2 women Ranger students advance to Florida swamps
The Washington Post reports that two of the three women who attacked the Mountain Phase of Ranger School have advanced to the Swamp Phase in Florida – the last phase of the school. So to recap;
A third woman who advanced to the Mountain Phase was “recycled” along with 60 men. That means they did not advance, but will be allowed to try the course again and can still graduate later. All three women began the Mountain Phase on July 11 alongside 156 male students who also were attempting it for the first time, and 42 men who already were training in the mountains, but failed to pass there the first time. The phase includes 20 days of climbing, hiking, rappelling and patrolling in the mountains of the Chattahoochee National Forest, mostly with minimal sleep and little food.
Good for them, I hope they both make through and prove that it is indeed possible for women to graduate at the current standard. But the Army has to decide whether it’s worth the cost to the force to continue a policy that doesn’t use the course of instruction to it’s best effect. 19 women started the course and 2 may complete it. That’s about 10% who will be successful. The washout rate among men from beginning to the end of the course is less than 50%.
Thanks to Chip and Chief Tango for the link.
Category: Army News
Cant wait for first transgender class.
Actually, if they were men posing as women, I would posit a higher “woman” success rate because of inherent male physical strength, regardless of surgical alterations to look like a woman. 😉
“She” may do well, is my point. 😉
I agree with this sentiment. Its not to put more pressure on them, but they really need to graduate and get through this one. So, I wish them good luck.
I’m curious what their follow-on assignments will be if/when they graduate. Like to think that they’ll be allowed to actually use these new skills for more than a social experiment…
They can not hold any Ranger SQI positions under current regulation
If there are women out there who can do this, I am cheering them on. PERIOD.
I suspect these two will be designated Miss July and August in my upcoming calendar “Smokin’ Hot Female RANGERS”.
I just need another 10 suitable canidates to complete the course in order for me to complete my calendar!
…and I got called a sexist pig for truthfully stating that a like boobs. FML.
Well, GD, you are a sexist pig, but it does not mean I do not love you just the way you are.
I don’t care. And neither should the Army IF it’s one-team PR has any substance at all.
Ranger school is the toughest training the Army has, right? These two made it through the mountains on first try; now they’re in the swamp. They’ve asked for no quarter and got none. Good for them.
I hope they succeed and show that nothing needs to be changed.
In conversation with the Ranger Instructors here at “Florida Phase”, with whom I am friends, I have learned a couple of things. First; there has been no slackening of the requirements, (as many of us suspected would happen),
Second; The RIs have been instructed to treat and grade them just as they would a male student,
and Third: The two women who are headed here are West Point graduats, who each excelled in their West Point training. “They are the best of the best in women soldiers, not just someone picked to fill a roster with females.
Knowing that they will be judged equally with the men, I too, wish the best for them.
They are missing ALOT of command time.
“First Female To earn a Ranger Tab” will count for a heck of a lot at selection/promotion time. Especialy if it is reasonably vouched that standards were upheld.
All I can say is “Don’t step on your (whatever)” afterwards. You will be carrying one heck of a guidon. Don’t muddy it.
Yup! Nothing beats training an year out for Ranger school. Some Army folks apparently have a lot of free time on their hands. I wander if it counts as staff time or command time?
How so, Green Thumb? School is 62 days, plus time in RASP, plus travel, etc., I see less than 4 months out of unit. I have seen a couple of Field Grade Officers who went through the course, and they would spend the same amount of time out of unit. These two women are high speed types, and I don’t see this being anything but a plus for their careers.
While Ranger school is difficult, it is not the hardest school that the Army has. Might not even be in the top ten.
I gotta here this BS!
As a triple canopy guy who holds over 9 SQIs, I’d be interested in knowing the 9 schools tougher than Ranger School.
So you know I am also a graduate of the Scout Ldrs Crs so please don’t mention that lame-ass school.
COB6 I was just a triple canopy 11B and it was hard enough for me.
I’ve been both an 11B and a 19-series…let’s here your top ten hardest Army schools. You are wasting your time if you bring up ARC or RSLC too.
Got a list of the 10 hardest schools, Smitty? I would like to see this. I mentioned this to a current, active duty Ranger Instructor who is also; Airborne, Pathfinder, Combat Diver, Air Assault, Sniper and Mountain trained. He had me hold his beer while he laughed his ass off.
I thought Air Assault School was supposed to be the 10 hardest days in the Army? 🙂
10) Ranger School
9) SERE
8) 92Y AIT
7) Understanding Workplace Diversity
6) Security Manger’s Course
5) UPL
4) SSD-2
3) SSD-1
2) SHARP Leader Orientation
1) DTMS Master Trainer
You go ladies! I would love to see them make it. Make us all proud!
I would love to see them graduate with their heads held high and them knowing that they did this all on their own without the standards being lowered. Keep up the good work ladies.
I hope that they are tough enough to make it.
Some years ago I worked with a very pretty young lady (she looked like a California blonde surfer girl) who had a mouth that would make a sailor blush and an attitude to match. She caused all kinds of social fits and starts in meetings – she would say the darndest things with a completely straight face. No pompous ass was safe around Cathy.
Thinking ahead … imagine the first woman to earn a ranger tab serves with honor and retires. She gets a job in a business somewhere and someone give her crap about something. The verbal and/or physical ass whoopin’ would be cosmic!
This makes me think about someone on this here very blog …
I don’t know if this has already been asked before, but are they allowed to go outside the patrol base to drop a deuce or do they have to do it on the inside like everyone else?
That’s what you’re taking away from this? I see how you got your name.
Lighten up Francis. Try reading my post above.
How long has this group been attempting this? Haven’t those that attempted the class been out of their MOS for months to train then months for the course then months to try again?
Sounds like a lot of useless personnel solely around to pass a class no matter how long it takes. Surely no gender favoritism going on there.
God, I’m glad my daughters are feminine, and don’t feel a misguided need to try to do what our most macho men do.
FSM, I’m glad women come in a multitude of proclivities and aptitudes, so as to confound narrow-minded people.
I’m glad like Jonn says that 2 of them are advancing to Florida. My only concern is that the Idiots we have in charge see this as a reason to lower the standards for the course, since so few females passed.
The standard is the standard for a reason. If the women don’t meet that standard, than they don’t get the tab, PERIOD.
We don’t need quotas for how many make it through, we don’t need it ‘fair’. COMBAT isn’t fair. And to have the best leaders available, we need ranger school to be tough.
So if any of the idiots inside the 5-sided-insane asylum read this; ‘DON’T CHANGE THE STANDARDS IF THEY PASS YOU B@#!ARDS’.
In fact, since women have shown they can MEET men’s standards, how about we get rid of the DOUBLE STANDARD and have ONE STANDARD; the male standard. THAT will REALLY piss off the transgendered idiots who think they will be getting over on the PT test!
Good on them!!!!