Army Ranger Mentorship Program
This is a volunteer Mentee section and available to those with an option 40 or other Ranger contract. Others made be added at the discretion of RANGER.
Mentees added here are at will and can be released at anytime for lack of participation. If you agree to be here make the effort to get all you can out of it, If you don’t want to be here then please say so and remove yourself so we don’t waste our time.
Yes, it’s VOLUNTARY, however, if you accept the tasks here stay focused and do your part or leave. The mentors here volunteer their time to help prepare you for your journey of becoming an Airborne Ranger serving in the 75th Ranger Regiment.
As Ranger GoldCoast has said before, “Make no mistake, all of you have what it takes, and none of you has any clue what that is yet. Hopefully, prior to shipping, you are squared away enough to at least concentrate on the learning portion of training, and tough enough to ignore the suck-fest part that is sure to ensue.”
Ranger GoldCoast started ‘Five Mentees Report Here’, which has morphed into something far bigger.
Once you have checked in here, your first assignment is to cross-check each other’s mentor request threads to date and ensure that you can all accomplish the same tasks. I know that several of you can already recite and write the Ranger Creed by heart. Make sure that all of you can. Check in with one another via PM to ensure you are all on board. The Ranger Creed is what sets Rangers apart from the animals, militarily speaking. It embodies what every Ranger takes to heart; that Rangers are better, that we uphold high standards, and that we don’t ever give up.
As a Mentee, you will be expected to check this thread once every 48 hours. Some may have other prior commitments. If you really can’t check-in then you will be expected to post IN ADVANCE. When completing assignments the idea is you provide answers in your own words. With that said, if you don’t know the answer then work with your other mentees or look it up. Use your PM’s to communicate with one another and square each other away. If one fails, you all fail. WORK TOGETHER.
Introduction:
- As a Mentee read all items presented to you before making any response.
2. Write a well thought out paragraph describing what you will bring to the 75th Ranger Regiment. In other words, why should Regiment care you’re beating a path to their doorstep? What makes you special?
3. If you can run five miles, your five mile time. If not, what is your plan/timeline to get within the Ranger standard for a five mile run. For that matter, what is the Ranger standard for a five mile run? - Copy, paste, and adjust this example for your new signature blocks:
11X OPT 40 <—-(Or whatever your MOS will be)
SHIP DATE: 2012XXXX <—— Attention to detail YYYYMMDD
“Five Mentees Report Here” Thread Member
- Review this entire thread. If you read the above and understand, post your responses
Assignments and tasks will be posted. It is up to you working with other mentees to respond. Again, don’t waste our time. As you read through these threads, posts and links posted, you will soon learn answers to questions you have about life in the 75th Ranger Regiment. You will also gain some basic knowledge to help you focus on the other aspects of being a Ranger.
If you’re not up to standard on the Ranger Creed, get there. Be honest with yourself when you take the Ranger Creed self test. Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching
Assignment 1:
Ranger Creed
Since we are learning about teamwork, we do things together. Smart Rangers are also Strong Rangers. When Ranger’s do push-ups you do them with your feet elevated (i.e. on a chair, table, wall, whatever) and then you do an extra at the end for the Airborne Ranger in the Sky. (Something like this:)
NCO/Tabbed SPC/Officer: “Do Pushup!”
Junior Ranger: “Roger Sergeant/Speciliast/Sir!! AAAHHHHH” (Rangers love push-ups and motivation)
(Junior Ranger elevates feet and knocks out 25 PERFECT push-ups while counting each one out loud. “1, 2, 3, etc 25! AND ONE FOR THE AIRBORNE RANGER IN THE SKY!!”
Who, inquiring minds want to know, is the Airborne Ranger in the Sky? Is this religious? No. Unfortunately, we all know the hazards of our chosen profession. Among those, but not the worst, is dying. (The worst is getting someone else killed.) The Airborne Ranger in the Sky is the last Airborne Ranger who was killed in combat. He is considered ‘in the sky’ until someone comes along to relieve him. Every so often there is a new Airborne Ranger in the Sky. We honor our brethren in the sky by remembering them every time we do push-ups. And we do a lot of push ups.
