Georgia Southern University’s ROTC program, known as the Eagle Battalion, secured ninth place at the 6th Brigade Ranger Challenge held at Fort Benning, Georgia. The event, which took place from January 23 to 25, included teams from junior and senior colleges across the Southeast and Puerto Rico.
The Eagle Battalion partnered with Georgia Southern’s Exercise Science program to develop an individualized training regimen for its cadets. Bridget Melton, Ed.D., and graduate student Spencer Bolling from the Waters College of Health Professions conducted screenings and baseline testing using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans to measure bone mineral density, along with other physiological assessments. These evaluations allowed for tailored training programs designed to improve each cadet’s performance.
“Finishing ninth out of 43 teams in the 6th Brigade 2026 Ranger Challenge is a testament to the grit, discipline and resilience of our Georgia Southern Battalion,” said Lt. Col. Nick Bingham, Professor of Military Science at Georgia Southern.
The competition tested both mental and physical skills over more than 28 miles of rugged terrain within a 48-hour period. Cadets faced events such as marksmanship with M17 pistols, weapons assembly and disassembly under challenging conditions, military communications tasks, obstacle courses, grenade assault exercises, Zodiac raft maneuvers, functional fitness tests based on Army Combat Fitness Test standards, tactical combat casualty care simulations, ruck marches between stations totaling over six miles on day one alone, night land navigation exercises extending into day two, an eight-mile ruck march to a simulation center after limited rest, simulated weapons engagement scenarios, call-for-fire exercises and a final “Titan Challenge” that combined physical obstacles with complex mental tasks.
Sgt. 1st Class John Hay, MS III instructor and Ranger Challenge coach said: “This team trained in the dark, pushed through injuries and fatigue, and showed up ready to fight for each other when it mattered most. Ranger Challenge exposes who you are under pressure, and these cadets proved they have the toughness and heart to compete with anyone in 6th Brigade.”
Throughout their preparation for the competition, each cadet’s progress was monitored so that adjustments could be made to enhance recovery times and reduce injury risk while improving overall performance.
“This competition demanded excellence under extreme physical and mental stress. Our team proved they belong among the best in the brigade,” Bingham said. “The Eagle Battalion didn’t just compete; they set the standard and built a foundation for even greater success.”
Hay added: “This finish isn’t the ceiling, it’s the baseline.”
The Eagle Battalion competed against a field of 470 cadets representing 43 teams.
