Introduction

stanley051 · Post by **stanley051** » January 17th, 2009, 4:46 pm

Hello, my name is Jason I am 21 years old. I am a college student currently enrolled at Wayne State University in Detroit pursuing a degree in Information Technology. I wanted to join the Army right out of high school but received scholarship money that would expire if i didn't use it within a year. I am also working full time as a welder/fabricator. I talked to a recruiter about a month ago about an 11x contract and have been working hard to get my fitness where it needs to be.

Push ups - 45 in 2 minutes
Sit ups - 51 in 2 minutes
pulls ups - 9 with palms facing in
2 mile run - 18.36

Would it be realistic for me to get where i need to be physically in 3 months? I am trying to ship out at the end of this semester. Thanks for your time and you service.

K.Ingraham · Post by **K.Ingraham** » January 17th, 2009, 5:18 pm

No time in college is wasted unless you waste it. You did the right thing to use that scholarship - I hope you're earning a 3.5 or better.

Just be in the best shape you can. Selection courses like RIP are constructed for young soldiers in average or above average condition but who have superb willpower and desire to succeed. (Your university GPA is an indicator of that.)
Of course, being in excellent condition helps as it will give you some slack should you say, have a cold on the day of the entrance PT test for SFAS or RIP. However, it will not make things easier - remember, they're looking for your inner strength. The guy who sweats blood to do his best which might be only 60 pushups is preferred to the guy who blasts out 95 pushups and stops before the two minutes is up. The guy doing 60 but doing his utmost to improve will be selected over the stud who quits at 'good enough'. The '60' guy is getting stronger, while the other just wants the prestige of a differently colored beret.
At your age, you should be able to achieve signifigant inprovement in three months, just don't injure yourself by pushing the envelope without proper stretching etc etc. Increase your PT, just be smart about it.

Both the IT & welding skills can be useful in SOF organizations, learn the most about them while you can. Why? "you never know..."

Meanwhile, read much, post little.
Welcome.

Ranger Ron · Post by **Ranger Ron** » January 17th, 2009, 5:38 pm

Welcome to ArmyRanger.com. The previous Ranger gave you the best advise anyone could. Good luck.

Ranger Andy · Post by **Ranger Andy** » January 17th, 2009, 6:03 pm

I know you'd like to join the Army as soon as possible, but can you finish up your degree work first? A college degree will open up a couple of more doors for you for some interesting Army options. If you're hell bent on joining right now, make sure your have what you want in your contract, like Jump School, RIP, etc., before you sign the dotted line! Whatever you decide to do, drive on dude...

stanley051 · Post by **stanley051** » January 17th, 2009, 8:15 pm

Ranger Andy wrote:I know you'd like to join the Army as soon as possible, but can you finish up your degree work first?

Unfortunately my job requires me to travel and i have to work long hours so i was not able to go to school full time. I was only able to take 2 classes a semester so i am still a year and a half away from completing my degree. I have also used up all my scholarship money; this is a major reason I am considering the military, the way I am looking at it is college will be there forever and my chance at fulfilling a dream has a very short window. This may not be the best way to look at this decision but from what the recruiter has told me I can still take classes while enlisted. Any advise on my current situation would be much obliged.

I would like to thank Ranger K.Ingraham for the quality post it gave me a much better understanding of what the Rangers are looking for in a recruit.

Thank you for your time and service.

K.Ingraham · Post by **K.Ingraham** » January 17th, 2009, 9:32 pm

Well Stanley, you're a grownup & you make your choices. If you're looking at the Army as a means to finance completing your education, then go for it. But soonest, you need that BS/BA.
Education is not expensive, ignorance is. You might have the ultimate IT juju & work all sorts of cyber wonders, but the kid in the next cubicle with the BS is the one getting the extra 25 grand for the same job on day one.

