'Once a Ranger, always a Ranger': Generations of Army Rangers gather to commemorate 50 years

Operation Patriots FOB in Ridgeland hosts shooting competition for Rangers

Operation Patriots FOB in Ridgeland hosts shooting competition for Rangers

<> THAT'S THE SOUND OF ARMY RANGERS .. AND OUR LYDIA BLACKSTONE SHOOTING... OUT AT THE OPERATION PATRIOT'S BASE IN RIDGELAND, SOUTH CAROLINA. AND AS SHE DISCOVERED .. THE RANGERS ARE CELEBRATING THEIR 50TH YEAR IN OPERATION. "I WENT INTO THE ARMY A LITTLE BIT LATE. HONESTLY, WHEN I CAME IN, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT A RANGER WAS. I KNEW IT WAS COOL AND IT SOUNDED HARD." <> ERIC LINN WAS AN ARMY RANGER. SO WAS JIM BRUNTON. "ONCE A RANGER. ALWAYS A RANGER." <> RANGERS ARE THE ELITE FIGHTING FORCE OF THE U.S. ARMY. "I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT.((LYDIA)) "WHY?" WELL, YOU'RE SURROUNDED WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE LIKE MINDED, DRIVEN, HARD WORK, AND HOLD THEMSELVES MORE ACCOUNTABLE THAN YOU EVER COULD. IT'S JUST GREAT PEOPLE." <> MARCH 2024 IS A SPECIAL MONTH FOR THE RANGER'S... CELEBRATING 50 YEARS SINCE BEING REACTIVATED..., 1ST BATTALION BEING THE FIRST ACTIVATED AFTER VIETNAM. AROUND 500 RANGERS GATHERING AT OPFOB IN RIDGELAND TO COMMEMORATE IT "IT'S GOOD FOR THE SOUL BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT GENERATIONS OF RANGERS FROM 1974 ALL THE WAY UP TO ACTIVE DUTY GUYS.:" <> A SHOOTING COMPETITION WAS AMONG MANY EVENTS TO HELP COMMEMORATE 50 YEARS.... FORMER RANGER ERIC LINN NOW WORKS FOR SIG SAUER, GETTING TO COME BACK TO HIS ROOTS AT HUNTER ARMY AIRFIELD TO HELP WITH THE COMPETITION. "50TH ANNIVERSARY, OBVIOUSLY, I'VE GOT SOME TIES BACK TO FIRST RANGER BATTALION I STILL GOT FRIENDS THERE. I GOT THE ASK. GOT LINKED IN WITH SUASPONTE FOUNDATION OPFOB RAN THAT TO OUR VETS, PEOPLE AT THE ACADEMY AND THAT SIG AND THEY SAID, YEAH, ALL RIGHT, LET'S DO IT." <> OBFOB CEO JR BROWN SAYS THIS WAS JUST ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO HELP GET VETERANS TOGETHER. "THAT'S HOW WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE BATTLEFIELD, IS HAVING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS TO LEAN ON EACH OTHER WHEN TIMES GET TOUGH." <> THE BOND OF BEING A RANGER, CONNECTING THEM NO MATTER WHEN THEY SERVED. "IT TOOK ABOUT 20 YEARS OFF MY LIFE. IT'S BEEN GREAT. IT'S NOW IT'S BEEN AWESOME. IT'S LIKE COMING HOME. IT WAS, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE GUYS I HADN'T SEEN IN 15 YEARS, AND NOW IT'S LIKE YOU JUST HUNG OUT AND HAD BEERS YESTERDAY." <> AND IF YOU WANT TO SUPPORT "OPERATION PATRIOT'S FORWARD OPERATING BASE" .. SO THEY CAN CONTINUE TO BE FREE FOR ANY FAMILY MEMBER AND VETERAN WHO COMES THROUGH THEIR DOORS... HERE'S HOW... THEY'RE HOSTING A FUNDRAISING CONCERT ON APRIL 13TH .. WITH COUNT

'Once a Ranger, always a Ranger': Generations of Army Rangers gather to commemorate 50 years

Operation Patriots FOB in Ridgeland hosts shooting competition for Rangers

March marks 50 years since the Army Rangers were reactivated.Rangers are the elite fighting force of the U.S. Army.Jim Brunton is the VP of Sua Sponte Foundation. He, himself, was a Ranger.“Once a Ranger. Always a Ranger,” Brunton said.Around 500 rangers came to Operation Patriot’s FOB to commemorate it with a shooting competition.“It's good for the soul because you've got generations of rangers from 1974 all the way up to active duty guys," Brunton said.CEO of OPFOB, Roy Brown Jr., says it is all about getting veterans together and building camaraderie.“That's how we were able to make it through the battlefield, is having those relationships to lean on each other when times get tough,” Brown said.They hosted a shooting competition with the help of Sua Sponte Foundation and Sig Sauer.Sig Sauer firearms instructor Eric Linn taught firearms safety throughout the shooting competition. Linn is also a Hunter Army Airfield Ranger."It's been great. It’s been awesome. It's like coming home. Some of these guys I hadn't seen in 15 years, and now it's like you just hung out and had a beer yesterday," Linn said.If you want to support OPFOB so they can continue to be completely free for any family member and veteran who comes through their doors, they are hosting a fundraiser concert.It will be on April 13, with country star Chris Jansen. Tickets are available online here to anyone who wants to support their mission.

RIDGELAND, S.C. —

March marks 50 years since the Army Rangers were reactivated.

Rangers are the elite fighting force of the U.S. Army.

Jim Brunton is the VP of Sua Sponte Foundation. He, himself, was a Ranger.

“Once a Ranger. Always a Ranger,” Brunton said.

Around 500 rangers came to Operation Patriot’s FOB to commemorate it with a shooting competition.

“It's good for the soul because you've got generations of rangers from 1974 all the way up to active duty guys," Brunton said.

CEO of OPFOB, Roy Brown Jr., says it is all about getting veterans together and building camaraderie.

“That's how we were able to make it through the battlefield, is having those relationships to lean on each other when times get tough,” Brown said.

They hosted a shooting competition with the help of Sua Sponte Foundation and Sig Sauer.

Sig Sauer firearms instructor Eric Linn taught firearms safety throughout the shooting competition. Linn is also a Hunter Army Airfield Ranger.

"It's been great. It’s been awesome. It's like coming home. Some of these guys I hadn't seen in 15 years, and now it's like you just hung out and had a beer yesterday," Linn said.

If you want to support OPFOB so they can continue to be completely free for any family member and veteran who comes through their doors, they are hosting a fundraiser concert.

It will be on April 13, with country star Chris Jansen. Tickets are available online here to anyone who wants to support their mission.

'Once a Ranger, always a Ranger': Generations of Army Rangers gather to commemorate 50 years

Operation Patriots FOB in Ridgeland hosts shooting competition for Rangers

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