My son is headed to RASP. Any Army Rangers here?

[815C]

My son heads to the Army and RASP this summer. He enlisted with an Option 40 contract that will send him to RASP after basic training.

He has been working out 2 -3 hours a day for years, running to the gym and back with a 40 pound weighted vest, etc. and is built like a tank. He went thru police academy as part of the prep. But RASP looks pretty intense.

Any Rangers/former Rangers here with words of wisdom for him?

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RASP:

The training curriculum was specifically designed to "smoke" the trainees through endless punishment via constant physical training. In the second and fourth week of RASP, the class is sent to "Cole Range"; a remote training area of Fort Moore. It is designed to test the individual to their breaking point both physically and mentally; trainees sleep on average 4 hours total throughout Cole Range as they spend their nights doing tedious tasks such as the "hitting the wood line" for being incapable of meeting the given time standards. Although training such as patrolling and land navigation is taught at Cole Range, the main focus is to mentally and physically break down the individual. For classes held in the winter; it is not uncommon for 30–49% of the starting class to quit during the first night of Cole Range.

RASP is broken down into two levels of training: RASP 1 for Junior Noncommissioned Officers and Enlisted Soldiers (pay grades E-1 through E-5) and RASP 2 for Senior Noncommissioned Officers, Officers and Warrant Officers. Candidates will train on physical fitness, marksmanship, small unit tactics, medical proficiency and mobility. Training is fast-paced and intense, ensuring Ranger candidates are prepared to employ their skills in both continued training and worldwide operations upon reaching their assigned Ranger unit. Throughout the course all candidates will be screened to ensure that only the best Soldiers are chosen for service in the Ranger Regiment. Regardless of the course, all candidates must meet the course requirements in order to serve in the Ranger Regiment.

As of January 2010, the 4-week Ranger Indoctrination Program (RIP) became RASP (Ranger Assessment and Selection Program) and extended to 8 weeks long. There are two separate phases in the RASP program.

Phase 1 primarily consists of day to day, week to week physical and mental toughness training, and includes rigorous "smoke" sessions (blocks of time specifically geared toward using physical training as a tool for corrective training and instruction) that are used to train the group if a particular task, condition, or standard is not met, and also incorporate a necessary environment of the unknown to each soldier. Phase 2 training includes marksmanship and baseline breaching abilities. Ranger history is also the subject of training.

[TomB'sox]

Holy cow, that sounds intense and impossible to achieve. I guess that is why the Rangers are the Rangers! Good luck to your son and thank you for his service.

[Cypress Knee]

I went through Ranger School back in 1981. I am sure that some things have evolved since then.

Even though you are asking about RASP earning that Ranger tab will be one of his longer term goals.

It was physically demanding, but not so much that the tasks were beyond the reach of a reasonably athletic person. Injuries and illnesses can be a factor, but they are also something that can be subject to luck. Physically I started at 180 lbs of muscle and 58 days later I graduated at 145 lbs of skin and bones. Humping an eighty pound rucksack through the mountains and swamps while living on C-Rations will do that to you.

Two factors that have to be dealt with and in a sense they are inter-related. First of all, sleep deprivation is a huge issue. Even though they told us we were supposed to get four hours of sleep it never worked out that way. Somebody had to pull guard duty. If the unit did not complete its mission on time for whatever reason, then that cut into sleep time. Plus, those four hours were when we were supposed to take care of personal maintenance, laundry, cleaning our weapons, and other chores.

The most important factor was this - how does a soldier relate to his fellow Rangers after weeks of exhausting physical endeavor and lack of adequate sleep? It is quite a mental test.

My class started with about 120 and graduated 58. About a third of the graduating class had been re-cycled after failing out of previous classes.

If he can live up to Line 3 of the Ranger Creed he should be fine:
"Never shall I fail my comrades. I will always keep myself mentally alert, physically strong and morally straight and I will shoulder more than my share of the task whatever it may be, one-hundred-percent and then some."

[Steve-arino]

How proud you must be.

Wishing him all the best, and a big Thank You for his service!

[TomB'sox]

Originally Posted by Cypress Knee

I went through Ranger School back in 1981. I am sure that some things have evolved since then.

Even though your are asking about RASP earning that Ranger tab will be one of his longer term goals.

It was physically demanding, but not so much that the tasks were beyond the reach of a reasonably athletic person. Injuries and illnesses can be a factor, but they are also something that can be subject to luck. Physically I started at 180 lbs of muscle and 58 days later I graduated at 145 lbs of skin and bones. Humping an eighty pound rucksack through the mountains and swamps while living on C-Rations will do that to you.

Two factors that have to be dealt with and in a sense they are inter-related. First of all, sleep deprivation is a huge issue. Even though they told us we were supposed to get four hours of sleep it never worked out that way. Somebody had to pull guard duty. If the unit did not complete its mission on time for whatever reason, then that cut into sleep time. Plus, those four hours were when we were supposed to take care of personal maintenance, laundry, cleaning our weapons, and other chores.

