Best Ranger Competition Update

The nice thing, to me, that I got out of this photo and the accompanying story, is that you have young men coming from a variety of national backgrounds, who aren't just competing against each other, but, are defending this wonderful country as Special Operations soldiers. As they say, "Only in America". As the son of a first generation american, I am delighted to see that the United States continues to be a shining example to the rest of the world. This country continues to be a place where a person is limited only by his or her imagination.

Photo: Roger Hart/Ledger-Enquirer

Ranger Captain Peter Kim takes aim on the archery range during

the 23rd Annual Best Ranger Competition held at Fort Benning,

Georgia on Saturday April 22, 2006

Nine teams eliminated, so far

17 two-man teams still in race to be named the best

BY MICK WALSH
Staff Writer

The remaining contenders in the annual Best Ranger Competition at Fort Benning probably wish now that Spc. Mikhail Venikov had gone through with plans to become a firefighter in Sacramento, Calif., instead of an Army Ranger.

Of course, they may also wish that Ivan Venikov hadn't brought his family to the United States from the Ukraine in the mid-'80s to escape religious persecution by the Soviets.

And what if Venikov, 23, hadn't been paired up with Sgt. 1st Class John Sheaffer, 32, last Monday after Sheaffer's original training partner had hurt his back?

Forget the "what ifs."

Venikov and Sheaffer came into Saturday's round of events at muddy Todd Field leading the field of 17 two-man teams -- nine tandems were eliminated in the 18-mile Friday night/Saturday morning road march. Representing the 75th Ranger Regiment, they remained strong throughout a cool, cloudy day in which they climbed, tomahawked and stress shot their way one step closer to the ultimate prize.

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