As Ranger GoldCoast said, “Let’s get them knocked out.”
Assignment 2
Your next assignment is to research ONE previous or current Airborne Ranger in the Sky and post a synopsis of said Ranger’s career, exploits, age and death. I expect your synopsis to be well thought out and clearly written. That sound punctuation and fluent grammar are a must goes without saying. Do not duplicate subjects; I expect to see different Ranger synopsis. Your subject can, but does not have to be, a Medal of Honor recipient. I will accept Rangers from any era. At some point, there will be topics on the same Ranger. Why did you choose this Ranger.
*EDITED TO ADD* Just to avoid a ten page synopsis from very motivated wannabe Rangers Standard for synopsis length: no more than fifteen sentences, or one decent length paragraph. DO NOT JUST COPY AND PASTE FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE.
(Lesson)
According to your research the oldest Ranger in your obituaries was 24 years old. The youngest was 19. Men, I doubt this will really bring it home to you, but you have to understand that is smack in the middle of your peer group. You have just enlisted for one of the fastest paced and hardest careers you can possibly imagine, and it may cost you your life. Even worse yet, you could screw up something or take an easy route instead of the right one JUST ONE TIME and get one of your team mates killed. From now on when a Ranger on this site, an NCO in the Army, or if fortune smiles upon you a Ranger in the 75th Ranger Regiment tells you to do something take pains to ensure you execute exactly what they say. It’s more challenging than it seems.
Assignment 3
About RIP –> RIP is what RASP used to be called. Things may have changed, but they didn’t change much and the lessons contained herein definitely still apply. Provided by: ~Ranger CDWDIRECT
Thoughts of a Private in Regiment –> Even a Private in the 75th Ranger Regiment is still an Airborne Ranger. You should be so lucky… Provided by: ~Ranger CDWDIRECT
Fall Out and Fall In Around Me –> Another great thread and the success story of a man who started out in your shoes, on this board, and had a career as an Airborne Ranger. Provided by: ~Ranger Chuck3/75
Five Mentees Report Here –> Many of the lessons provided in the Mentee section along with wisdom and advice from several Rangers who have spent hours of their own time to prepare and enlighten. Provided by: ~ Ranger GoldCoast
Follow-up to Reading Assignments:
What did you draw from the other Rangers’ experiences in the reading assignment?
How do you plan to live up to the standard they set?
What can you bring to the table that will make the men who started those thread want you on their respective teams?
Assignment 4
(Attention to Detail) PT Test
From now on do not write me a love story about your push ups. Just say roger when instructed to do them. I know you did them. If you can’t be trusted to do 26 push ups then you have no business even ATTEMPTING to be an Airborne Ranger…. And on that note – everyone’s refusal to do the right thing is a bad habit that will get someone hurt down the road. For the last fucking time: post in the right order as instructed. Do not let one weak link cast a shadow of doubt on the entire team!! Do not jump the gun and fuck your team either!!
To hell with it. Do push ups studs. If you don’t want to be smart Rangers then we can all be strong ones. Shooter’s choice on that one. And oh yeah, let’s see some new PT test scores by this Saturday, 5pm central time. Do not post scores earlier than Friday. Include pull-ups at the END of your test… I’m sure one of you will probably mess that up, too. You all need to get it together ASAP.
Assignment 5
Memorize Major Roger’s Standing Orders
Do not just finger-drill this. Actually memorize them. To find a copy of Major Roger’s Standing Orders google ‘Ranger Handbook’ and the third or fourth result will be a .pdf available from ‘benning.army.mil’ – This is the 2011 version of the Ranger Handbook. Page 2, the VERY FIRST PAGE AFTER THE COVER, has the orders printed on it directly underneath the Ranger Creed. Acknowledge once you have successfully downloaded the Ranger Handbook.
(Topic)
Read and heed men. This discourse does not require a response.
Today I shall teach about confusion and courage. It takes courage to go up against your enemy, and some would say it takes more courage to go against your friends. We all want to be friends with the people we work with, but what if they are confused, weak willed, or sorry ass quitters?
