Soldier becomes first woman to compete in Best Ranger Competition

A feminine Military Ranger for the primary time competed within the annual Greatest Ranger Competitors, and her two-soldier staff completed the grueling three-day occasion over the weekend and got here in 14th general.

First Lt. Gabrielle White, and her teammate, Capt. Seth Deltenre, have been among the many 16 groups that made it by means of the ultimate occasions, the place Ranger groups compete for accolades as one of the best of the elite navy pressure. All collectively, 52 groups competed and the entire others have been made up of solely male troopers.

The 2 Rangers on the successful staff have been 1st Lt. Griff Hokanson and 1st Lt. Kevin Moore — each are members of the seventy fifth Ranger Regiment. White and Deltenre are based mostly on the Military Middle of Excellence at Fort Benning, Georgia.

Feminine troopers weren’t allowed to be Military Rangers till 2015, when the Military opened Ranger faculty to girls. In August 2015, two feminine troopers accomplished the Ranger course for the primary time. Later that yr, the Protection Division opened all fight jobs to girls.

Till this yr, no feminine troopers had entered the Greatest Ranger Competitors at Fort Benning. Troopers taking part should all be Military Rangers, they usually compete in additional than 30 occasions.

In response to the competitors, troopers should transfer greater than 60 miles throughout the three days, with little relaxation. It contains helicopter missions, bodily health checks, land navigation, weapons qualification, impediment course and different checks.

Whereas in earlier years the Military would doubtless have famous the historic first in a narrative or press launch, that gained’t occur this time.

Below President Donald Trump and Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth, the division has banned something that touts variety, fairness and inclusion. And within the latest purge of the navy’s on-line web sites and social media postings, mentions of historic firsts by girls and minorities have been largely eradicated.

White, 25, is a Black infantry officer assigned to the maneuver captains profession course. She graduated from the Navy Academy at West Level in Might 2021 and accomplished the Ranger Faculty in April 2022, in accordance with Christopher Surridge, an Military spokesman.

In response to the Military, 154 females had graduated from the Ranger Faculty as of January 2025.