RANGER SCHOOL

Learn the skills necessary to become one of the Army’s elite leaders.

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Take the first step toward becoming stronger than you ever imagined.

AIRBORNE SCHOOL

See where Army Rangers learn to jump and parachute from airplanes.

About this video:

RANGER FIRST RESPONDER

The Ranger’s medical First-Responder skill will be tested with the downed pilot scenario.

Captain Aaron Chonko: I think the toughest challenge that we had would probably be the heat, and dealing with the heat, and the weight that was in the rucksack. Last year, the weight was a little bit lighter and this year it’s a little heavier and the movement between events was quicker; there wasn’t much rest between events. So with that combination, it’s pretty much a smoke fest.

Day 2. Todd Field. And the second event of Ranger Day Stakes.

Sergeant First Class Chad Stackpole: The next event here is the Ranger First Responder Lane. Last year, Sergeant First Class Simms and myself had a plan prior coming in here. It’s a high-risk mission here; it’s only two guys extracting one casualty. You are timed throughout this entire event. You are also graded on your ability to provide medical treatment as well as provide security for that individual.

The task, conditions and standards are simple: Under simulated battlefield conditions, Ranger teams must locate and provide medical treatment to an injured pilot, recover all sensitive items before moving the casualty to a landing zone, and then call for a Medivac. This is a timed event. All tasks must be completed within 25 minutes. There is a 30-second penalty for every task not completed, a 10-minute penalty for not properly rigging the Skedco and for sensitive items left behind.

Master Sergeants Turk and Ross, Team 6, are first up on the Ranger First Responder, still holding on to first place.

Stackpole: You are receiving incoming fire from machine guns; you do have mortar attacks going on throughout this, so it causes you to react as a soldier. Both make sure that you’re protecting him at all times.

Now pulling the victim on a Skedco, they need to get to the LZ as quickly as possible.

A good time for Team 6, but now Team 7, in 37th place after the first event, has climbed back to be a serious threat for first place. Sergeants Major Moran and Solderholm are next to hit the Ranger First Responder.

Stackpole: Every Ranger must be proficient at skill level 1 Ranger First Responder combat lifesaver skills in order to save their buddies’ lives, get them back, get them treated and get them back in the fight.

Powering back into contention, Team 7 has climbed all the way to third place with plenty of time to challenge for the lead.

Next up, Krilling Range and another stress shoot, as the Rangers pay respect to their lineage and the beaches of Normandy on D-Day.

SEE WHAT THEY'RE UP AGAINST

Photo of Soldiers running

THE BUDDY RUN

Without knowing the course length, teams set out at dawn on this 7.2-mile trek.

Photo of Soldiers

THE DARBY QUEEN

26 obstacles spread over 2,000 meters make this one of the most difficult obstacle courses known to man.

Photo of Soldier firing weapon

MACHINE GUN RANGE

Using different weapons, teams must engage several targets while making sure they don't misfire.

Photo of Soldiers in shooting drill

STRESS SHOOT

Teams sprint to different shoot points where their firing skills are tested using different weapons.

Photo of Soldiers assembling weapon

WEAPONS ASSEMBLY

Teams will be timed as they try to assemble weapons from various mixed parts.

Photo of Soldier administering emergency care

ADMINISTER IV

Under stressful conditions, soldiers will be required to administer emergency care.

Photo of Soldier climbing tower

TRI-TOWER CHALLENGE

Three massive towers that competitors will attempt to climb, then rappel down using fast-rope techniques.

Photo of Soldiers jumping from helicopter

HELOCAST-SWIM

Teams must jump from moving helicopters into Victory Pond, then compete in a swim event.

MEET THE COMPETITION

Team 1
SFC Mark Breyak / SFC Steven Fields
JFK Special Warfare School & Center NCOA

Team 3
MSG Joshua King / CPT Kevin Toth
5th Special Forces Group (Airborne)

Team 5
SSG George Sankey / MSG Kevin Quant
US Special Operations Command

Team 6
MSG Eric Ross / MSG Eric Turk
US Special Operations Command

Team 7
SGM Evert Solderholm / SGM James Moran
US Special Operations Command

Team 8
LTC Thomas Foster, COL Argo
US Special Operations Command

Team 9
SGT Anthony Vasquez, SSG Keith Back
3rd Infantry Division

Team 10
SSG Danny Shedd, SSG Warren Cash
3rd Infantry Division

Team 11
SSG Brett Graves, SSG Joshua Sullivan
82nd Airborne Division

Team 12
SSG Jeremiah Waggoner, SSG Bernado Mota

Team 14
SGT William Cole / 1LT Lauren Gore
1st Infantry Division

Team 15
SSG Raymon Santiago / SFC Mason Riepe
4th Ranger Training Battalion

Team 16
CPT Jeremy Shute / SFC Jared Sarten
4th Ranger Training Battalion

Team 17
SFC Larry Forrest / SFC James Anderson
4th Ranger Training Battalion

Team 18
CPT Andrew Smith / CPT Aaron Chonko
5th Ranger Training Battalion

Team 19
SSG Thomas West / SFC Jose Magana
6th Ranger Training Battalion

Team 20
SSG Kyle Skaggs / SSG Michael Ayotte
6th Ranger Training Battalion

Team 21
SGT Michael Malchow / SGT Jesse Collins
75th Ranger Regiment

Team 22
SFC William Greenwood / SFC Gerald McKinney
75th Ranger Regiment

Team 23
Eugene Mirador / SGT Jeremy Billings
75th Ranger Regiment

Team 24
SFC Brett Johnson / SSG Joshua Horsager
75th Ranger Regiment

Team 25
SSG Charles Cogle / SGT Frank Horbay

Team 26
SPC Cristob Cruz / SSG Wilton Gleaton
75th Ranger Regiment

Team 27
CPT Adam Patten / CPT Darrell Fawley

Team 28
CPT Sean Justi / MAJ Robert Risdon
199th Infantry Brigade

Team 29
CPT Ashton Ballesteros / CPT Luke Bandl
199th Infantry Brigade

Team 30
SSG Rommel Hurtado / SFC Cedric King
199th Infantry Brigade

Team 31
SSG Mark Taylor / CPT John Intile
199th Infantry Brigade

Team 32
CPT James Lostroscio / CPT Eric Schmitz
199th Infantry Brigade

Team 33
CPT Joseph DeChauny / 1LT Kevin Alger
199th Infantry Brigade

Team 34
CPT Mark Breugem / CPT Owen Broom
199th Infantry Brigade

Team 36
MSG David Roels / MSG Joseph Schoch
Asymmetric Warfare Group

Team 37
CPT Derrick Anderson / SSG Christopher Malone
3rd Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard)

Team 38
1LT Daniel Norwood / MSgt Michael Miller
USAF 820th SFG

Team 39
SFC Vernon Kenworthy / SFC Justin Brekken
3rd Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard)

Team 40
CPT Christopher Ahlemeyer / SSG Robert Tobin
Rhode Island Army National Guard

Team 41
1SG Kevin Dylus / CPT Robert May
North Carolina Army National Guard

Team 42
SFC Robert Hoffnagle / MAJ Jamison Kirby
Army National Guard Warrior Training Center

Team 44
1LT Matthew Schachman / CPT John Campbell
25th Infantry Division

Team 45
MAJ Ryan Hanson / SFC Keith Bishop
95th Civil Affairs Brigade