Photo By Sgt. Justice McDonald | U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) execute a tactical...... read more read more
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FORT BRAGG, N.C. – Amid relentless downpour and bone-chilling temperatures, the 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) held its Best Team Competition on Dec. 2–3, 2025, pushing twelve Army Special Operations Forces teams across two days of grueling physical and technical events that demanded resilience, discipline, and the strength of the Tribe.
The competition opened before dawn on Dec. 2 as teams formed up for a fitness test consisting of pushups, pull-ups, a plank, and a two-mile run. The rain drenched the formation almost instantly, soaking the ground and making every repetition more challenging.
“The weather was brutal, but when the weather is bad like this, it forges a bond within my team,” said a Special Forces team leader. “We knew we had to dig deep and rely on each other to overcome every obstacle thrown at us.”
From the physical training field, competitors rucked through rugged terrain of the Fort Bragg training area, where the technical portion of the competition began. Even early on, the effects of the weather were clear: soaked gloves, slick surfaces, and cold hands forced teams to rely on mastery of fundamentals.
“Preparation was key,” said a Special Forces team sergeant. “We constantly train and focus on our fundamentals. It’s these basic tasks that keep us sharp in high-pressure situations.” Radio configuration, weapons assembly, individual casualty treatment lanes, and a demanding marksmanship stress shoot followed, each event compounding fatigue and frustration. But for the competitors, adversity was not an obstacle; it was the expectation.
“Without my GPS device, I'm mapping my points with a protractor, that's difficult, right? Under 60-pound loads, plus water at night, that's difficult, right? We expect that,” said Col. Shane Jones, deputy commanding officer of 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), who observed multiple events throughout the competition. “This is what we want, this is what we think of you guys. It's the hardest day. And we wanted to portray the hardest day to bring the best out of everybody.”
Jones emphasized that the punishing conditions were never a factor to avoid, they were part of the reality 3rd Group trains for.
“We didn't order the weather. The weather just showed up,” he said. “But that's what it is to be in 3rd group, right? It's the Tribe, this is the best group that you can be in. So, I just tell you guys, it's important to train hard and train for the worst and the hardest day.”
Nothing captured that message more clearly than the mass casualty (MASCAL) event. Exhausted, drenched, and mentally taxed, teams entered one of the most demanding lanes of the competition.
“We were exhausted, drenched, and faced with a high-stress scenario,” the team sergeant recalled. “We relied on our training and each other to triage and treat the casualties effectively. Teamwork and preparation were the key to our success.”
As night fell, cold temperatures continued to fall for the final event, a land navigation course through thick brush, muddy terrain, and deepening fatigue. Teams spread into the darkness, armed with only a compass and a dim red light in search of points buried deep in the woods.
"During the land navigation phase, we were struggling to find our way in the rain and the dark, adaptability is crucial,” the team leader recalled. “Every challenge we face in competitions like this translates to our operations in real life. We’re always learning and improving,” the team sergeant added.
As scores were reviewed at the end of the competition, leadership noted just how closely matched the teams were, reflecting a Group defined by high standards across every battalion.
“Really everybody out here that came out, and they all put their best foot forward,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Eric Rivas, senior enlisted advisor for 3rd Group. “There's definitely a lot of ties across the board, when it really came down to it, we looked at the team's PT average. And that's what really kind of broke that tie down then.”
In the end, it was 2nd Battalion’s Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha (SFOD-A) that emerged as the Best Team for 2025.
“These guys are the best ODA for 2025,” Rivas said. “Congratulations again to you guys, I really appreciate all the hard work.”
Through punishing weather, physical exhaustion, and some of the toughest standards in Special Operations, the participating teams of 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) demonstrated what continues to define them, readiness, resilience, and commitment to the Tribe. The Best Team Competition was not just a test of skill but a reaffirmation that the men and women of 3rd Group remain prepared for the hardest day, ready for any day.
| Date Taken: | 12.04.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 12.08.2025 09:12 |
| Story ID: | 553121 |
| Location: | FORT LIBERTY, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 393 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Ready for the Hardest Day and Any Day, by SSG Austin Baker, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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