Hello Rangers!

[Ryno78]

Hello!

I am very much appreciative of all the things Rangers do and hold much respect for them.

If it is ok, I have a few important questions:

I have always wanted to do something really great, and the Rangers seem to have what I have been searching for. I have talked with an Army recruiter and I really want to be a Ranger. My family and friends (including vets) all have different things to say. My mother and father are completely against me joining the military as they think even if I get an option 40 and the recruiter GUARANTEES you the Option 40 and all that stuff that I could still be sent to do other things "for what the army needs". If I get an Option 40, can the army change what I am going to do, even if I don't fail out of the ranger training path? And what would happen if I did fail out? What would I end up doing? Would I be sent into an infantry unit? or retrained into a different MOS depending on the needs of the army?

Many people tell me not to join for that reason and say I should go to college and get my bachelors degree and then go in the military as an officer under a ranger contract. Is it even possible to go in as an officer and go through Airborne and Ranger training etc?

I really want to do something great for my career such as being in the FBI and being on the HRT (Hostage Rescue Team). I have to have a bachelors in something like Criminal Justice and 3 years of tactical experience in the military (Special Operations holds more weight), law enforcement (in SWAT) etc. I am trying to figure out if the military is the best choice for me to get to do what I really want to do. And I really want to be a ranger, but I don't want to get screwed out of my chances. I know that if I set my mind to becoming a ranger, I can do it. I don't know what the best path for me is to get to the goal of an FBI HRT Operator. Is it going through ranger training? Should I get a bachelor degree and try to become an FBI police officer? But then it's like my dream to be a ranger... The FBI HRT just seems to be the civilian version of the Rangers. Im so confused on what to do!!...

My girlfriend doesn't want me to do it nor does her parents or my parents. It seems the only person who wants me to do this is my grandfather. But I am the person that has to look my self in the mirror everyday and make the choice that will ultimately satisfy my needs and wants and to feel the feeling of accomplishing something that very few succeed at. I don't want to lose the great relationship with my girlfriend but I want to take the best path that will get me to whatever and wherever I want to be.

A close friend of mine was a Chief in the Navy for 20 years. He said that if he could go back in time, he would have gone to school and got an education and a degree before joining. He knows how much I want to be a ranger but he thinks the best and safest route would be to get an education first. I don't know what to do... I know I can take college courses in the military but would I really have time for that? What if I am in the middle of a class, and the army sends me somewhere, and therefore college progression is extremely hindered...

Is it easier to have military experience to get into any law enforcement related field? Could I have an equal level of chance without entering the military? Is there training I can take outside of joining the military that could make me as qualified as someone in Military Combat Arms?

How long are rangers typically deployed for? Are they deployed for a year like the regular infantry? I read a few websites and some said that rangers are usually deployed typically from 3-6 months and then get to go home for 3 or so because the rangers are needed to be in 100% working capability and not drained.

I guess my biggest issue is deployment and the thought of being sent out for a year or more.

I obviously have a lot of questions but I thank those who have taken the time to read them. This is the hardest decision that I will ever make and I want to make sure it is the best one with the best outcome. My life will be so much different depending on which path I choose. Please help me make the best decision. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

[Nomad]

Post approved.

You have a lot of questions and you're getting some bullshit information from people who've never served and don't want you to either.

If you come in under an OPT40 contract, you will be given the chance to attend RASP, formerly known as RIP. If you pass BCT/AIT, BAC and then RASP, you will be assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment, who will then reassign you to one of the three Ranger Battalions.

If you come in under an OPT40 contract but fail out of training or are medically dropped at some point, you will be assigned needs of the Army. You will continue your service in the MOS you were trained in at BCT/AIT. This means that if you sign up as an 11B (Infantryman) and get hurt or fail RASP, you won't all of a sudden get retrained to become a truck driver etc. You'll more than likely go to an Airborne Unit such as the 82nd, if you are ABN qualified or you will end up in a regular Infantry unit, such as the 2nd ID, 101st, 10th Mountain etc.

So much for that.

As for your other option of coming in as an Officer, if/when you complete your degree, you won't be able to sign up to become a Ranger. It's a long road, filled with bureaucratic hurdles and very limited slots. Most won't ever serve as Officers in the 75th Ranger Regiment. Positions are limited and competition is fierce. Luck is also involved in just getting to the selection portion, as your COC has to back your application all the way etc.

Regarding assignment as an Officer, you won't be guaranteed anything. Some of the Officers on this site will be able to elaborate on this, as they personally dealt with that nutroll.

Regarding your FBI vision, I wouldn't even think about anything like HRT yet. You're still a very long ways out from something extremely competitive. Will service in a SOF unit help your resume when applying for a job like HRT? Sure. Does it mean you'll ever get as much as a response back? No. Again, you're competing with a large number of applicants, some less and some more qualified than you are.

I suggest you do a lot of research on this board. The search engine covers close to a decade of information posted here. Most of it will answer any question you have right now or can think of.

In order to be successful in any of the careers you are interested in, you're going to have be 100% committed to succeed. If not you'll fall by the wayside and bemoan the fact that you didn't work harder for many years to come. Your girlfriend will probably be out of your life within a few months of you moving into a new life. They come and go. Don't let her hold you back. Your parents aren't going to live your life, so form your own decisions and stick with your guns.

Welcome to ArmyRanger.com!

RLTW!

[dbmtrman]

If the girlfriend is against you living your dreams, ditch her. As for your aspirations to be on FBI HRT. You have a long way to go, and probably a slimmer chance of making it then being an officer in the Regiment, unless you have prior military experience in a SOF unit. Also you would first have to be hired by the FBI, to ever get a chance to try out for the HRT or one of the regional FBI Swat teams. A degree in accounting would give you a better chance at being hired by the FBI then a Criminal Justice degree. Also, most of those FBI swat guys have been on their teams for many years, and there is little turnover. So if you get the chance you need all the advantages you can, like incredible physical fitness level and excellent shooting and tactical skills. The only way you would get that is serving in a military unit, such as the Regiment. Good Luck

[Ranger Bill]

I have never met a brother Ranger who regretted his decision to be one, nor one who said if he had to do it all over would not. But I have met a lot of men who regretted marryinig women who not support their decisions. Be sure to read and heed the ROE PM I have sent you.