What if, for example, a Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO – i.e. a Sergeant) issued a set of simple instructions that were being violated. Such as… “Allright men – go upstairs and do barracks maintenance. I want your wall lockers organized, the floor buffed, and latrines spotless. Do not sleep, do not get distracted, and get back down here when you’re done. I expect you in formation here no later than two hours from now with all that accomplished.” It seems pretty simple, right? But it never is. Let’s further flesh out our example by saying my team mates are completely awesome at cleaning up the barracks, and the task was accomplished, beyond the standard in no more than forty five minutes. Everyone is tired and wants a break, so everyone starts to screw off for a while.. and then more, and soon someone is dozing off when he shouldn’t be, etc. This may seem far fetched, but you are going to see this happen on several occasions with your own eyes. What would you do? You know you’re supposed to go downstairs and form up, but no one else is going. Just mull that over.
Another example: Your RASP class (OMG YOU ARE IN RASP…!!! CAN YOU FEEL THE GREATNESS..?!) is doing a land navigation exercise. This means that you and a Ranger buddy are cruising around the woodline, all on your own, survivor man style, looking for points on a map. You’ve been awake for a couple of days, and you are really really really tired. Your instructions were never to talk to other teams on the land nav course because that would look like cheating (you may be swapping information about points) and never to sleep. But you know that if you can get that info swapped you have a good chance of catching some rest, which will give you an edge to perform better during upcoming trials later that day. Another team is flagging you and your Ranger buddy down. Your Ranger buddy heads their direction. What do you do? Mull that over also.
As crazy as it sounds I PROMISE 100% that when you interrupt other people’s shit-baggery they will protest. People become scared when they are called out for doing the wrong thing. By acting confused they try to mitigate their misdeeds. (That’s sort of like lying and playing dumb all at once – they will probably act like they ‘forgot’ or ‘didn’t realize’) They act confused, and their confusion and fear is contagious. That piss poor performance spreads from one individual to contaminate the entire team because it’s easier to let it slide than stand up to it. I recommend that if you can, and I’m not saying it will be easy, that you cull that ass hat from the herd the very first chance you get. You call them out so hard and fast that their head explodes and they never get the chance to ramp up in defense of their weak willed and failure ridden ways again. You will be doing everyone in the Army a favor. Just a thought.
Assignment 6
What two parts of life in Regiment Ranger GoldCoast the most? How does this relate to you?
Swimming and drown proofing?
Good start, get some practice. If you have the chance to get some drown proofing training, take it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drownproofing
Assignment 7
What are the five Major Terrain Features? Use the area around you and provide your answers using longitude and latitude.
Assignment 8
Ranger GoldCoast Double Standard
What does Ranger GoldCoast mean by Double Standard? Does he favor them and how?
Assignment 9
After reading through Ranger GoldCoast’s Five Mentees Report Here, send each of the mentees ahead of you that are currently in training a PM.
Additionally, re-read his entire thread. Shoot each of the mentees who were on this thread before you, but are now in training (where you want to be) a good drive on PM. Try to motivate them to succeed. Let them know that you are coming up behind them in the pipeline and they better not fucking quit before you get there. You can use the same generic PM for each mentee who came before you, or if you are motivated you can change it up. Post an example of one of your drive on PM’s. Keep in mind some are now Rangers, some are not, pay attention to detail.
Assignment 10
Your next assignment is to make a weapon. Your materials may include rocks, sticks, string and tape. Tools to make said weapon… lessee…. a pocketknife. Not a kitchen knife, or a razor – whatever pocket knife you usually carry. That and any other rocks or sticks you need to assist with building your rock and/or stick weapon. Your weapon may be designed to strike, throw or trap. No bows – you have not evolved to that level yet.
***** Common Sense *****
This weapon needs to be capable of killing a man sized animal. I expect you to test your weapon for durability, but do not do anything illegal – i.e. test it on your buddy. Use your common sense here studs.
Assignment 11
Reading Assignment – Good reading from one of our Rangers. Hopefully it will give you more Ranger Regiment History. Found here: Some Ranger Lineage Info ~ Ranger Gary Dolan
Assignment 12
Reading Assignment – Grenada One Ranger’s perspective of the Grenada invasion.
