UMaine ROTC Heads to Fort Devens’ Annual Brigade Ranger Challenge
Contact: Capt. James C. Moreno, Enrollment Officer,
UMaine Army ROTC, Room 112, Armory, 581-1125; George Manlove, 581-3756
ORONO – Rangers rank among the most elite pieces of the Army’s fighting force. Soldiers talented and driven enough to be part of the group routinely overcome physical and mental challenges to accomplish missions.
A team of cadets from UMaine’s Army ROTC program will join dozens of cadets from New York, Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Rhode Island colleges and universities Oct. 14-16 to discover part of what it takes to be one of those special soldiers when they compete in the Eastern Region (ROTC) 1st Brigade’s Ranger Challenge at Fort Devens, Mass. The annual event pits 20 schools in a competition aimed at fostering camaraderie and testing individuals’ leadership abilities.
Ranger Challenge features the best cadets from participating schools. It covers eight events: the Army physical fitness test, basic rifle marksmanship, construction and execution of a one-rope bridge, patrolling, weapons assembly, orienteering, hand grenade assault course and a 10K road march.
The focus is not so much about individual achievement as it is about team success. Team scores for most events will be the average of individual performances; other events will be based solely on group times.
The Ranger Challenge plays an important role in furthering cadets’ development as leaders and future Army officers, says Eastern Region Commander Col. Robert Frusha.
UMaine’s Ranger Challenge Team commander is Cadet Michael Keighley, a senior in the College of Business, Public Policy and Health from Wyoming, Ohio. He will have 12 other cadets accompanying him.