FORT BRAGG, N.C. — A five-man team from the 75th Ranger Regiment won the 2026 U.S. Army Special Operations Command Best Squad Competition held Aug. 3-7 at Fort Bragg.
The squad, led by Staff Sgt. Colin Doyle, defeated seven other elite teams from across USASOC to earn a spot at the upcoming Department of the Army Best Squad Competition.
“I’m just humbled to be able to represent the Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment in this competition,” Doyle said. “Knowing the caliber of our competition this year and the past winners, I knew we had big shoes to fill. It’s humbling that our command trusts us to get it done.”
The five-day event tested the Army’s “Big 5” fundamentals: physical readiness, mobility, small unit tactics, marksmanship and medical proficiency.
Events began with the Army Fitness Test at Ritz-Epps Field and a swim confidence assessment at Atchley Pool. Competitors then tackled the “Nasty Nick” obstacle course, stress shoots, and day and night land navigation. The final phase featured tactical situational training lanes, a grueling 12-mile rucksack march, and a rigorous graded oral board.
The winning squad — comprised of Doyle, Sgt. William Masters, Cpl. Michael Shield, Spc. William Schaeffer and Spc. Marshall Garren — relied heavily on mutual trust to survive the physical toll.
“There were days where my teammates picked me up and kept me going, and days where I did the same,” Shield said. “It is a team competition, and the knowledge, skills, and abilities my team brought to the table was awe-inspiring.”
The Rangers praised their competitors and the event’s rigorous standards.
“I was blown away by the level of professionalism this competition displayed, from cadre, graders, support, and especially my fellow competitors,” Masters said. “The level of competition we faced was impressive. They were right there in the fight with us.”
The 75th Ranger Regiment has won the Army-level Best Squad Competition twice before, alongside six consecutive Best Ranger Competition victories. Doyle attributed their success to the unit’s rigorous selection and standards.
“Our advantage is our people. Every Ranger has to be specially selected to serve here,” Doyle said. “Our biggest strengths are our culture, which is built on the Ranger Creed, the Blue Book, and our Charters. All of those create a culture which will translate really well to the next competition.”
By CPT Derek Zuchowski
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