The David E. Grange Jr. Best Ranger Competition is an annual competition held in Fort Benning, Georgia, hosted by the Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade. It is a two-person team competition where competitors must be active military who are Ranger Qualified.
Named after LTG David E. Grange Jr., the Best Ranger Competition was first held in 1982. The first competitions were limited to Ranger units, but from 1984 onwards it accepted teams from throughout the Army. As of 2018, the competition involves 50 two-person teams, mostly from the 75th Ranger Regiment and the ARTB, but also including a Coast Guard team. The competition takes 62 hours and involves tests of physical fitness, including runs and marches, and of marksmanship. The exact composition of events changes yearly.
Mike Rose is the only service member to have won BRC three times, having won each time he has entered. At Rose's first win in 2014, he entered as a second lieutenant while with the 25th Infantry Division, his partner was 2LT John Bergman - Together making them the youngest winners. In 2017 while with the 75th Ranger Regiment, Rose (now a captain) entered and won with MSG Joshua Horsager. (Horsager was the oldest winner at 39). In 2019 Rose again partnered with John Bergman (now a captain), this time representing the 101st Airborne Division. In 2019 the rules were modified to allow contestants only a maximum of 3 entries over their career, making Rose's achievement technically impossible to beat.
Five people have won BRC twice; Paul Scurka; Eric Turk; Walter Zajkowski; Timothy Briggs; (each with different partners each time); and John Bergman; who was Mike Rose's partner for two of Rose's three wins.
Sergeant Major Thomas Payne, who won the 2012 competition as a Sergeant First Class, had his Distinguished Service Cross upgraded to the Medal of Honor. He was presented the Medal of Honor by President Donald Trump on September 11, 2020, the 19th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
The 2020 Competition was scheduled to be from April 16–18 but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, officials decided to cancel the 2020 event but with plans to continue with the 2021 competition.
List of past winners Year Soldier Soldier Unit1982SFC Philip SebaySFC Charles Light3rd Ranger Company, Benning Ranger Division1983SSG Michael TilsonSSG Kevin Connell2nd Ranger Company, Mountain Ranger Division1984SGT David Bazemore IIISGT Gregory Georgevitch1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment1985SSG Harvey Moore, Jr.SGT Paul ScurkaHHC, 75th Ranger Regiment1986SGT Paul ScurkaSGT Bart SextonHHC, 75th Ranger Regiment1987SSG Joe Ullibari SGT Ross Wilson2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment1988SGT John SchlichteSPC Karl Schlichte3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment1989SGT Guy FichtelmanSGT Mike Sonnenschein3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment1990SSG Mark SheehanSSG Bobby Beiswanger4th Ranger Training Brigade1991Canceled due to Operation Desert Storm.1992SFC Tom WilburnSFC Alven Brashier5th Ranger Training Brigade1993CPT Blain ReevesSSG Erik Wilson4th Ranger Training Brigade1994CPT Edward Garcia1LT Michael Richardson82nd Airborne Division1995SSG Eric WhiteCPT Michael Trisler25th Infantry Division1996SSG Jeff StrueckerSPC Isaac Gmazel3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment19972LT Jay Hansen2LT Chris Robershaw101st Airborne Division1998SFC Eric RileySSG Thomas Smith4th Ranger Training Brigade1999SSG Kevin TeranSSG Jim MoranRanger Training Brigade20002LT Mark Messerschmitt2LT AhernInfantry Officer Basic Course Detachment2001GYSGT Keith OakesSFC William Patterson5th Ranger Training Battalion2002CPT Duane PatinSSG Daniel Jenkins5th Ranger Training Battalion2003Canceled due to the Invasion of Iraq2004SSG Colin BoleySSG Adam Nash75th Ranger Regiment2005CPT Corbett McCallumSFC Gerald Nelson4th Ranger Training Battalion2006SFC John SheafferSPC Mikhail Venikov75th Ranger Regiment2007MAJ Liam CollinsMSG Walter ZajkowskiUnited States Special Operations Command2008SSG Shayne CherrySSG Michael Broussard75th Ranger Regiment2009SFC Blake Simms SFC Chad Stackpole Ranger Training Brigade2010MSG Eric TurkMSG Eric RossUnited States Special Operations Command2011MSG Eric TurkMSG Walter ZajkowskiUnited States Special Operations Command2012MSG Kevin FoutzSFC Thomas PayneUnited States Special Operations Command2013SFC Raymond SantiagoSFC Timothy BriggsRanger Training Brigade20142LT Michael Rose2LT John Bergman25th Infantry Division2015SFC Timothy BriggsSFC Jeremy LemmaAirborne & Ranger Training Brigade2016CPT Robert Killian SSG Erich FriedleinArmy National Guard2017MSG Joshua HorsagerCPT Michael Rose75th Ranger Regiment2018SFC Joshua RolfesSFC Anthony AllenAirborne and Ranger Training Brigade2019CPT Michael RoseCPT John Bergman101st Airborne Division2020Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic20211LT Vince Paikowski1LT Alastair Keys75th Ranger Regiment2022CPT Joshua CorsonCPT Tymothy Boyle75th Ranger Regiment2023SPC Justin ReinCPT Luke Ebeling75th Ranger Regiment2024SGT Matthew Dunphy1LT Andrew Winski75th Ranger Regiment20251LT Kevin Moore1LT Griff Hokanson75th Ranger Regiment2026SPC Caleb GodboldSGT Drew Schorsch75th Ranger Regiment
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