Rangers .... what influenced you to join ?

[Jim]

Thought this was such a good thread it needed to be resurrected.

I wanted to go to Ranger School but when I enlisted there were very few enlisted spaces available. When I finished OCS, the slot was mine for the asking.

Now the real reason: When I'm an old man I never want to have to say something like "Ya know, I wish I had gone to Ranger School."

Success, I'm just old -- thank God, we didn't have RIP in those days.

[Gordo173]

It was the chicks man, I heard that chicks really dug Rangers, I just wanted to get laid!

Turns out its all true!

[madslashers1-2]

I gotta side with gordo, its about the pussy, and the fact that you have the mentality and so does everyone else around you, that you are better than every other soldier in the armed forces, if its true I'm not going to argue, but since everyone believes it you make it true in all your actions and performances because to lose face is the absolute worst thing for a ranger private.

[Chiron]

Gordo is right!

Also had a terrible mishap with my girlfriend and I was slipping in my second year at college. A friend that spoke Chinese got a slot for SF right out of the street due to his Chinese, he told me to go with him and I’ll forget.

The recruiter told me I couldn’t get SF from the street like my buddy. I looked at the wall and saw a poster of a Ranger with a pc and all kinds of ropes and weapons and said how about that!

The rest is history. And the girls were excellent!!! I forgot my pain too.

And we shot a hell of alot of amo!!!!

[madslashers1-2]

Water Jumps always make you want to reenlist, maybe its all the chicks and the beer on the beach of American Lake

[The Holmchicken]

Working 12 hour shifts at Frito-Lay. After that, you crave anything mildly exciting. Guess I went overboard.

[Bugsy]

I didnt' know jack shit about the Rangers when I first joined but my DI told me I'd never make it in the Regular Army because I was good but cocky as hell (he was a former Ranger but I can't remember what bat he was from). I graduated top troop of the cycle, got sent to 5th Inf Div at Ft. Polk and realized what he was talkin about. When I volunteered for a Ranger Assignment I simply wanted to surround myself with soldiers who were "serious" about preparing for war, defending our Country and who were simply the best.

The bottom line was I wanted to see if I had "The Right Stuff". I think of my time in the Rangers as being on a Pro Football Team, when I was at 5th ID I was one of the best troops in my unit, but in all honesty when I got to the Rangers I found out there were a whole bunch of BADASS motherfuckers who were better than me...............but I could still hang with the best of'em.

I had something to prove to myself and that was did I have what it took to be one of the best. For every young man worth a damn they reach a point in their life when they "MUST PUT THEMSELVES TO THE TEST" you're either a go or a no-go and I damn sure didn't want to hear those words applied to me.

[Nija]

Does anyone remember the commercial of the young Ranger stepping off the airplane in his dress greens wearing the coveted Black Beret? I loved that commercial. While I was in college all I had on my brain were the girls naturally I let my grades slip to the point of no return. I decided to talk to a recruiter and asked about the commercial that I had seen. He stated that I could never make it so do not worry about it. I signed up that day to try to be a Ranger. Did not know what the option 40 meant. Had no clue what I was getting into, I thought RIP was someone talking about Rest In Peace, all I knew was it had to end sometime so I just never quit. I was not the strongest or the fastest just a rock that would not quit. In the end I earned my Black Beret.

To everyone that has contracts or thinking about getting contracts. You have so much information here at your fingertips it is unbelievable. Do not take it for granted I would have killed for all this information when I went in.
Under any circumstances never ever quit. The men who train you can not kill you (maybe a little wall to wall) so what do have to worry about. Just NEVER EVER QUIT. I do not think I would be able to look in the mirror today if had quit. Besides now my boys think all of my old gear is cool as hell.

[Nija]

Could be. I have no idea who it was.

[wellfed]

I needed a vacation (escape from Alcatraz) from my home life with 3 older brothers who always (at least tried) liked to beat the shit out of me or torture me beyond normal limits (GITMO ain't got nothing on me). When I joined it was a vacation...Getting smoked was easy as private, I just thought of my younger days with my brothers and the their pellet rifles and how I really learned how to IMT. Oh the fond memories... or how they threw me in the neighbor's backyard (who happened to own 3 Pit Bull Terriers) and watched be claw my way back over the fence shredded like julian fries (really skinny french fries) and them laughing the whole time (E&E training). The day they threw me in a 15ft deep pool tied with 100 mph tape with the only body parts left exposed were half of one eye and one nostril......sank to the bottom...I could hear them laughing until unconciousness...(waterborne/SCUBA training). I could go on, but I don't want to bore you all.

[Invictus]

This is why I joined:



Except it said:

"FROM NORMANDY TO GREANADA, RANGERS LEAD THE WAY"

*I found that pic while perusing the gallery with B 2/75's pics. I'd love to have an original*

[Parabellum]

This is why I joined:



Except it said:

"FROM NORMANDY TO GREANADA, RANGERS LEAD THE WAY"

*I found that pic while perusing the gallery with B 2/75's pics. I'd love to have an original*

I got that poster with the Normandy and Grenada quote.

[Invictus]

I'm give my left nut to get an original.

Well not MY left nut, but I'd definitely give someone else's....

[Invictus]

Anyone know where to find one of those posters??