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Day One Events | Day Two Events | Day Three Events |
DAY THREE EVENTS
The final day begins with another obstacle course, which is all the more challenging after two solid days of competition. Next, the Rangers take to the
water before finishing up with one last run for the finish line.
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Darby Queen
When Maj. William O. Darby began his recruitment and training of Rangers back in World War II, obstacle courses were an everyday training regime. Day nine of Ranger School commences with the students assaulting the Darby Queen obstacle course. Consisting of 20 obstacles emplaced along a densely wooded hillside, the Darby Queen tests each student's endurance, tenacity and dedication. Crawling, jumping, sliding and climbing through, over and around obstacles, each Ranger negotiates the course with his Ranger buddy. Assisting each other along the way, the buddies complete the course as a team or they do not complete it at all.
Scoring: The Darby Queen is a timed event, with victory going to the team with the fastest time. Time penalties are assessed for not correctly negotiating the obstacles, but team members may attempt each obstacle as many time as they desire. Teams will be disqualified if an obstacle is not attempted.
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Water Confidence Test
The water confidence test was introduced just after the initiation of formal Ranger training back in 1950. Conducted throughout the year and suspended only when the water temperature falls below 39 degrees F, or the air temperature or windchill is lower than 38 degrees F, the test requires competitors to climb a ladder, walk across a log 30 feet above the water, crawl out along a suspended rope to touch the "Ranger Tab" and then drop 35 feet into Victory Pond. The candidate then exits the water, climbs a 60-foot tower and suspends from a pulley as he descends a 200-foot "slide for life" cable back into the water.
Scoring: Since each team member must perform the challenges independently, the times of each pair are combined for the event total. When the first team member exits Victory Pond he must tag his partner, who then starts the event. Competitors who fall off the log are allowed a second attempt, but are disqualified with a repeat failure. Time penalties are also added for failure to touch the "Tab."
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Helocast/Swim
Helocasting is conducted with a helicopter and Ranger team rigged for a water insertion. It is planned and conducted much the same as air movement operations, except that the landing zone is in the water. While a helicopter moves at low levels (20 feet) and low speeds (20 knots), the Ranger team drops their equipment, then enters the water. The Ranger team then assembles, collects their equipment and continues the mission.
Scoring: The total score for each team is a combination of the times for the event's two parts: completing the construction of a poncho raft and the helocast/swim with the raft to the finish line.
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Buddy Run
On Oct. 3, 1993, Task Force Ranger, composed mainly of Rangers, Special Forces and aviation support, attempted to capture Somali warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid's foreign minister, Omar Salad, and top political adviser, Mohamed Hassan Awale. The plan was to fast-rope down from hovering helicopters, capture the targets and load them onto a ground convoy for transport back to the U.S. compound. The ground extraction convoy was supposed to reach the captive targets a few minutes after the beginning of the operation. However, it ran into delays. Somali citizens and local militia formed barricades along the streets with rocks and burning tires, blocking the convoy from reaching the Rangers and captive targets. A 5-ton truck and two Blackhawk helicopters were disabled by rocket-propelled grenades. Because their creed would not allow them to leave a fallen comrade, the Rangers would not leave either crash site until all of the casualties were recovered. After 14 hours of continuous fighting, convoys arrived to transport the troops out of danger. There was inadequate space for all soldiers on the departing vehicles, so the Rangers volunteered to run alongside and use the vehicles for cover. They were quickly outdistanced and had to move the rest of the distance without vehicle support. The Rangers later called this run "the Mogadishu mile."
Scoring: A massed run by the remaining teams with all competitors wearing a standard equipment harness and carrying a carbine. Finishers are ranked by time.
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Pictures: DCI |
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