HOME PAGE    SITE MAP

Clubs

RANGER CHALLENGE

The Competition:
The Fifth Brigade Ranger Challenge Competition is held in October of every year at Fort Jackson, SC. It brings together the best cadets from each battalion for an octathalon that spans two days. Nine cadets comprise a team, but at least twice as many train every year in the hopes of making the team. The "Palmetto" Battalion has always been the battalion to beat at the competition. This reputation comes from hard training and a superb attitude. The Ranger Challenge team trains 30 to 35 hours per week for the competition while maintaining high academic standards.

Competition Events:

Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT)- The first event, the team takes the standard APFT. Nine members participate, but the top eight scores count for the competition.

Hand Grenade Assault Course - Nine members go through a timed course to throw grenades at six "enemy" positions. The high crawl, low crawl, combat roll, and proper grenade throwing technique are utilized. Scoring is based on total time to complete the course, throwing accuracy, and using correct form. The top eight scores count.

Weapons Disassembly and Assembly - Nine members sprint fifty meters, disassemble an M16A1 rifle or M60 machine gun, reassemble it, and sprint back to the start line. Top eight scores count.

Orienteering Course - Given an area with numerous points plotted, the team must correctly move to and identify as many points as possible within one hour.

Ten-kilometer Ruck Run - Eight members start and finish a ten-kilometer run with full combat gear minus a basic load of ammunition and kevlar helmet. All eight members must be within twenty-five meters of each other throughout the event. The Citadel's "Palmetto" Battalions performance has maintained a tradition of coming in first, second, or third place each year they compete.

One-Rope Bridge - Timed event in which six members are tasked to correctly don the Swiss seat, string up a one-rope bridge, cross all members over a water obstacle, and take down the bridge. Points are deducted if the correct knots are not utilized, members or equipment fall into the obstacle or if the bridge fails.

 

Cordell Airborne Ranger Club

The Cordell Airborne Ranger Club is a voluntary club sponsored by cadre in the Palmetto Battalion. The club is named after Terry Cordell, a Special Forces Officer who died fighting in Vietnam. The purpose of the club is to train cadets on modern infantry tactics. This training not only helps develop leadership skills, it also better prepares cadets for LDAC. The training tends to be realistic, teaching the latest infantry tactics, techniques and procedures. The Club conducts two FTXs and meets only in the Spring Semester.

This year, the club conducted a paintball FTX where they practiced battle drills and force on force tactics at Paintball Charleston. The second FTX was an excellent joint FTX with the Air Force. The club flew in a C-17 aircraft to an airfield located here in South Carolina. There they conducted patrols and squad battle drills, had an awesome barbecue and flew back in a C-17 the next day.

The club is open to all students and is an excellent opportunity to learn a little more about one aspect of the Army, build camaraderie, and have fun.

For more information please contact our S-3 (Training Officer)