I always wanted to go but i am just so burnt out with the military, I dont know what it is but tradoc just has drained every bit of drive I have. Plus the thought of being away for another 3 months (at a minimum) and then coming back home and getting deployed again just isn't that apealing. I still am lacking a civilian job partly because of being in the guard and not having much time to find anything. I dont know, I just feel like there is too much stuff waiting on me back home. am I just being a coward?
1) Are you married? 2) Do you have kids? 3) Do you want to leave the Army soon? If the answer to any of these 3 is 'yes', I would recommend you NOT do it. If all three are 'no', and you desire the knowledge and confidence that comes with this training and experience, I'd say go for it. If you decide to do it, count how many times you close your eyes and ask yourself "What the %&$@ was I thinking?" over the next year... Thanks for your service!
Having never been myself, I'm not in a position to say one way or the other. Several close friends have been, and tabbed out. Some recycled, some went straight through. All said it's a suck school that allows you to reach your limits and break them. If you like field time, know what to do with a map, compass, and protractor, and feel like being kicked awake by your student leadership of the day then go for it. Who are you with, and do they have a PRC course (most units will to weed out pretenders). If you pass Pre Ranger Course, then you are most probably prepared to come back tabbed. I suggest you find a tabbed guy in your unit and speak to him. Just make sure it's not one of those tabbed guys that should never have been allowed to make it through the school. They do exist.
for sho...we had one of those hero's in our last unit. The unit that did our FPOC in Iraq had one of those hero's as well...I laughed every time I saw him get all his queer-gear on for his trip around the FOB...
I've never been to Ranger school, but I understand it is something you have to want pretty bad to make it tthrough. If you are having this much doubt now, how much will you have when you are cold (depending on the season, I guess) and hungry and haven't slept for a couple of days? I'd say going when you don't want it enough to instantly make the decision to go is a recipe for quitting.
If you are making the Army a career and you have a chance to go (and you have the determination to graduate) then GO! Me personally I would have gone if I hadn't gone to combat just to test myself. My Dad got his tab, but once I got back from Iraq I felt like I had proved everything I wanted to to myself. (Does this last sentence make sense?!?!?!)
Makes perfect sense Currahee. My Dad felt the exact same way after coming back from 2 Infantry tours in Vietnam. I was in the peacetime Army, so I chose Airborne School, French Commando School, and later Ranger School with an EIB and other training in between. In the end, they all prepared me for what was a very brief stint in Iraq during Desert Storm. My advice to the original poster, just based on the intial post is a big resounding -------- DON'T GO!!! As people have some previously, you need to want it badly. More than anything else in your life at that exact point in time. The washout rate is high, because people don't know if they want it badly enough. I told myself at the beginning of Ranger School, "They are either going to have to tab me or carry me out of here feet first. I will never quit, no matter what." And in a crazy 20 year old way, I meant it.
At a point in my career I really wanted it, and then the guard turned into a full time deal for me somehow. I cant believe that after all these years I am getting a shot and now I feel very unprepared and not ready. I guess I need to do some thinking and give myself a gut check.
Hal9mm - sounds like you are not sure if you are making a full time out of the Guard or not. I would make that decision before you worry about the details (eg Ranger school). You'll feel even worse if you go and then wash out because you really weren't giving 100%. Me personally, who the hell would want to go to Ranger school? It's very painful training that you don't need career wise unless you want to be a senior NCO (I am assuming you are not an officer as all officers need Ranger school for their career) or you want to go to a Ranger Batt. I've known some very squared away soldiers with tabs and some tabbed soldiers that were soup sandwich. After my tour in Iraq, I thought the most useful training was all the individual skills - how to shoot, how to fill a radio, first aid, map reading, commo, weapons maintainence, driving under NODs etc. You operate in such small groups over there and you do so much patrolling that your teamwork and tactics will gel pretty quick as long as everyone has all the needed individual skills. Just my opinion. Best of luck brother
Well I'm going, time to man up. I kinda got sucked into it like the saying goes "be careful what you wish for" I talked it over with the wife and she supports me and my Chain of Command is really pushing it because they got a slot and really want to send someone. I'll keep you guys posted I leave friday, and I am very nervous, i really dont want to embarrass my unit.
Then keep that in mind and don't. Just resolve to yourself that you are going to make it no matter what. Don't be a spotlight Ranger, cooperate with everyone that you can, work hard, do not be the weakest link, and learn everything that you can from this experience. Succeed or fail, mostly up to you. Ranger School isn't everything, but for you right now it should be the only thing. Best of luck and keep us posted once you get back. Hope to see you on armyranger.com when all this is done. If you ever make it to SC, the beers are on me. Andy
