U.S. Army Ranger School

U.S. Army Ranger School
Unit name	Ranger Training Brigade
Caption	Students conducting patrol at Fort Benning
Dates	1950–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army
Type	Ranger training
Role	Small unit leadership, reconnaissance, direct action
Garrison	Fort Moore (formerly Fort Benning), Fort Carson, Eglin Air Force Base
Nickname	"Rangers"

U.S. Army Ranger School U.S. Army Ranger School is the U.S. Army's premier small‑unit leadership and airborne/infantry tactics course administered by the Ranger Training Brigade at Fort Moore (formerly Fort Benning), with mountain and swamp phases conducted at Fort Carson and Eglin Air Force Base respectively. The course emphasizes patrolling, direct action, reconnaissance, land navigation, survival, and leadership under stress, producing graduates who serve across the United States Army, United States Army Special Forces, 82nd Airborne Division, 101st Airborne Division, and other units.

History

Ranger training traces lineage to the French and Indian War scouts and the American Revolutionary War units such as Francis Marion’s militia, evolving through the Civil War's Union Army and Confederate States Army irregulars, into the ranger concept embodied by World War II formations like the 1st Ranger Battalion (United States), 2nd Ranger Battalion (United States), 3rd Ranger Battalion (United States), and the Darby Rangers. Post‑World War II doctrinal changes, lessons from the Korean War and Vietnam War, and the creation of specialized formations such as the 75th Ranger Regiment shaped the formalized school established in 1950 at Fort Moore (formerly Fort Benning). Cold War operations, including experiences from the Bay of Pigs Invasion planners, the Invasion of Grenada ("Operation Urgent Fury"), and Operation Just Cause operations in Panama influenced curriculum revisions; later combat operations in Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom further adapted training. Institutional reforms, including integration milestones involving the Women's Army Corps and policies influenced by the Department of Defense directives, have periodically changed selection and instructional practices.

Organization and Curriculum

The Ranger Training Brigade organizes cadre and students into companies and platoons under the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command, with liaison to the United States Army Special Operations Command and coordination with installations like Fort Bragg and Fort Campbell. The curriculum centers on progressive stress inoculation, tactical proficiency, and small‑unit leadership, using standardized performance objectives derived from publications and doctrine influenced by historic engagements such as the Battle of Mogadishu (1993), Operation Anaconda, and lessons learned from Marine Corps tactics. Training modules include mountaineering skills used in Operation Highland‑style scenarios, combat waterborne operations reflecting tactics used in Battle of Mogadishu (1993) riverine contexts, and airborne operations practiced alongside Air Mobility Command assets. Assessments use graded patrol operations, land navigation, live‑fire demonstrations, and leadership evaluations comparable to those in the Officer Candidate School and Basic Officer Leader Course.

Selection and Eligibility

Prospective students typically originate from units like the 101st Airborne Division, 10th Mountain Division, 82nd Airborne Division, and the 75th Ranger Regiment, or apply as individual augmentees from across the United States Army Reserve and the Army National Guard. Eligibility criteria reference service records, physical fitness benchmarks such as the Army Physical Fitness Test and its successor, the Army Combat Fitness Test, medical clearance per Department of Defense standards, and recommendations from chain‑of‑command including battalion and brigade commanders. Historically, policy changes tied to civil rights and personnel law—echoes of rulings affecting the Women's Armed Services Integration Act and DoD directives—have influenced who may attend, with waivers for rank, MOS, and prior service screened through recruiting and personnel commands like Accessions Command.

Training Phases (Benning, Mountain, Swamp)

The school comprises three sequential phases: the Benning phase at Fort Moore (formerly Fort Benning), the Mountain phase at Fort Carson, and the Swamp phase at Eglin Air Force Base. - Benning phase: Students conduct intensive patrolling, direct action and live‑fire exercises referencing tactics from the Battle of Normandy assaults and Operation Overlord‑era doctrine while practicing airborne insertions alongside 82nd Airborne Division airframes and Air Mobility Command transports. - Mountain phase: Held at Fort Carson and nearby alpine ranges, this phase trains mountaineering, high‑altitude patrolling, and cold weather operations drawing on techniques used in Korean War mountain warfare and Operation Anaconda‑style maneuvering. - Swamp phase: Conducted at Eglin Air Force Base ranges and coastal wetlands, emphasis is on riverine and marshland patrols, small unit tactics in austere wet environments, and survival skills reminiscent of operations in the Pacific Theater (World War II) and Vietnam War riverine campaigns.

Throughout phases students encounter graded scenario lanes, forced marches reminiscent of Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol missions, and leadership rotations mirroring responsibilities in units such as the 75th Ranger Regiment and Special Forces Operational Detachment‑Alpha teams.

Graduation, Awards, and Insignia

Graduation confers a qualification recognized across United States Army forces, with successful graduates authorized to wear insignia and awards aligned with ranger proficiency and leadership. Graduates historically receive the Ranger tab, wear of which is governed by Army Regulation 600‑8‑22 and is often accompanied by unit awards when serving in ranger units like the 75th Ranger Regiment. Distinguished graduates and instructors have received decorations tied to valor and achievement such as the Silver Star, Bronze Star Medal, and Combat Infantryman Badge, with specific citations reflecting actions in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Institutional honors include Ranger School honor graduate designations and leadership recognitions named after historic figures whose tactics influenced ranger doctrine.

Notable Alumni and Operations

Ranger School alumni include leaders and operators who served in prominent units and operations: generals who commanded in Operation Desert Storm and Operation Enduring Freedom, officers later assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment, and Special Forces veterans who planned actions during Operation Gothic Serpent and Operation Anaconda. Notable individual alumni have participated in engagements such as Battle of Mogadishu (1993), Operation Neptune Spear, and leadership roles within the Joint Special Operations Command and United States Central Command. The school’s influence extends to doctrine and personnel across the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and allied forces who have sent observers from militaries like the British Army, Canadian Armed Forces, and Australian Army.

Category:United States Army training