The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) Warrior Battalion earned first place overall and won the Commander’s Challenge at the 8th Brigade Ranger Challenge Competition held February 18–21, at Fort Hunter Liggett, California. Often referred to as the “varsity sport” of Army ROTC, the competition tests cadets’ endurance, military skills and teamwork.
UH Mānoa sent two Ranger Challenge teams to compete against 34 Army ROTC programs from across the West Coast, Guam and Alaska. Each co-ed team of 11 cadets endured 46 hours of physically and mentally demanding events with limited sleep and food.
“This victory reflects the discipline, resilience and teamwork our cadets demonstrate every day,” said Lt. Col. Patrick Kelley, professor of military science at UH Mānoa. “After placing second last year, this win is especially rewarding. They competed with heart and professionalism against some of the best programs in the region and represented Hawaiʻi with pride.”
Securing a spot on the global stage
Day one featured 10 skill lanes testing weapons proficiency, obstacle navigation, medical response, land navigation and communication skills, with more than eight miles of foot marching between stations. That evening, cadets completed a 6.7-mile team foot march carrying 25-pound rucksacks, followed by a 100-question exam on the history of America’s Rangers.
After only six hours of rest, teams began day two with the Commander’s Challenge—a two-mile course in full combat gear requiring teams to move casualties and equipment through rugged terrain. UH Mānoa’s first-place team captured both the overall title and the Commander’s Challenge, earning a Viking Axe plaque. The team had already secured enough points to win before the final event but completed—and won—it anyway.
With the regional win, UH Mānoa advances to the Sandhurst Military Skills Competition at the U.S. Military Academy in New York this spring, where teams from across the U.S. and around the world will compete.
