Get the lowdown on the main events of this grueling three-day competition!

Maybe the biggest reason Best Ranger competitors bring such pride and determination to the event is because the challenges are often inspired by Ranger traditions, combat operations and actual training exercises. Thus, the teams are keenly aware of the history and "tactical inspiration" of many of the elements. As you read through the event descriptions, remember that most require the competitors to wear standard battle dress and carry heavy loads of equipment — try running in combat boots with a full pack! Teamwork and mutual support are essential for the two-man Ranger teams. Each competitor's score is totaled with his buddy's for a combined team score, and in many of the runs, marches and obstacle courses, the two team members must keep close to each other or face penalties. In the end, it's all about a pair of Rangers who have the strength, stamina — and soldier craft — to finish first.

Day One Events | Day Two Events | Day Three Events |

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DAY ONE EVENTS

The first day's competition starts at 6 a.m., when the first team begins the opening run. Through the day, the teams are put through an almost nonstop series of combat skills events. The day concludes with a long night march that carries over to the morning of Day Two.

Unknown Distance Run On Dec. 20, 1989, the 75th Ranger Regiment participated in the invasion of Panama. The Rangers continued to conduct missions as the situation developed, until the completion of the established mission objective: the removal of Manuel Noriega and members of the Panamanian Defense Force loyal to him. Similar to the Rangers' action in Panama, the Unknown Distance Run has given the Rangers a mission of running a course but not knowing when it will end. It requires the Rangers to be prepared to conduct missions for an undetermined amount of time. Scoring: Timed event, so faster runs are awarded more points.The actual distance during the 2006 run was 3.5 miles.

Malvesti Obstacle Course The 1st Ranger Battalion was formed in Achnacarry, Scotland, and activated June 19, 1942, in Carrickfergus, Ireland. Under Col. William O. Darby's command, these newly formed Rangers were put through many physically grueling events, including various obstacles. The Malvesti Obstacle Course is one of many fixed obstacle courses that Rangers negotiate during their training. The 750-meter-long course combines seven physically and mentally challenging events, including the cargo net climb, vertical overhead bars and worm pit, to develop the mental toughness of the Rangers in the tradition of Col. Darby. Scoring: Timed event with penalty minutes added for failure to complete an obstacle correctly. Every competitor must attempt each obstacle or the team will be disqualified. Only two attempts are allowed for each obstacle.

Push-ups/Pull-ups From the beginning, the Rangers have established a legacy of tough and realistic training. This extensive physical conditioning is still undergone by today's Rangers, who are required to maintain a physical fitness standard 10 percent above what is required of the rest of the Army. This requirement applies to Best Ranger push-up and pull-up events, where participants must exceed the physical fitness standards set by the Army. Scoring: Competitors must complete as many push-ups as possible in four minutes, with each push-up worth one point. Competitors must then move immediately to attempt to perform as many pull-ups as possible (no time limit). Each pull-up is worth three points.

Pugil Stick Matches During the Korean War in February 1951, Capt. Lewis Millett led the only organized U.S. bayonet charge since the Civil War. "Fix bayonets! We're going to attack!" Capt. Millett shouted after noticing that he and his men were extremely low on ammunition. In true Ranger spirit, Capt. Millett led a bayonet charge with two platoons across a frozen rice paddy and up the fire-drenched slope of Hill 180. For his brave actions, he received the Medal of Honor. Today, Army Rangers are taught bayonet fighting techniques as a means of maintaining and improving their physical fitness and aggression. The pugil stick match is the most effective tool to test a Ranger's ability to use these techniques against another opponent. Scoring: Competitors stand on a raised plank, holding a pugil stick with both hands. Using only the stick, they attempt to knock down their opponents as many times as possible within a two-minute period. One point is awarded for each knockdown. Once knocked down, a competitor must remount the plank in 10 seconds or an additional point will be given to his opponent.

Spot Jump In the early-morning hours of Oct. 25, 1983, Army Rangers, spearheading a U.S. joint-forces assault on the Caribbean island of Grenada, conducted a low-level parachute jump to seize an airfield at Point Salinas. To avoid the anti-aircraft fire, the Rangers jumped at 500 feet above the ground. Their drop zone was very narrow, because there was water on both sides of the runway. Abandoned bulldozers, trucks, 55-gallon drums and stakes connected by wire had been placed on the runway to stop airplanes from landing. The Rangers had to maneuver their parachutes while still in the air to land safely on the runway. The spot jump tests the ability of the Rangers to make tightly controlled parachute landings, quickly secure their equipment and prepare for action. Scoring: Within a nine-second window over the drop zone, both team members must clear the aircraft door and attempt to land as close as possible to the target. After landing, the competitors must collect their parachutes, pack all their equipment on a litter and move to a designated assembly area. Scores are based on both the accuracy of the landings and total time from jump to assembly area.

Machine Gun Range During Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001, the U.S. military launched a major ground operation in Afghanistan in an effort to eliminate al Qaeda and the Taliban regime. In October 2001, U.S. Army Rangers attacked Taliban targets in southern Afghanistan. Using M-240 machine guns, Rangers were able to engage the enemy at long distances, providing quick and effective suppressive fire that overwhelmed enemy positions, destroying command and control centers, early-warning radars and anti-aircraft weapons. One essential hallmark of every Ranger is mastery of a broad range of weapons, especially the full array of standard infantry firearms. Scoring: Competitors must move as quickly as possible through a sequence that includes securing the machine gun and ammunition, taking position on the range, firing at targets and returning to the starting point. Scores are calculated by dividing the total time by the number of hits.

Stress Shoot Using the techniques and tactics of urban combat, U.S. troops have conducted raids in virtually every city in Iraq. The necessity for Rangers to be able to confidently and competently engage targets reflexively under periods of duress cannot be underestimated. The city is an ever-present part of the modern battlefield, and Rangers consistently lead the way in learning and executing the most efficient methods of executing combat operations in urban terrain. Scoring: Competitors must move as quickly as possible through a sequence that includes securing the weapons (the M-4 carbine followed by the 9mm pistol), negotiating obstacles, taking position on the ranges, firing at targets and returning to the starting point. Scores are calculated by dividing the total time by the number of hits.

Foot March In 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Prime Minister Winston Churchill and other Allied leaders conceived the idea of having an American ground unit — christened the Long-Range Penetration Mission — that could strike deep behind enemy lines in Burma. Its goal would be to destroy Japanese communications and supply lines and generally play havoc with enemy forces. The unit later became popularly known as Merrill's Marauders, named after its leader, Brig. Gen. Frank Merrill. The Marauders, with no tanks or heavy artillery to support them, walked over 1,000 miles through extremely dense and almost impenetrable jungles and came out with glory. Fundamental to many Ranger operations is the unfailing ability of every team member to make extended marches with full battlegear and equipment while maintaining full combat readiness. Scoring: Timed 21-mile night march — 9 p.m. start time — with full battle dress, including pack and carbine. Competitors must finish with all their equipment, and team members must cross the finish line together. During the march there is a scored night shoot (40 rounds per team with one team member firing from the prone position and the other from a foxhole), a weapons assembly event (teams are given a footlocker with three disassembled weapons that must be reassembled) and a medical task (each team member must initiate a rehydrating IV infusion in the other team member within 10 minutes). Only the top 20 teams to finish the march by 6 a.m. will be allowed to remain in the competition.