WASHINGTON — For the first time, a female Army Ranger competed in the annual Best Ranger Competition, and her two-soldier team completed the arduous three-day event over the weekend, finishing 14th overall.
First Lt. Gabrielle White and her teammate, Capt. Seth Deltenre, were among the 16 teams who advanced to the final competitions, where Ranger teams battle for recognition as the finest in the elite military force. Overall, 52 teams competed, with all of the others consisting solely of male soldiers.
The winning team included two Rangers: 1st Lt. Griff Hokanson and 1st Lt. Kevin Moore, both of whom are members of the 75th Ranger Regiment. White and Deltenre are stationed at the Army Center of Excellence in Fort Benning, Georgia.
Female soldiers were not permitted to become Army Rangers until 2015, when the Army opened Ranger School to women. In August 2015, two female troops finished the Ranger course for the first time. Later that year, the Defense Department made all combat positions available to women.
Until this year, no female troops have participated in Fort Benning’s Best Ranger Competition. Soldiers must all be Army Rangers and compete in over 30 activities.
According to the competition, soldiers must travel more than 60 miles over three days with limited respite. It comprises helicopter missions, physical fitness testing, ground navigation, weapon qualification, an obstacle course, and other assessments.
In prior years, the Army would have likely mentioned the historic first in an article or press release, but that will not happen this time.
Under President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the department has prohibited everything that promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion. And, in a recent sweep of the military’s online platforms and social media posts, mentions of historic firsts by women and minorities were mainly removed.
White, 25, is a Black infantry officer enrolled in the maneuver captains’ career school. She graduated from the Military Academy at West Point in May 2021 and finished Ranger School in April 2022, according to Army spokesperson Christopher Surridge.
According to the Army, 154 females had graduated from Ranger School as of January 2025.