The most important factor was this - how does a soldier relate to his fellow Rangers after weeks of exhausting physical endeavor and lack of adequate sleep? It is quite a mental test.

My class started with about 120 and graduated 58. About a third of the graduating class had been re-cycled after failing out of previous classes.

If he can live up to Line 3 of the Ranger Creed he should be fine:
"Never shall I fail my comrades. I will always keep myself mentally alert, physically strong and morally straight and I will shoulder more than my share of the task whatever it may be, one-hundred-percent and then some."

Thank you for your service and sacrifices. 35 pounds off a 180 frame is a lot!

[RP]

Originally Posted by Cypress Knee

...The most important factor was this - how does a soldier relate to his fellow Rangers after weeks of exhausting physical endeavor and lack of adequate sleep? It is quite a mental test...

This is what I was thinking. The difference between hanging in there and dropping out in many cases is likely more mental than physical...

[815C]

Originally Posted by Cypress Knee

If he can live up to Line 3 of the Ranger Creed he should be fine:
"Never shall I fail my comrades. I will always keep myself mentally alert, physically strong and morally straight and I will shoulder more than my share of the task whatever it may be, one-hundred-percent and then some."

Thanks so much!

[Talk2Me]

Originally Posted by RP

This is what I was thinking. The difference between hanging in there and dropping out in many cases is likely more mental than physical...

So is the work these brave folks will be called on in real life... if they're going to have a chance to survive.

[Slothead56]

One of my son’s College lacrosse teammates is a Navy Seal.

One of the sweetest kids I’ve ever met. When I heard what he had to go through it was both sobering and humbling.

Many thanks to all who serve but, especially to those who face the greatest qualification and training challenges and take on the toughest assignments.

[Glennwillow]

I wish you son all the best!

- Glenn

[tbeltrans]

You and your son should be very proud. I am a Vietnam veteran, was in the Army. To me, the Marines, Army Rangers, Seals, all are very professional by training. By comparison, we were pretty much "rag tag" with 8 weeks of Basic Training and some form of AIT (Advanced Infantry Training), which was really schooling for our particular MOS (Military Occupation Specialty). Regardless of MOS, when we got to Vietnam, we were stuffed into whatever was needed, usually ending up out on patrol somewhere.

But these Ranger guys, they have training far beyond anything I ever went through and are therefore much better prepared for the jobs they will have to do. Big difference between the professional soldier and the rest of us (at least back then).

Tony

[Cypress Knee]

I reviewed several YouTube videos regarding Ranger school, airborne operations and such after this thread was started. The equipment has been updated, but the training is just as intense as ever.

I have come up with a little advice, both as going through Ranger school and later on in life owning a running store and organizing marathon training programs.

Get his boots early enough to break them in, but not so early so that they are worn out. If you watch this RASP video you will see that the candidates spend an inordinate amount of time crawling through the mud, wading streams, jumping into water. The feet are always wet. If the candidate is not in the water, odds are he is on long road marches, running through the woods, climbing cliffs and more.

Take care of the feet.

Next, take land navigation classes. Get a head start on reading the terrain and topographical maps. Learn how to use a compass. Find an orienteering club. He cannot use GPS systems to pass the land nav section.

As a parent you need to get used some of the songs he will be singing in his sleep when he comes back home.

Two old ladies were lying in bed
One rolled over to the other and said,
"There's three things a man should be
That's AIRBORNE RANGER INFANTRY!"

Best wishes to your son.

[815C]

Originally Posted by Cypress Knee

I reviewed several YouTube videos regarding Ranger school, airborne operations and such after this thread was started. The equipment has been updated, but the training is just as intense as ever.

I have come up with a little advice, both as going through Ranger school and later on in life owning a running store and organizing marathon training programs.

Get his boots early enough to break them in, but not so early so that they are worn out. If you watch this RASP video you will see that the candidates spend an inordinate amount of time crawling through the mud, wading streams, jumping into water. The feet are always wet. If the candidate is not in the water, odds are he is on long road marches, running through the woods, climbing cliffs and more.

Take care of the feet.

Next, take land navigation classes. Get a head start on reading the terrain and topographical maps. Learn how to use a compass. Find an orienteering club. He cannot use GPS systems to pass the land nav section.

As a parent you need to get used some of the songs he will be singing in his sleep when he comes back home.

Two old ladies were lying in bed
One rolled over to the other and said,
"There's three things a man should be
That's AIRBORNE RANGER INFANTRY!"

Best wishes to your son.

Thank you so much Cypess Knee! I'm passing your advice on to him!

[Jim Owen]

Good wishes to your son, 815C. I’ve never been a Ranger, but I live near Fort Moore. Summers here are brutal. Hydration is very important.