Introduction: Will

[Will37]

Greetings Rangers and thank you for permitting me to post on your board.

My name is Will. I am from eastern North Carolina North Carolina and am currently a senior at UNC Chapel Hill studying Political Science and Russian. I do not find classes all that difficult and I feel as though I am adrift and without serious direction. My greatest fear has always been a wasted, mediocre life and I am concerned that this is where I am heading from living a life that is easy and comfortable. I have increasingly (since at least this past summer) become attracted to military service). Most of the men in my life who I really admired, in my family and outside of it, have been individuals who served in the military, particularly in elite units (Sappers, Special Forces, Force Recon et cetera).

I am drawn to the military because I believe in the missions that America's forces are currently engaged in (I guess that working on an Undergraduate Honor's Thesis which focuses on Chechen terrorism will make one more hawkish) and have been morally conflicted about supporting America's fight in Afghanistan while remaining a civilian. I am drawn to serving in an elite unit because of the values I see you Rangers espouse here, and that I have experienced in dealing with men in elite units throughout my life (from a spy uncle to my recon Marine AP Europe teacher in High School). The values you Rangers live your lives by (honor, courage, constantly pushing past your boundaries and personal comfort zones et cetera) are ones I want to live by. I need a life that consists in constantly challenging myself and pushing myself beyond what I once thought was possible and I believe that I can find that lifestyle in the Rangers or Special Forces.

I honestly don't know if I have what it takes to do what you Rangers do. I think that just serving in the military is impressive and the honor of serving in an elite unit like the Army Rangers is truly something that only a very, very few individuals have the physical, mental, and moral fortitude to attain. I have enjoyed learning from the posts on these sites over the past few days and I hope to learn a lot more. My goal in joining this site is to learn as much as possible while asking as few stupid questions a possible. While I am not sure if I have the mettle to do what you Rangers do I will spend the next year preparing to meet that challenge as intensely as possible (physically and mentally) and I believe this site will help my preparations immensely.

I thank you Rangers again for allowing my to join your site, your service to our country, and for any guidance you will be able to give me as I prepare for this test.

All the best,
-Will

[Steadfast]

Welcome Will,

You know Condolisa Rice also studied Russian & was a Political Science student who went on to serve two Bush Presidents. I was fortunate enough to read her memoirs, very interesting.

Be a good idea to graduate before you do anything else. Good intro.

If you haven't already, good place to start is in Recruiters and Schools - Q&A Forums.

[Will37]

Welcome Will,

You know Condolisa Rice also studied Russian & was a Political Science student who went on to serve two Bush Presidents. I was fortunate enough to read her memoirs, very interesting.

Be a good idea to graduate before you do anything else. Good intro.

If you haven't already, good place to start is in Recruiters and Schools - Q&A Forums.

Thank you Ranger Steadfast,

The Recruiters and Schools forums look enormously informative and I think it will really help me to start in developing the right mindset and attitude.

Things like this comment from a Ranger K.Ingraham:
http://forum.armyranger.com/viewtopic.php?f=83&t=51359" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
If you've read everything, then you wasted PT time looking for an angle.

Here's the secret:
Get in better shape, toughen your feet & do your best.
Those are the variables that you control. Beyond that, you are either the right man for this job, or you're right for some other work.
Really, that's all there is to it.


When I first came here I was in that mindset (somewhat cultivated by college life) of looking for an angle to make it easier to get through the training. In just a few nights of reading this site I already feel that it is helping me toss out some bad attitudes. I'm not going to be able to study my way to certainty. I'm not going to know if I have what it takes until I actually show up. I'm not going to be able to learn of and prepare for everything. I need to learn as much wisdom as I can without trying to find any angle because I can't control what gets thrown at me. I can only prepare myself mentally and physically as best as possible to be able to meet and surmount whatever challenge gets thrown at me.

I will graduate before I enlist, Ranger Steadfast. If nothing else I feel that I owe the to my family and I'd feel like an ungrateful schmuck if I didn't. I'm somewhat familiar with Secretary Rice's academic work on the Russian Revolution but I wasn't aware that she had written memoirs. I'd be interested in reading her memoirs. She always seemed like an interesting woman.

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my introduction, Ranger Steadfast.
-Will

[Will37]

Welcome Will,

You know Condolisa Rice also studied Russian & was a Political Science student who went on to serve two Bush Presidents. I was fortunate enough to read her memoirs, very interesting.

Be a good idea to graduate before you do anything else. Good intro.

If you haven't already, good place to start is in Recruiters and Schools - Q&A Forums.

Thank you Ranger Steadfast,

The Recruiters and Schools forums look enormously informative and I think it will really help me to start in developing the right mindset and attitude.

Things like this comment from a Ranger K.Ingraham:
http://forum.armyranger.com/viewtopic.php?f=83&t=51359" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
If you've read everything, then you wasted PT time looking for an angle.

Here's the secret:
Get in better shape, toughen your feet & do your best.
Those are the variables that you control. Beyond that, you are either the right man for this job, or you're right for some other work.
Really, that's all there is to it.


When I first came here I was in that mindset (somewhat cultivated by college life) of looking for an angle to make it easier to get through the training. In just a few nights of reading this site I already feel that you all's writings are helping me toss out some bad attitudes. I'm not going to be able to study my way to certainty. I'm not going to know if I have what it takes until I actually show up. I'm not going to be able to learn of and prepare for everything. I need to learn as much wisdom as I can without trying to find any angle because I can't control what gets thrown at me. I can only prepare myself mentally and physically as best as possible to be able to meet and surmount whatever challenge gets thrown at me.

