Family time

[Ryantyler]

Rangers,

I would like to hear about family time while serving in the regiment. Possibly from someone who was married while serving. Thank you Rangers for any information I can receive.

[Grifter]

Do some research on Divorce Rates for the Army and you will get the answer you are looking for. I might suggest you research the rates for say the late 90's and also for the last decade to get a proper well rounded idea.

[Ryantyler]

Thank you for the reply Ranger Grifter. I did as you suggested and got a good idea, but I was looking for somemore detailed information? How much different different is the family time in the regiment compared to a conventional Army unit? I keep finding people that get married while serving and not many that were already married. As I stated in my intro I have a wife and two kids. I know the Rangers operate so much differently than most and was just curios as to what I was up against as to spending time with my family while I am in. My family and I have already decided to do to the upmost all that the army has us to do!

[Grifter]

First, DO NOT PM me again..unless otherwise instructed to do so.

The Army as a whole, doesnt care if your Fat, Black, White, Gay, Married or just plain upside down. That includes my Regiment (atleast as I remember it.) The Army is a job. Monday thru Friday 0600hrs - last call. Sometimes weekends, and in the last decade or so A year or more away from home. Every unit in the Army goes home when last call sounds (unless deployed), some guys go home to the barracks and other guys go home to a house full of kids. They still report to the same formation every morning at 0600. Thats it up front. I assume if you research "Family life in the Army" you will find a bunch of initiatives pledging to give the soldier more time with the family. Which is a direct result of mulitple combat tours for most of the .0425 percent of guys that actually currently serve.

Here is the key..Regiment doesnt maintain its status as the "Premier Light Infantry Regiment" of todays Army by just getting by with distracted individuals. Staying on top will require sacrifice on behalf of the Regiment, by you and your family and your Ranger buddy and his family. No-one ever said it was easy and its that way for a reason.

We only want the best. And we will require more of your time and sweat than the regular Army ever will.

Speaking of sweat..50 pushups for PMing me..in the first place.

[Ryantyler]

Thank you Ranger Grifter

[goon175]

I think the 75th is the absolute best place to have a wife and family. The main reason being that the leadership actually gives a shit about you, because they know if you are distracted with home issues, you will be distracted at work, which is not a good thing. You are gone alot, but for a lot less time at once, and in my experience, the leadership goes out of their way to make sure you are home for major life events (having a kid for instance). I could go on and on, but it is my opinion that the Regiment is the best place (as far as the army goes) to have a family.

[Ryantyler]

Thank you very much Ranger goon175, this is great information. I sincerely appreciate your response.

[Ryantyler]

I was wondering since both of you Rangers were in 1st Batt if either of you or any other Rangers that served in the 1st Batt could shed some light on how what it is like to be stationed there and how it may be different from the other two battalions?

[goon175]

Worry about making it first.

[Ryantyler]

Thank you Ranger goon175 for the directioning and I will most certaintly do so. I was just trying to gain knowledge as to the differences if any in each battalions? Other than location. Thank you.

[K.Ingraham]

If you're thinking of family life Ryan, search the official army website for each of the three bases and the chambers of commerce for the cities & counties that surround them. All three are good places, that is entirely subjective & depends on your tastes & needs. I would guess that Lewis is the most expensive and Columbus the cheapest.
Figure on not getting to your batt, in the less than 20% chance that you might make it, for about a year after you enlist and factor in six-seven months of being deployed to the war, exercises and schooling in the next year after that. Do not plan on moving your family around until you are in your first unit, which is not likely to be in the 75th.

My understanding is that the modern Regiment does & tries consistently better than most to protect family life. Understand that the job is still your first priority. The training day ends when your element has achieved the daily goals, not because it is 1700. Drill or actual alerts and deployments can occur anytime/anywhere - the 75th is the 9-1-1 force - you are expected to be ready to "go to work" at a moment's notice regardless of your family plans or convenience. Your wife will have to be flexible, understanding and loyal, otherwise, your life can be hell and under those circumstances you cannot serve two masters. Save your coins, you will need a backup fund.
An upside is the community of Ranger families who share in the same trials and tribulations - just another incentive for you to focus on and achieve your goals.
The most recent RASP class had a pass rate of about 21% - and maybe a quarter of those will not get past their Regiment MOS specific training or survive the lifestyle in a Ranger platoon for more than a few months. This is a given, however confident you might feel, hence my advice to leave mama in place and focus on becoming one of that 15-20% who earn and then keep their scrolls.

(PS: do not reply with how cool & understanding your wife is. We don't care. This is a selection process for your family as well. Most of us have the divorce papers to prove the female washout rate!)

[Ryantyler]

Thank you Ranger Ingraham for the response. This is some of the greatest information I have received thus far. Any and all responses I get are like gold mines to me, whether they be shut up, knock out 50 pushups or the very helpful info you just shared. I long to hear more about your Regiment that I drive to be in one day. I long to hear more! Please more info. Once again thank you Rangers for spending time to help me along my way.

[K.Ingraham]

I long to hear more about your Regiment that I drive to be in one day. I long to hear more! Please more info. .

then STFU and read!
Almost everything you might ask as a civilian is already in these forums. You'll have to wade through a lot of dross to get to the good info, but it is here.
Pay special attention to the PT and recruiting forums.Then turn off that infernal machine and go get into better shape.
Goon175 said it best.

[Lefty]

After suffering through the posts on this thread, I can no longer stifle my impulse to reply with that old mantra from my days in the service:

IF THE ARMY WANTED YOU TO HAVE A WIFE, THEY WOULD HAVE ISSUED YOU ONE!

[Ryantyler]

Thank you Rangers for all the feedback. I do have one last question though. How come I get feedback on this post and none on my mentor request?