The U.S. Army ROTC team from the University of Central Missouri won the Midwest Ranger Challenge Competition, which was Oct. 19-21 at Ft. Leonard Wood.
A team of 14 cadets from UCM competed in the Ranger Challenge against 16 teams from nine schools across the Midwest within the 3^rd Brigade Army ROTC, according to a news release.
Each year more than 300 universities nationwide field teams to compete in the regional competitions. Other schools participating in the 3^rd Brigade competition were Missouri University of Science and Technology, University of Missouri in Columba, Missouri State University, Lincoln University, Wentworth Military Academy, Truman State University, Washington University and Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.
UCM claimed first place in day/night land navigation and weapon assemble/disassemble; second place in Army physical fitness; third place in M16 rife shooting, obstacle course and medevac lane; fourth place in the hand grenade course and the 10K force march, and fifth place in rope bridge lane.
Training for the event includes rigorous physical fitness workouts, classes on various elements of light infantry tactics, and a weekend field exercise on rifle marksmanship, rope bridge and land navigation skills, and a 10-kilometer road march.
“This is the first time UCM has won a regional Ranger Challenge competition,” said Lt. Col. Dan Cureton, chair of the UCM Department of Military Science and Leadership, in a news release. “Our school was one of the smallest participating, but we beat some of the largest ROTC programs in the area. UCM’s Ranger Challenge team trained hard and was rewarded with the regional championship.”