We have another research focused episode for you guys this week, and we're diving into the recently published article "Demographic, psychosocial, and physical fitness predictors of successful graduation from U.S. Army Ranger School."

We're joined by the lead author, LTC Timothy Benedict, who has a unique background as both an infantry officer and a physical therapist. He is currently an Associate Professor in the Baylor University – Keller Army Community Hospital Division 1 Sports Physical Therapy Fellowship at the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York where he is also the chief of the Physical Therapy Department.

After graduating from the United States Military Academy in 2002, LTC Benedict commissioned as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army. Immediately following graduation from Ranger School, he joined the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vicenza, Italy, and then deployed to Iraq as a rifle platoon leader (2003-2004) and Afghanistan as a company executive officer (2005-2006). He graduated from the Army-Baylor Physical Therapy Program in 2009 and was assigned to the 3rd Brigade, 25th ID in Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, and deployed to Afghanistan in 2011-2012.

LTC Benedict graduated from the University of Kentucky with a PhD in rehabilitation sciences after completing a randomized controlled trial implementing pain neuroscience education for Service Members with low back pain and post-traumatic stress in 2018. Since obtaining his PhD, Tim has taught and researched about the neuroscience of pain and resilience.