Missouri State University’s Bear Battalion Ranger Challenge team took first place in the Task Force Ranger Challenge Competition held Oct. 13-14 in Fort Leonard Wood, defending their championship.

The win ensures that the team advances to the Brigade Ranger Challenge competition Nov. 3-5 at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

Difficult and complex competition

The Bear Battalion competed in the 11-person team challenge, according to Major Eric Wahner, assistant professor of military science.

Maj. Wahner described the difficulty and complexity of the competition.

“The competitive tasks the team faced on the first day of competition included a very difficult timed obstacle course with monkey bars, rope bridges, cargo nets and rope climbing,” Maj. Wahner said.

After that, the team interacted with a “call for fire” digital trainer, which tested the cadets’ ability to request artillery against an enemy target.

Next, the team completed a land navigation written exam, followed by a competitive test at a chemical, biological, radioactive and nuclear defense station, which required donning protective equipment and performing several dexterity tasks.

The team concluded with a fitness event that required them to run one mile while carrying two 40-pound kettle bells and two ammo cans.

“The entire 11-person team crossed the finish line together, as a team, in a record seven minutes,” Maj. Wahner said.

And that was just Day 1.

Day 2 tests team’s fitness and endurance

On Day 2, Maj. Wahner said, the team was tested even further for its fitness, endurance and agility.

“Fitness event 2 [was] a team run with each member wearing full gear and a 40-pound ruck sack from a start point to a rifle range two miles away,” Maj. Wahner explained.

The team completed the run in 20 minutes.

“Once at the range, three team members were given M-4 rifles and 30 rounds to zero the sights on the rifle,” Maj. Wahner explained. “Once zeroed, they moved three kilometers to the rifle range [and] were given 40 rounds and shot to qualify on a timed range with 40 targets that pop-up and drop after a few seconds.”

Three other team members competed in a timed event to disassemble and assemble three weapon systems: the M-4 rifle, M-249 squad automatic weapon and the M-240 light machine gun.

Round robin event mimics field action

In the final stages of the Day 2 competition, the team donned all their gear and ran or “rucked” their 40-pound packs seven miles to a final round robin event.

“The team completed the seven-mile ruck in one hour and twenty minutes,” Maj. Wahner said. “That’s running ten-minute miles while carrying all their gear.”

The round robin featured a timed hand grenade identification and assault course, according to Maj. Wahner. At this event, the team threw hand grenades at targets up to 50 meters away, then constructed a rope bridge and evacuated the team across it.

The next event was a timed challenge during which the team worked at a communications station. They put a military radio into operation, assessed a casualty and requested a medical evacuation using the radio.

Defended championship against several programs

MSU’s Bear Battalion Rangers competed against several ROTC programs from across the Midwest to defend their championship.

These programs included Southern Illinois University-Central, Southern Illinois University-East, University of Central Missouri, Truman University, Washington University, Lincoln University, Missouri University of Science and Technology, and University of Missouri-Columbia.

“Each of these university ROTC programs also have 3-5 cross-town associated universities attached to their programs, representing 36 universities,” Maj. Wahner said.

Maj. Wahner praised both the cadets and their cadre coaches, Mike Simpson and Master Sergeant Jared Martin.

Simpson’s and Martin’s experience and knowledge “ensure our cadets get the best possible training prior to these competitions,” Maj. Wahner said.

He added that MSU’s cadets “worked really hard to achieve this level of skill and fitness and they deserve some accolades for their efforts.”

Bear Battalion Ranger Team 2023-2024

MSIV-Seniors

Caden W. O’Bannon

MSIII-Juniors

Vance Mullins
Ryan W. Harris
Caleb T. Clouse
Andrew D. Perrey

MSI-Freshmen

Elijah H. Morrison
Darren M. Lange
Alex Geringer
Dominic D. Nave
Evelyn S. Carter
Lauren R. Reed

Cadet Coaches

Sierra Sankey
Brianna Jeffries

Cadre Coaches

Mr. Mike Simpson
Master Sergeant Jared Martin

Photo credits: Cadet Sierra Sankey