ROTC rocks 17th annual Ranger Challenge

Last weekend, the Gonzaga ROTC Bulldog Battalion continued its dominance, winning the Big Sky Ranger Challenge in Bozeman, Mont. for the 16th time in the past 17 years.

"It was an unbelievable weekend," said Black Team member Brian Slamkowski, a senior. "It's been our goal for 20 years to finish first and second and we finally did it this year."

The two teams, the Black Team and the Gold Team, consisted of nine cadets each and competed in a series of nine events that tested their physical ability, mental toughness and leadership skills. They competed against teams from Montana State University and the University of Montana.

The events included a modified physical fitness test, a 10K road march, a one-mile run carrying a cadet on a stretcher, salute report writing, a one-rope bridge challenge, a first-aid drill and a hand grenade assault course. The Battalion did not know exactly what to expect in many of these events because the majority of the events were added this year.

"There were five or six new events this year," Slamkowski said. "They changed the events because they wanted to prepare us better for the Sandhurst International competition at West Point Academy in the spring."

The competition was especially grueling this year because the traditionally two-day event was condensed into one due to scheduling conflicts caused by weather.

"We were supposed to have the competition a week earlier but it snowed something like 5 or 6 inches in Bozeman earlier that week," Slamkowski said. "They went from snow to 65 degrees, it was opposite of the conditions we were expecting."

Nevertheless, the team was happy for the opportunity to compete.

"We were excited and everyone was motivated when we learned we'd be going this weekend," said Black Team leader Mathew Fazzari, a senior. 

The Battalion began the day with the modified physical challenge, in which the teams competed in a push-up and sit-up competition, an event the Bulldogs typically dominate.

"Unfortunately we lost that event," Fazzari said. "That was a difficult loss but we had to remain focused on the next events."

The following event was a one-mile run in which they had to carry an "injured" comrade on a stretcher the entire mile.

"We had to run with our full combat gear and carry one of our teammates on the stretcher," said senior Michael Sealock, assistant team leader of the Black Team. "We would switch off holding the stretcher, but it was pretty much a full sprint the entire mile."

The team put their mental skills to the test during the salute report writing challenge.

"We were given a sandbox full of army characters and were given two minutes to remember what it looked like, then we had to write in Salute Report format as much as we could remember," Sealock said.

The turning point of the competition came during the first-aid challenge. Teams had to assist a casualty on the ground and treat their wound, then safely transport him or her to the casualty collection point. They took first in the challenge.

"We came in with a game plan and everything went according to plan," said Black Team member Jim Bogensberger.

Winning the first-aid challenge gave the teams the extra confidence they needed to finish the competition and achieve the first one-two finish in school history.

Members of the team emphasized teamwork and hours of preparation and dedication as the components necessary to being successful and victorious in this competition.

"Each event is team-based and everyone has to do it together," Bogensberger said. "You can't have one superstar, everyone has to be able to do it."

To prepare for the competition, the team put in numerous hours of training, preparing and working together as a group.

"We have three two-hour practices a week and practice for about three hours on Saturday," Bogensberger said. "We also have a physical training class at 5:55 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday."

"We put in over 60 hours of training for this," Slamkowski said. "That's what separates Gonzaga. We are more dedicated than any other team."

The team hopes its strong performance will be enough to earn an invitation to the Sandhurst International Ranger Challenge at West Point Academy this spring.

The Bulldog Battalion is happy and a bit relieved it lived up to its dominant reputation again this year, brining home another victory.

"It's an honor to be a part of that tradition," Fazzari said. "It's an honor to wear the same uniform as the alumni. It gives us a sense of pride, and it's nice to be able to put our name on the list with them."

"It was definitely a team effort," Slamkowski said. "That's what the Army is all about. The team effort is a microcosm of what the Army will be for us in the future."

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