The Army May Host the Toughest Competition on Earth
Every spring at Fort Benning, Georgia, an elite group of U.S. Army soldiers—dubbed “the 1 percent of the 1 percent”—gathers for a challenge most Americans have never heard of: the Best Ranger Competition. Spanning three relentless days, this event pushes even the toughest Rangers to their physical and mental limits through a brutal mix of forced marches, obstacle courses, marksmanship trials, and land navigation—all on minimal sleep, while carrying heavy gear, and burning upwards of 30,000 calories.
Out of 52 two-person teams who start, only about 16 make it to the final day.
This year marked a historic first: First Lt. Gabrielle White became the first woman to qualify and compete in the event. Her milestone passed with little official acknowledgment, but on the course, gender was irrelevant—survival was the only focus. As journalist Kevin Maurer noted, competitors had “no time to think about anything but putting one foot in front of the other.”
Maurer followed the 2025 competition closely, chronicling both the frontrunners and the eventual champions—First Lts. Kevin Moore and Griffin Hokanson—as well as White’s groundbreaking participation. His account highlights the sheer intensity of the challenges.
At one grueling station, teams performed 30 burpees, each one paired with hoisting a 100-pound medicine ball over their shoulders. Then came a 50-meter drag of a 290-pound yoke. In another trial, teams had to carry two 45-pound water jugs—for an undisclosed distance—using only their grip strength. No shouldering, no wrist straps, no foot rests. Dropping a jug meant starting over from the beginning.
Now imagine enduring that kind of punishment for three days straight, with barely any rest. That’s the Best Ranger Competition—a true test of will, endurance, and elite soldiering.
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