I will graduate before I enlist, Ranger Steadfast. If nothing else I feel that I owe the to my family and I'd feel like an ungrateful schmuck if I didn't. I'm somewhat familiar with Secretary Rice's academic work on the Russian Revolution but I wasn't aware that she had written memoirs. I'd be interested in reading her memoirs. She always seemed like an interesting woman.

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my introduction, Ranger Steadfast.
-Will

[Elguapo]

Since you appear to be smart, I have a challenge for you.

Go down to your local mil-surplus store or ebay, and buy a rucksack. Pack about 40lbs into it, draw up a rucking routine, and do it for a month constantly pushing yourself in the middle of the night, while all your buddies are out drinking and discussing Neitzsche and playing Call of Duty, push yourself to 12 miles, and then see if it's what you want. It's not a matter of how smart or how strong you are (while they do help), it's a matter if you have "it" in you. If you do have "it", you'll know.

[Will37]

Since you appear to be smart, I have a challenge for you.

Go down to your local mil-surplus store or ebay, and buy a rucksack. Pack about 40lbs into it, draw up a rucking routine, and do it for a month constantly pushing yourself in the middle of the night, while all your buddies are out drinking and discussing Neitzsche and playing Call of Duty, push yourself to 12 miles, and then see if it's what you want. It's not a matter of how smart or how strong you are (while they do help), it's a matter if you have "it" in you. If you do have "it", you'll know.

Thank you Ranger Elguapo,

I appreciate you taking the time to stop and comment on my introduction. I'll get a rucksack A.S.A.P and take up your challenge. I think I understand your point (to the extent that a civilian who has never been pushed to the core can) and I'll take it to heart and begin utilizing your challenge to see if my heart is really there.

If it's alright, I'll upload my progress here. I'd appreciate any 'gut checks' and advice that you Rangers can give me.

Thank you again, Ranger Elguapo

-Will

[Elguapo]

How did your first ruck go? I've got a five mile run followed up by an 8 mile ruck this morning, and I just got back from a 1.5 hour gym spree. I'm not trying to one-up you or act "tough", so don't read into it. The shit ain't free.

[Will37]

How did your first ruck go? I've got a five mile run followed up by an 8 mile ruck this morning, and I just got back from a 1.5 hour gym spree. I'm not trying to one-up you or act "tough", so don't read into it. The shit ain't free.

Ranger Elguapo,

I was out of town yesterday. I had already agreed to go to an Egyptian protest with a friend in Washington DC. That was a pretty good hike. It was about seven miles. That in itself wasn't bad but it was pretty cold and I hadn't dressed for the weather so that required a bit of pushing through (by the end I couldn't feel my feet or forearms) but I don't think that's really in the neighborhood of what you were talking about. I didn't do the full hike when I got back because I hadn't secured a rucksack. I then felt ridiculous this morning when I woke up and it occurred to me: why not just use my school backpack weighed down with 40lbs of books?

If you don't mind me asking Ranger Elguapo, is there any intrinsic reason that you recommended a rucksack specifically? I apologize if this is a stupid question. So long as my backpack can hold 40lbs without tearing (and I'm pretty sure it can) is there any reason that I should wait to find a rucksack before beginning your challenge? I'm about to load up my backpack and go weigh it on the campus gym's scale to weigh it. Unless you or another Ranger advises me against it and assuming that my backpack can take the weight, I'll make my first hike tonight and report back to you.

Thank you for your help, Ranger Elguapo. I really appreciate it.

All the best
-Will

[Elguapo]

A rucksack is designed to carry a heavier load over a heavier distance without doing as much damage to your spine and shoulders than your school backpack. It can be adjusted and packed to place the load's weight higher up on your shoulders. A school back pack, while more streamlined, will not only fail at some point, but it's design could quite possibly not allow you to carry significant weight without possibly hurting/injuring yourself.

Your backpack would probably work, but I'm not going to recommend it. One day, if you make it to where you want to go, you'll find 100lbs on your back, maybe more. It's best to have trained with the equipment you'll be using in the future.

[Will37]

A rucksack is designed to carry a heavier load over a heavier distance without doing as much damage to your spine and shoulders than your school backpack. It can be adjusted and packed to place the load's weight higher up on your shoulders. A school back pack, while more streamlined, will not only fail at some point, but it's design could quite possibly not allow you to carry significant weight without possibly hurting/injuring yourself.

Your backpack would probably work, but I'm not going to recommend it. One day, if you make it to where you want to go, you'll find 100lbs on your back, maybe more. It's best to have trained with the equipment you'll be using in the future.

Thank you, Ranger Elguapo.

I'm still working on getting a decent rucksack that I can afford. Right now most of my extra money has to go to food. In the meantime I've been hitting the gym and treadmill hard to get my joints and muscles used to doing serious work again so I won't injure myself rucking. Additionally, a friend of mine mentioned at a party last night that my school has an orienteering club and that he's on it. I will be looking into this with the intention of joining if at all possible to get some land nav and hiking experience.

Thank you for your guidance, Ranger Elguapo.

[goon175]

can you afford 20 bucks?

http://cgi.ebay.com/LARGE-OD-ALICE-Fiel ... 3cb4c07a3d" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Will37]

can you afford 20 bucks?

http://cgi.ebay.com/LARGE-OD-ALICE-Fiel ... 3cb4c07a3d" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ranger Goon175,

I don't know why I didn't think to look at ebay. I got focused on finding one on amazon. I'll try to take a lesson out of this in resourcefulness and being flexible in thinking of ways to complete objectives. The rucksack is ordered and it should be here in one to two weeks. Thank you for taking the time to steer me in the right direction, Ranger Goon175.

-Will