Colorado State University Army Rotc Wins the 2006 Ranger Challenge

Colorado State University’s Army ROTC battalion, the Ram Battalion, recently won the Rocky Mountain Ranger Challenge at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.

The two-day ROTC national event consisted of multiple local competitions. The teams that competed in the Rocky Mountain Ranger Challenge were ROTC battalions from Colorado State University, University of Colorado-Boulder, University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, University of Wyoming and South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.

A partnership program that falls under the supervision of Colorado State University ROTC allowed the Ram Battalion to send two teams from Colorado State and one from the University of Northern Colorado. Each team included nine cadets and at least one female.

This year’s Ranger Challenge consisted of eight military tasks and physical fitness events. Colorado State took first place in the Army Physical Fitness test, orienteering and the 10 kilometer road march and won the overall competition. The individual team that wins the overall competition wins the Ranger Challenge for their respective university. With its win, Colorado State’s A-team brought the trophy home to Fort Collins after defeating defending three-time (consecutive) champion University of Wyoming with a score of 2323.7 to 2141.5.

The win breaks a seven-year drought for Colorado State, which last won the Ranger Challenge in 1999.

The Ram Battalion will begin training for next year’s competition immediately in anticipation of continuing its winning ways. Everyone is encouraged to attend the competition next year to once again cheer the Ram Battalion to victory.

For more information about the Rocky Mountain Ranger Challenge, contact Maj. Andrew Groeger, professor of military science at Colorado State University, at (970) 491-1638 or e-mail at agroeger@lamar.colostate.edu.

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