Two Women Make History by Passing Army's Elite Ranger School

NBC News ^ | 8/17/2015 | Nick Tomecek

[sparklite2]

For the first time ever, two women have successfully completed the Army's elite Ranger school, one of the toughest combat training courses in the world, the Army said Monday.

The female soldiers weren't identified beyond being described as West Point-trained officers. They were among 96 soldiers who will graduate Friday at Fort Benning, Georgia, with the coveted Ranger tab, the Army said.

(snip)

Unlike the 94 men who will graduate Friday, the two women won't be allowed to apply to join the join the 75th Ranger Regiment, the elite Special Operations force.

It remains closed to women.

[jonascord]

Saw a video clip from last month, when two women were testing for a Ranger tab, They were fully loaded.

There were complaints that they were allowed to rest between stages. After all the static the Army received, I'm betting Ranger School was playing strictly by the rules.

[Timber Rattler]

I’ve got my doubts about how the Army handled their training since the word came down that those two HAD to pass. The truth will eventually come out from their peers.

[Tallguy]

“Two out of how many dozens that attempted?”

Now this will be the next difficult stat to ferret out. There was an article a while back — maybe as much as a year ago — about a pre-selection program for females wishing to apply. The true stat about “what percentage of females can pass” would include ALL the women who took THAT selection course, not just the ones who were admitted to the actual Ranger course.

This is how the stats get juked.

[Brooklyn Attitude]

After years of failing the test, suddenly not one, but 2 women pass! Considering how fully the leftists and feminists have infiltrated the military command I am skeptical to say the least that the standard was not changed.

[olepap]

With all the butch chicks out there that could body-slam the average man and deliver a kill blow to the throat, it was only a matter of time.

Ha ha! Good one, SpaceBar!

[olepap]

I am 61 and mean as a snake. I work out, plus I am crazy. Nobody messes with me, except for women, who can easily kick my ass.

[Vermont Lt]

Well, when you put it like that, it seems easy. Ha ha.

[TexasFreeper2009]

I am a big guy, but there are women out there that could kick my butt in a millisecond.

If these women are freaks of nature and can pass the test (assuming it hasn’t been made easier for them to pass) then I say let them in.

[jdsteel]

My son is a Ranger. Those sit ups, pull ups, etc come at the end of one of the 3 two week long phases. Each phase gives candidates about 1 hour sleep and two MRE’s per day with constant physical and mental activity that borders on the ridiculous. There are some documentaries on cable you can watch, but my son said they left out the hard parts. Go for two weeks like that and then try to pass all of those physical requirements in a day and you may change your mind about how tough it is. It is said to take 6 years off of their life expectancy from the stress to their body and organs. The main difference between the Ranger training and Seal training is that Seals do a lot more in the water.

He also got through Ranger school before they let women in. He knew it was coming and was proud to get through before they messed with the requirements...don't know if they did or not.

[TADSLOS]

I’ve got my doubts about how the Army handled their training since the word came down that those two HAD to pass. The truth will eventually come out from their peers.

Yes, it will, and from the training cadre also- but the breach has been made. The ends justify the means. Diversity at any cost. It's a Brave, New World.

Puke.

[Eagles6]

Yeah, average fit high school kid can do that. This smells like soetoro.

[ctdonath2]

Glad to hear it.

No doubt a few of the remarkable & motivated can do it.
Still not sure the added complexities are worth the benefits of accommodating those very few. Even Rangers are humans with base instincts.

[DuncanWaring]

I went through the 4 ID RECONO school in ‘72.

Ranger-Lite. Only lasted three weeks.

And it darned near killed me.

[DuncanWaring]

Any society that sends its women to fight before it sends its non-shaving boys and cane-borne old men deserves to be destroyed, and will be by those who do not make that mistake.

[jwalsh07]

Hey, if they can meet the requirements then they deserve the tab. No problems with that here. I remember the cattle cars picking up soldiers on the side of the road during the forced marches with full gear. Basic way back when was no joke physically. Loads of recycles and profiles for shin splints etc. PS: My wife was in the Army also. :-)

[jwalsh07]

Nobody said it was not tough. Basic and AIT were tough. But you didn’t get 8 hours sleep and enough to eat there either. I would bet the house that the average score by males on the PT test far exceeds the minimum shown above. Ask your son.

[Senator_Blutarski]

I wonder if SEALs have such low requirements.

This training is not for Special Forces (Green Berets) and is not for the 75th Ranger regiment (Army Special Operations).

The standards to earn a Green Beret or join the 75th are MUCH higher.

[sparklite2]

Thank you for clarifying that.

[jdsteel]

I have talked to my son extensively about this. Basic and RASP were a walk in the park compared to Ranger school.

[jwalsh07]

OK. And Ranger school is not as tough as SEAL or Marine Recon school. But that was never the point.