Regarding what the Rangers are looking for; my 'advice' was just my 2c worth, your milage may vary. You might have the ill fortune to be evaluated by some unsophisticated knuckledragger who doesn't get it. Accepting risk is fundimental to becoming a warrior, and the first risk you must evaluate and accept, or not, is whether you're willing to gamble three or four years on the chance that you might be part of that small percentage who make it all the way through the pipeline to a Ranger battalion.

Don't get me wrong, trying your best is what they look for, but you'll still have to achieve a high standard to pass either selection, SFAS or RIP. My point is that the guy who stops when he reaches the max score of 300 instead of pushing to do his best is the guy that gets selected out. Someone with the right spirit seeking to overcome and "be all he can be" will get accepted over the mentally weak but physically strong - but you still must be in good enough shape to do the job, or be able to get there within a few weeks. I grabbed the '60' figure just to illustrate the point, don't grab onto that!
As I type, I seem to recall that somewhere around here someone posted in a similar thread that Regiment requires a MINIMUM score of 80% on your PT test to remain in, but only a 70% or something to pass RIP, but you have only "X" number of weeks to achieve that 80% or you are history. Anyway, those are details you needn't concern yourself with now, or later. Just do your best.

So long as I'm dispensing life advice (it's almost the end of a late night Saturday shift, my work is long complete & my relief hasn't shown yet...); you might consider 63B (?) wheeled vehicle mechanic. That's an important job in the Ranger Regiment in the current wars. Given your background working with computers and metalwork/welding, you already bring something to the Army and that career field. You'll still have to meet the same standards as the "shooters" and often enough, you'll be outside the wire with the 11Bs because someone has to ensure that they can get to the target.

No need to reply to this, just consider a few other avenues to our Regiment.

Baseplate · Post by **Baseplate** » January 18th, 2009, 2:05 am

While in Ranger Battalion you will almost deciededly not be able to attend college classes during your first enlistment. Or at least that is how it was when I was in. You will be training most days and deployed at random times. There isn't much room for school books in a rucksack.

Jim · Post by **Jim** » January 18th, 2009, 9:10 am

Stanley, a man has only one opportunity to make a favorable initial impression. So far you are doing very well. If you truly wiah to earn a place in the 75th Ranger Regiment, you came to the right site. We take pride in the quality and quantity of young men who have made armyranger.com part of their life journey. You have been given a lot of very insightful information already. Your next step is to find a someone in Accessions Command to get you an option 40 contract. Never, never quit!

Ranger Andy · Post by **Ranger Andy** » January 18th, 2009, 10:27 am

Jim wrote:Your next step is to...

...get rid of Richard Simmons!

panthersix · Post by **panthersix** » January 18th, 2009, 1:43 pm

K.Ingraham wrote:No time in college is wasted unless you waste it. You did the right thing to use that scholarship - I hope you're earning a 3.5 or better.

Just be in the best shape you can. Selection courses like RIP are constructed for young soldiers in average or above average condition but who have superb willpower and desire to succeed. (Your university GPA is an indicator of that.)

Welcome.

GPA is an indicator of what? I was a college dropout with a GPA of 1.0 and 6 whole credits hours after a year at college when I joined the Army to be a Ranger. Being a failure in college made it unacceptable for me to fail in RIP!

After I did my 3 years active duty, I went back to the University of Maryland and got my BA and MA. That was thanks to the US Army teaching me about "getting your ticket punched".

A good GPA just means either you're really smart or really into your coursework at college.

rakkasan_187 · Post by **rakkasan_187** » January 22nd, 2009, 11:08 pm

I'm far from a brain whiz but last I knew Richard Simmons was a pole smoker.

Ranger Bill · Post by **Ranger Bill** » January 23rd, 2009, 9:55 am

Welcome, Stanley. Your interest in enlisting to become an Army Ranger is appreciated. Next step for you is to visit a recruiting office. And yes, 3 months is plenty of time to get in shape, providing you are willing to put forth the effort. Post again after you have talked with a recruter and let us know how things went. In the meantime, read and heed the ROE PM I have sent you. Doing so will ensure you get the full value of what this site has to offer you.

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