hand grenade assault course, weapons assembly/disassembly station and urban assault course. As the day wore on and the physical challenges culminated, the Rangers filed into the classroom to take a written exam assessing the cadets overall knowledge of military leadership, operations and tactics.

After about six hours of sleep Saturday night, the team set off early Sunday morning for the competition’s final event, a 10 kilometer road march with full combat gear.  The team completed the event in just under two hours and then took part in the closing ceremony presided over by the 2^nd ROTC Brigade commander, Colonel Twala Mathis.  The team was presented a streamer for their guideon for participating in the competition, as well as each team member was presented a Brigade Certificate of Achievement and awarded their Ranger Challenge Tab for their role in the event. 

Ranger Challenge is considered the varsity sport of Army ROTC and affords Cadets a chance to be involved in one of the best leader development programs the Military Science Department has to offer. This year Master Sergeant Ortega served as the team’s coach and advisor, while Military Science Level IV Cadet Evan Dimakas served as the team’s captain. The team began preparing for the competition back in mid-August with two-a-day physical training sessions.

Penn State University Army ROTC was the overall winner of the this year's competition.

A member of the Royal Warrior Battalion Ranger Team crosses a one-rope bridge during the annual 2^nd ROTC Brigade Ranger Challenge Competition in October.