Assignment 13
This requires some research on your part…. Your next assignment is to lay out your poncho-hooch plan in greater detail, and share that plan with someone you know so they know about it. It should look like this:
Where you will go (destination, route you will travel)
ex: I will set up the hooch in my yard. I plan to go out my front door on foot to get there.
ex2: I will set up my hooch on my friend’s farm. I will travel using my pick up truck on HWY52 until I reach his house. I will dismount my truck, grab my back-pack and walk out to a pre-determined camp site at (give nearest major small town or neighborhood name.)
Who you are taking with you:
ex1: Just myself, no one else.
ex2: Myself and my dog fluffy.
Timeline:
ex1: Departing Friday night at 1700hrs, I should be gone no more than 14hrs, and expect to return indoors at 0700hrs the next morning.
Contingencies: (In your case there are two contingencies; what your listener does if you don’t return on time, and what you do or they do if there is an emergency while you are gone.)
Part I, ex1: I should be back at 0700hrs. If not, text me. If you don’t hear back by 0800hrs call me. If that doesn’t work call my friend’s house (use first name only here). If you can’t get anyone by 1000hrs come looking for me at the camp site.
Part I, ex2: If you don’t hear from my by 0730hrs, I should be in the yard. Stick your head out the door and look mom!
Part II: If I have an low grade emergency I will try to reach you on your cell phone using my cell phone or a local land line. If that doesn’t work I will call emergency services. If you have an emergency follow the same plan.
When you have completed your plan post it here (without violating OPSEC) so that we may assess your planning and communicating abilities.
Words of Wisdom – ~Ranger Goldcoast
Ok studs, today I have a mini lesson for you. Today’s lesson is on ROPE. Rope is a simple and magnificent invention that we can use for many many things. For instance, a Ranger can use rope to rappel off something really big. Or he can use it to tie up a prisoner. Or he can even use small pieces of rope to build his poncho hooch.
Rope can also be used to hang one’s self. So if you ever, for single second, get that feeling like no one is watching, or maybe you can get away with something, I want you to remember this:
Rangers are notorious for giving people plenty of rope to hang themselves with. We love ambushes, and we don’t trust anyone until we KNOW FOR A FACT they will do the right thing when no one is looking.
Therefore, let us never grow complacent. That does not mean you must be on high alert twenty four hours a day, because none of us is Superman. Simply make vigilance and doing the right thing THE FIRST TIME a habit. It actually winds up taking less effort to do things right the first time anyway. Most importantly it will prevent you from failing yourself, and worst of all, your comrades.
*** Everybody: Tell me what the acronym GOTWA stands for, and when you recently applied those principles in your day to day activities. 5-point contingency plan
Standard: The Ranger Buddy System
When you get to basic training you will be taught aaallll about the buddy system. The Ranger Buddy System (already better because it is capitalized, and because it says Ranger in the name) is better than the regular buddy system. It means that there is a Ranger watching over you, and it is your job to watch over him in return. Some of you studs have similar ship dates, and will probably be in the same or close RASP classes. You have started to watch out for one another somewhat already, and that is a very encouraging sign. That is a positive aspect of the buddy system. The negative aspect is that if your Ranger buddy screws up you are his whipping boy. That means you pay right along with or in lieu of him.
From now on when one of you is directed to do exercise to make you better all of you might as well get comfortable with doing the same exact thing. If one of you does push-ups I expect to see a pile of ‘Roger’ responses even if only one was directed. Even if the directing Ranger specifically said only one has to do it, you’re all part of the same team, so all of you do it anyway. If a mentee is tasked with an assignment, as much as practical, all of you are expected to perform it. The most recent example was Ranger Jim’s Vietnam Adviser assignment, and Ranger Xray’s reply.
Task List:
Rangers, I have completed reading the entirety of the “Five Mentees Report Here” Thread. I have composed my task list as well, and will immediately begin on it. Knocking out 25+1 for being late on getting the reading done.
MENTEE TASK LIST 20170912
0. Read the, “Five Mentees Report Here” thread completely. (Completed)
1. Not only memorize, but internalize the Ranger Creed and be able to write it down without any errors, also self-test yourself on it, and knock out 25+2 for each error.
