FBR Celebrates the Graduation of 179 New Rangers

2025 graduating class.

Usually, the graduation of our new Rangers is a time of celebration after three long months of diligent training, before we send the new teams on mission. We have had the celebration; however, this was dampened by the loss of one Ranger during the training course. Ranger Pee Jai from Dooplaya District, Karen State passed away during the course. He drowned during a training exercise. It was a tragic accident that had a deep impact on our Rangers and volunteers. We held a memorial for Pee Jai, honoring his life and mourning his passing. This is a poem our daughter Suzanne wrote and read out loud to the entire class.

Roll Call

It was a quieter roll call today,

Someone seemed to forget your name.

We formed up like we always do,

I saved a seat next to me for you.

I sat in devotions on that cold winter day,

But the chill of the morning seemed thick with decay.

The sun shining down was blocked with a haze,

A dark cloud of sadness, we all feel the weight.

We all sit in silence, feeling the loss,

Your presence is still here

Just your body lost.

This roll call we still hear your name so loud

Though no one is making a sound.

To Jesus I’ll mourn and cry for you

And in roll call in heaven I’ll stand next to you. 

Ranger Pee Jai.

After the death of Pee Jai, we all felt very sad and subdued, but the training continued as we all knew that is what Pee Jai would have wanted. In the end, we celebrated the graduation of 179 new and advanced Rangers on December 31, 2025, in Karen State, Burma.

Students practicing casualty care.

Also participating in the training were the 26 JSMK medical students for a total of 205 trainees in all the programs. Of the trainees, 142 new students graduated from the Basic Ranger Course, and 37 students graduated from the Advanced Ranger Course. This year's training was also the second iteration of the Relief Team Chaplain and Servant Leadership Course. There were eight chaplain students in total - four students graduated as relief team chaplains, and four as advanced trained chaplains. These chaplains are charged with the responsibility to partner with others to advance the gospel in frontline areas.

Students reading the newly distributed 'Day of Prayer for Burma' publication.

The nine ethnic groups present were a hopeful sign of the growing unity in Burma against the Feb. 1, 2021, coup. Adding to this hope were the Burman ethnicity graduates from the major cities, joining the other ethnic minority graduates in their stand against the dictatorship. The men and women Rangers were from the Karen, Karenni, Pa-Oh, Tavoy, Shan, Biek, Mon, Chin, and Burman ethnic groups. The training lasted three months, and the major lessons were love God, love and forgive each other, pray, and don’t give up. These new Ranger teams will now go to help people displaced by new Burma Army attacks in four main areas in Burma.

Mule and horse handling training.

The courses taught at the basic and advanced courses included:

• Ethnic Unity

• Leadership Principles

• Mule and Horse Packing

• Map Reading and Drawing

• Compass Reading

• Land Navigation

• GPS (Global Positioning System)

• Landmine Removal

• Swimming and Lifesaving

• Solar Power and Battery Management

• Human Rights Violations Recording and Reporting

• SALUTE Reporting

• General Reporting

• Video and Photography

• Medical Training

• Five Field Training Exercises

• Physical Training

• Rope Bridge Building

• Poncho Raft Use

• Rappelling

• Good Life Club Training

Students training to evacuate casualties.

There are three requirements for FBR team members: 1) They must be literate in at least one language for reporting and medical work. 2) They must have the physical and moral courage for physically hard and dangerous missions, and they cannot run away if the villagers they are helping cannot run. 3) They must do the work for love. These Rangers are not paid by FBR. People of all faiths are welcome at FBR as long as they are working from a place of love; however, many students and instructors follow Jesus.

Students and Ranger leaders preparing for the baptism.

Ranger leaders baptizing students.

A highlight was the baptism of 23 followers of Jesus, including 16 Rangers and two of our foreign volunteers, who re-dedicated their lives to the Lord. The teams are now on relief missions to offer aid to people under attack. Once finished with the mission, they will return to their home areas, ready to conduct missions there. They have learned and practiced many new skills and are more able to help their people in any kind of crisis. But more importantly, they have learned about the love of Jesus and learned to love each other across ethnic lines. These skills and this love are vital for Rangers serving those in need. Please pray that these brave young men and women would bring help, hope, and love to the people of Burma.

Thanks and God Bless,

Dave, family, and the Free Burma Rangers.

Jump, rappel, and swim training.

Students practice blood-transfusion.

Students teach anatomy as a part of their GLC training.

Students training to transport casualties.

The Eubank family at the Free Burma Ranger training camp in Karen State, Burma.