Photo By Pfc. Andre Gremillion Jr | U.S. Army Maj. Richard Collins, 297th Regional Support Group, Alaska Army National...... read more read more
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Bemowo Piskie, Poland — U.S. Army soldiers from the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, took on the grueling 13th annual Tiger Run in Orzysz, Poland, Aug. 23, 2025, competing with U.S. and Polish service members and the town’s residents.
The annual competition stretched thirty kilometers across an active military training area and forced all the participants to navigate a series of sixty obstacles designed to mirror the tasks soldiers may face in combat.
U.S. Army Captains Preston Pierson and Jacob Cash from the 1st Battalion, 64th Armored Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Task Force Iron, decided to participate in the event to test themselves alongside their NATO allies and for a strong finish at the end of their rotation in Europe.
“Overall, it was a great opportunity to be out here with our multinational partners and have a good, strong physical event to cap off the rotation,” said Cash.
Competitors tested not only their physical endurance but also their ability to work as a team under demanding conditions. They crawled through mud, plunged into chilly water to swim under obstacles, scaled inclined walls and maneuvered under armored vehicles, wearing a heavy weighted pack. They all pushed through the shared challenges and forged stronger bonds of camaraderie and partnership. The Tiger Race underscores the spirit of cooperation that defines NATO’s presence in the region.
“This was a combined struggle,” said U.S. Army Capt. Pierson, “It wasn’t just me and my battle buddies. I was out there with Polish soldiers and folks from Orzysz and Ełk, and we endured the course together.”
Participants moved through obstacles and carried mock AK-47 rifles, giving U.S. Soldiers a chance to experience equipment their allies train with every day. The firsthand exposure added realism to the race and created opportunities for Soldiers to better understand how their partners operate, reinforcing trust and fostering greater cohesion across the alliance.
Pierson summed up the sentiment, “We are stronger together, stronger together here in the multinational battle group.”
The Tiger Run race, originated in 2012, as a civilian endurance event designed to let participants experience the kinds of physical hardships their soldiers face and see if they have the same fighting spirit and grit to make it to the end. The unique competition was inspired by the “Punishment Unit,” Unit 1307, which created the initial Tiger Run, a 40-day march in full gear. Soldiers that completed their 40-day service would earn the famed title of ‘Tiger.’
Cash explained how the first obstacles set the tone for the entire race. From the start, the competitors were going to be dirty, wet, and uncomfortable, but it prepared them for what they may face if called into combat.
“You gotta get comfortable, being uncomfortable,” said Cash.
U.S. Army Spc. Tristan Heil of the 297th Regional Support Group ended up finishing 16th in the 30-kilometer race, which was the highest placement among all U.S. Army participants.
“Competition is the one thing that bonds us all, especially being competitors in the U.S. Army,” said Heil, “So being out there with the locals running with and against them is a great bonding experience.”
| Date Taken: | 08.24.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.25.2025 14:53 |
| Story ID: | 546412 |
| Location: | PL |
| Web Views: | 78 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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