KU Army ROTC to host 19th annual Ranger Buddy Competition
LAWRENCE – University of Kansas Army ROTC Cadets will be among 300 students from across the United States challenging them to find out just how physically and mentally strong they can be.
Two-person teams from 36 colleges and universities in 14 states will compete at the 19th annual Kansas Army ROTC Ranger Buddy Competition on Saturday, April 20, at the Sesquicentennial Park area at Clinton Lake southwest of Lawrence. Teams will compete from as far as New Hampshire. The contest is a spectator event that is free and open to the public. Cadets on male, female or co-ed teams will go through a series of events as they vie for the title of Best Ranger Buddy Team. Additionally, local military units will compete in this year’s event in an open division.
KU looks to defend its championship from last year as the overall best school winning first place in the male division and first place in the female division. Teams can only compete for the overall best school award – “Top Battalion” – if they have teams entered in the male, female and co-ed divisions.
Competition will begin at 5 a.m. with a 15-kilometer buddy team ruck march, followed by an eight event round robin and a final 5-kilometer buddy run.
The round robin events will challenge the cadets with extra demands this year. Six events are all designed to be mini-obstacle courses that remind young warriors of Robert Roger’s 28 “Rules of Ranging” from the original Rangers of 1757. Through the six events, cadets will face challenges that will require knowledge of knots, military reporting formats, individual movement techniques, first aid tasks, weapons tasks and much more.
5 a.m.: First formation/opening address
5:10 a.m.: Buddy Team 10 mile forced ruck march
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.: Group events (round robin)
5 p.m. to 6 p.m.: Buddy Team 10 km buddy run
6:30 p.m.: Closing/Awards Ceremony
For more information regarding this event, please check out KU Army ROTC’s website and click on “2013 Ranger Buddy Competition.”