For the first time, the Oregon ROTC greets four ROTC teams from other Oregon schools to the University campus for the 2000 Regional Ranger Challenge this Saturday.
The Ranger Challenge is based on five grueling exercises that test strength, skills and stamina.
“I’m optimistic that we’ll do well, and I’m generally hard on people,” Oregon ROTC faculty adviser Sgt. Jonathan Dinsmore said.
Dinsmore has overseen practice at 6:15 a.m. every weekday morning for the last month prior to this competition.
“Some people have come a long way the last month,” he said. “Hopefully they’ll have a good time at it and feel they’ve accomplished something.”
The Ducks are fielding two teams to compete against teams from Oregon State, Western Oregon and Portland/Portland State.
The first events, the Army physical fitness test (two minutes each of sit-ups and push-ups) and a 2-mile run, take place at the ROTC building on Agate Street at 7 a.m.
From there, the teams move on to Autzen Stadium for dummy hand-grenade throwing at targets, followed by timed rope bridge construction and team drill by the stream next to Autzen Stadium.
The 50-foot rope bridge will actually be built over water for the first time ever. This has a mental impact on participants because it’s wet and somebody will fall in, Dinsmore said.
“With our home-court advantage, we are optimistic about the rope bridge event,” Dinsmore said, pointing out that the Oregon teams have practiced over water while the other teams may not have tried that yet.
After the bridge exercise, the teams move on to a 10,000-meter run along the Prefontaine trails. During this event, the teams run as a unit through the course. All participants wear battle dress uniforms, battle equipment belts and 25-pound rucksacks while carrying fake guns that resemble the size and weight of M16s, Dinsmore said.
“This is a team event, so they’ll all help drag and pull each other along the course,” Dinsmore said.
Immediately after the race finishes, teams will perform weapon disassembly and reassembly back at the ROTC building on Agate Street.
The Ranger Challenge culminates in an awards ceremony after all exercises are finished and the scores have been tallied. The winner is the best in all of the events combined, and that team will take home the roaming trophy, currently in Western Oregon’s possession, Dinsmore said.
“Some things we felt like we were better at last year. You either make it or you don’t, but a lot of the events can go either way,” Dinsmore said.
The Ducks returned in second place from Western Oregon last year.