(Griswold) 2013 Griswold High School graduate Tanner Potter recently finished in the top ten of the David E. Grange Best Ranger Competition.
Potter and teammate Dan Erickson, of Minnesota, were 8th among 56 teams in the 62 hour event. “It showcases the best of the best in the military, Army specifically. Moving over 60 miles and carrying up to 80 pounds over those 60-ish hours. Doing tasks from weapons, munition proficiency, medical training, small unit tactics, communications, and basic soldier tasks.”
It took several months of training, not to mention superior physical and mental strength. “Nothing really compares to it, no.” Potter laughs, “There’s a lot of stuff that prepared me for that kind of stuff just growing up wrestling and getting beat up in football practice and wrestling practice. That was very similar to it. Just a grind. The competition was a marathon and at the same time it’s a competition too so you have to know when you are going to give it everything you’ve got and know when you can conserve a little bit of energy. It’s a long competition. You don’t want to be toast from the very beginning so you have to pace yourself and know your strengths, know your weaknesses.”
This was the 39th annual national competition. “It was originally designed as a Ranger Olympics. They wanted to bring together the ranger regiments and they eventually started inviting other army units down to participate. Now most all major divisions and units have a representation at the competition. It’s now combined where the Best Ranger Competition goes on the same week as the International Sniper Competition, the Best Mortar Competition, and a few others.”
Potter says it spotlights the top 1% of 1%. “It’s pretty incredible to see. You see everybody down here and their abilities. We have some pretty solid people out there.”
Potter was on one of the three teams from the National Guard. “I always just wanted to serve and had some family members that have served. After getting a taste in college when I enlisted, I just enjoyed it. It was something that competitive sports gave me in high school and college. It was that piece that I was missing. It gave me something to always improve myself with. There’s always something I can be doing to improve myself. There’s so many opportunities that I can take advantage of. I’m having the time of my life down here. It’s been great for my family. I love it.”
He enlisted in May of 2015. “The Best Ranger Competition was the best time in my Army career to train. The opportunities that we’ve got are just incredible.”
The competition took place at Fort Benning, Georgia where Potter is currently stationed.
Tanner Potter:
