Greetings from the Association of the United States Army (AUSA), our Army’s and our soldiers’ professional organization.The 32nd Annual David E. Grange Jr. Best Ranger Competition kicked off with 51 two-man Ranger buddy teams.Running 60 hours in duration, the competition places extreme demands on each buddy team’s physical, mental, technical and tactical skills as Rangers.This year’s competition was won by Sgt. 1st Class Jeremy Lemma and Sgt. 1st Class Timothy Briggs, representing the Fort Benning Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade.For Briggs, this was his second victory in the competition, having also come out on top in the 2013 Best Ranger Competition.Briggs is now only one of three soldiers in the history of the competition to win more than one competition.Finishing in second place was the buddy team of Capt. Robert Killian and Capt. Travis Cornwall, representing the United States Army National Guard.Of special note, an Army National Guard team also finished second in last year’s competition, demonstrating their quest for excellence.In third place was the 75th Ranger Regiment with the buddy team of Staff Sgt. Philip Jewah and Sgt. Thomas Malphrus.All three teams dominated the competition, performing consistently well throughout all the events.In a snapshot, the competition events included weapons firing, day and night land navigation courses, extended road marches, parachute jumps, and a host of mystery, tactical and technical tasks.In total, each buddy team competed in 26 planned events over the three-day period, racking up more than 100 miles of buddy team runs and land navigation tasks while carrying up to 80 pounds of equipment.While 51 teams started the competition, only 24 teams completed the final day’s events.The first Best Ranger Competition was held in 1982 when the Ranger Department was asked to design and conduct a two-man buddy team competition.The competition is named in honor of Lt. Gen. David E. Grange Jr., a veteran of three wars, 20 campaigns and a former Ranger Instructor, Ranger Department director and the commander of Fort Benning and Sixth U.S. Army.Grange was present to recognize and congratulate the 2015 winning team at the formal awards ceremony at McGinnis-Wickam Hall.The guest speaker for the awards presentation was Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel Dailey.Dailey congratulated the winners and all the competitors by focusing on their level of competency and performance."As we draw away from Iraq and Afghanistan and we look around the world, there are a lot of things happening," Dailey said.He added, "One of the most important things that we have to do as an Army every day is to be ready. We have to be prepared for the uncertain."In addition to recognizing the winning buddy team, two other awards, the Rippetoe and the Leandri awards, were presented in the competition.The Rippetoe Award was presented to the team that finished the foot-march event on Day 1 with the best time.The award is named in honor of Capt. Russell B. Rippetoe, a Ranger who died April 3, 2003, while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom.Rippetoe was a fire support officer assigned to A Company, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment.The winners of the Rippetoe Award were Sgt. 1st Class Jeremy Lemma and Sgt. 1st Class Timothy Briggs, Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade.The Leandri Award is an orienteering award presented to the team with the best time on the Day 2 night orienteering course.The award is named in honor of Richard A. Leandri, who established the Chairborne Rangers of Clearwater, Fla., and was a significant figure in organizing the first Best Ranger Competition.The winners of the Leandri Award for Orienteering/Land Navigation were Capt. Robert Killian and Capt. Travis Cornwall, Army National Guard.Like the Army, the Best Ranger Competition has evolved and changed over the last 33 years to meet the needs of our nation.In 1982 the competition consisted of 12 two-man buddy teams from the Ranger Department.In 1984, the competition was expanded to include those serving in Ranger units across the Army.In 1987, participation in the competition was opened to all Ranger-qualified soldiers.Since 1982, only two competitions have been cancelled – in 1991, due to Operation Desert Storm, and in 2003 because of Operation Iraqi Freedom.Each year the Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade reviews the tasks tested in the previous competition to decide which tasks will be retained, modified or replaced.Aligning the tested tasks in the competition to what combat soldiers could expect on the battlefield maintains relevancy for all the competing soldiers and an Army deployed to more than 80 countries around the world.As an example, one of the most recent additions to the challenging tasks tested in the competition was a marksmanship event requiring soldiers to shoot from a moving vehicle.These types of events showcase evolving training initiatives for the entire Army and support the founding principles of the Army’s Ranger training program.The Ranger Department’s mission began in September 1950 during the Korean War with the task of forming and training 17 Airborne Ranger companies.The intent of the training was to replicate the courage and commitment displayed by the Rangers who fought in World War II from the beaches of Normandy to the jungles of Burma.The end state of their mission is to provide the Army with leaders who can execute diverse missions in a variety of terrain conditions and to elevate the level of training and readiness throughout the Army.The Ranger Department’s mission today has evolved to meet the needs of the Army since the first class graduated on March 1, 1952.Today, their primary focus is to develop the combat arms skills of officer and enlisted volunteers eligible for assignment to units whose primary mission is to engage the enemy in close-combat, direct fire battle.After the invasion of Iraq in March 2003, the linear battlefield evolved to become a 360 degree fight for anyone serving in the theater of operations.With more than 150,000 soldiers engaged in a counterinsurgency fight, the Ranger Course was needed to evolve again to meet the needs of the Army.Since February of 2005, the course has expanded the range of candidates to include operations support and sustainment career-fields in response to a directive by the Army chief of staff.The course is currently 61 days in duration and divided into three phases; the Benning Phase, the Mountain Phase and the Florida Phase.Specifically looking at each phase, the Benning Phase is designed to develop the military skills, physical and mental endurance, stamina, and confidence that a small-unit combat leader must have to successfully accomplish a mission.The Benning Phase teaches Ranger students to properly maintain themselves, their subordinates, and their equipment under difficult field conditions.The Mountain Phase enables Ranger students to gain proficiency in the fundamentals, principles, and techniques of employing small combat units in a mountainous environment.The Mountain Phase is also designed to develop Ranger students to lead platoon sized units and to exercise control through planning, preparation, and execution phases of all types of combat operations.The Florida Phase allows Ranger students to continue their development as a combat leader, capable of operating effectively under conditions of extreme mental and physical stress during airborne, air assault, small boat, and dismounted combat operations.But through all the transitions and the evolution of the Ranger course, the tough demanding standards of excellence remain the same.As the first gender integrated Ranger course assessment began on April 20, the course is evolving to meet the needs of the Army.Dailey said, "We began the Best Ranger Competition in 1982, and changes have been added because tomorrow always represents opportunity in our Army."Adding, "Tomorrow brings promise that someday all soldiers will have the opportunity to serve our Army to the fullest extent of their capabilities. All soldiers who are capable of achieving the standards will be afforded the opportunity to wear the coveted Ranger tab and compete at the Best Ranger."As the Army transforms in preparation for the future needs of our nation and an uncertain battlefield anywhere in the world, we know the Rangers will be there to "Lead the Way!"Now more than ever America’s Army needs AUSA and AUSA needs your membership support.Membership is the volume knob to ensure your voice is amplified many times over and heard throughout the halls of Congress, from sea to shining sea across this country, and throughout every small town and community in-between.Keep America’s Army Strong!Take a Stand!Still Serving, Still Saluting!