APRIL 24, 2024 — The U.S. Army and Maneuver Center of Excellence marked the 40th anniversary of the Lt. Gen. David E. Grange Jr. Best Ranger Competition April 12-14, 2024.
Held at Fort Moore, 56 two-person teams endeavored to compete in a series of challenging events designed to test participants’ physical prowess, tactical abilities and mental resilience. The competition mirrored real-world Ranger operations, with the winning team earning the title of Best Ranger.
For the fourth year in a row, Team 40 representing the 75th Ranger Regiment took home the title.
Both first-time competitors, 1st. Lt. Andrew Winski, 2nd Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington; and Sgt. Matthew Dunphy, 1st Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia; proved to be the best of the best.
“It means a lot to me, mostly for my partner, I didn’t want to let him down. I didn’t want to let the regiment down,” said Winski. “To come out and compete against Rangers from across the entire Army, just truly grateful.”
Competing in teams of two, Ranger-qualified service members demonstrated their proficiency and mental and physical endurance in a rigorous series of Ranger tasks spanning 60 hours with less than three hours of programmed rest — traversing an area over 60 miles on foot while carrying a rucksack weighing over 80 pounds.
The competition honors Ranger legend Lt. Gen. David E. Grange Jr., a veteran of three wars who from 1979 to 1981 served as the commanding general of then-Fort Benning, where the competition was first held in 1982.
Earning a slot in the competition is a challenge in and of itself. “Competing in the Best Ranger Competition has been a goal of mine since I earned my Ranger Tab in 2019,” said fourth place finisher Staff Sgt. Zackery Williams, 4th Ranger Training Battalion, Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade, Fort Moore. “To be able to compete side by side with some of the highest-level competitors and elite Soldiers the Army has to offer is an honor. It means the world to represent the Airborne Ranger Training Brigade alongside the hardest-working individuals I have met in my military service.”
Williams also noted how the competition showcases the Army’s Warrior Ethos — especially the importance of never quitting. “Teamwork, resilience, and never giving up, I feel, are the core characteristics to prepare for this competition,” said Williams.
The competition challenges participants with treacherous terrains, marksmanship tests, obstacle courses, and night land navigation, pushing them to the limits of their resilience and showcasing the unbreakable bond amongst teammates.
The Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, Gen. James Mingus, a former 4th Ranger Training Battalion commander, attended the Buddy Run, the final event, and spoke at the awards ceremony. “We’ve got a mission to make sure that our formations are ready today, but then also ready for the future as well,” said Mingus. “We want to build champions; we want to build people who are better than anybody else in what we do every day.”
The 40 years of the Best Ranger Competition have seen a series of historical events, milestones and changes. In 1982, after initial local competitions, the competition expanded to include teams from across the Army. Today, any Ranger-qualified service member may compete.
Mingus summed up what it takes to win, to fight onto the Ranger objective. “At the end of the day, the physical, mental — all those things have got to come together in a technical way,” said Mingus. “You have to be a master at your craft, you have to be at the top of your game physically and intellectually and mentally, which sets this apart from — I think — any other long endurance event that’s out there.”
When asked how it feels to have their names listed on the winning trophy among some of the Army’s greatest Soldiers, Dunphy was humble. “There are legends up there, Medal of Honor recipients — it’s an honor to be up there. My name shouldn’t even be mentioned in the same category as those people.”
For Winski, winning the Best Ranger Competition does not make him the best Ranger. “Although we wear the title of “Best Ranger,” the best Rangers right now are forward, representing the country on the frontier of freedom and they’re doing their job with no praise whatsoever,” said Winski. “They’re the real best Rangers.”
By Amanda Surmeier