2. Memorize Major Robert Rogers’s Standing Orders and be able to write it down without any errors, 25+2 for each error.
3. Explain what Thanksgiving means to you.
4. Memorize the Bill of Rights.
5. Take a PT test every 2 weeks and post your results.
6. Explain what the Ranger Creed means to you (50 word maximum).
7. Read the threads, “About RIP”, “Fall In and Fall Out Around Me” and, “Life as a Private in the Regiment”.
8. Read the Stickys.
9. Post education level and physical achievements.
10. Research one Airborne Ranger In The Sky.
11. Write an essay on what skills or traits you would contribute to the 75th Ranger Regiment.
12. Read Ranger Goon175’s, “The Ranger”.
13. Construct a poncho hooch and sleep in it overnight, also make a GOTWA plan 48 hours prior to your departure to hooch site.
14. Explain what GOTWA means.
15. Make a weapon using sticks, tape, rocks and rope.
16. Write a paragraph on what Thanksgiving means to you.
17. Write a paragraph on why Memorial Day is important to Rangers.
18. What is the 75th Ranger Regiment’s Big Five, and explain what each section means and which section is the most important to a Ranger and why.
19. What is Functional Strength?
20. Run 5 miles and compare your time to the Ranger Standard for the 5 mile run.
21. Drown proof yourself and swim laps in the pool whilst fully clothed.
22. Post about what Veteran’s Day means to you.
23. Research Ranger Dave Dolby and write how being a hero is fragile.
24. Explain why the given tasks are important.
25. Assess the current threat level in Afghanistan.
26. Post a link to your favorite workout on the site, try two other workouts from the site, and explain as to why I liked my favorite workout over the other two.
27. Explain what exercise is and whether it is a punishment or not.
28. Find out what 2100 ZULU time in Washington D.C. is.
29. Do 10 pullups with perfect form.
30. Read: “SITREP, 5 Year Retrospective” by Ranger Dreadnaught, reply accordingly.
31. Read about Ranger Joseph R. Kapacziewski.
32. Memorize the Soldier’s Creed. Self-test yourself and execute 25+2 pushups for every error.
33. Read the Ranger Lineage Thread.
34. Name five major terrain features and their coordinates near you (100 miles).
35. Write motivational PMs to all DEPS who are currently in training.
36. Why is attention to detail stressed here? You will write 2 paragraphs minimum.
37. Why do we give time hacks for our tasks?
38. Complete Ranger Affirm’s PT Workout.
39. Post about the current situation in Iraq/Syria.
40. Write 3-4 paragraphs on your thoughts regarding how to bring the fight to ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Tell everyone how you feel about possibly being apart of it.
41. Describe Fred Caristo’s DSC.
42. Read about the Ranger Regiment’s role in Grenada. (Grenada and more Grenada)
43. Read Evolution of the 75th on SOFREP.
44. Do elevated pushups.
45. Acquire a Ranger Handbook and read it.
46. Come up with a good joke to the given standard.
47. Type a 3 paragraph essay on what I will do to prepare for
RASP.
48. Watch Ronald Reagan’s 40th anniversary speech on D-Day.
49. Complete 200 pushups in 4/2 format.
50. Read 7 Easy Steps To Pass Any SOF Selection
51. Read, “Going into Pre-RASP”
52. Create a timeline for yourself before you ship.
53. Watch, “Inside the Team Room: US Army Rangers”.
54. Read, “Sua Sponte” by Dick Couch.
55. Explain who Ranger Hawkweergr is.
56. How are you doing on your task list? Do you feel prepared for BASIC/AIT/BAC/RASP?
57. Tell us about the Vietnam Ranger Advisors.
58. Update Ranger Jim on how well you are progressing and how soon you are to shipping.
59. Perform 50 4 count flutter kicks in good form.
60. What are Double Standards? Read about it.
61. Complete 50 squats with a 45lbs ruck.
62. Read about Operation Gothic Serpent.
63. Take a cold shower while reciting the Ranger Creed.
64. Learn knot tying with rope.
65. Research Mosby’s Rangers
