Can I attend Airborne School or Ranger School in the National Guard?

2020-09-03T20:52:02-04:00

I'm wondering if it is possible to attend airborne school or ranger school in the national guard. Im 11bravo and I was hoping i could go that route. I am thinking it would be easier to switch to active first but I want to see what my options are in the guard. Thanks in advance.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 3 at 2020 8:56 PM

2020-09-03T20:56:56-04:00

Ranger school is doable as an 11B in the National Guard, but slots can be limited and dependent on you state’s funding. In the NG to get an airborne school seat you must first be in an airborne slot, those are very limited and only in a few states.

Response by SPC Erich Guenther made Sep 3 at 2020 9:01 PM

2020-09-03T21:01:11-04:00

Not unless your unit requires the qualification and even then they can cherry pick from recent departures from Active Duty that already have the qualification vs. paying for the school for a newbie. Your age group is also full of tab and patch hunters that just want the school and once they get it......it's bye bye unit. So if they do pay to send you, there are going to be strings attached such as a min enlistment term and assignment to the unit. Your best bet to answer your question is to find a unit that requires RANGER qualification. Special Forces is easy as there are Special Forces NG units out there. Again though, they are going to screen you well before spending that kind of money from their annual budget. RANGER school outside of a RANGER contract is difficult to get on Active Duty. Special Forces is easier and they usually recruit from Active Duty Infantry companies. In both cases you have to first pass the orientation to the school and the school itself. Also, I did NG first then Active Duty. Trust me when I say the other way around in reverse order is much better for you.

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Sep 3 at 2020 9:17 PM

2020-09-03T21:17:54-04:00

PFC Private RallyPoint Member Finding a full time position in the National Guard will
vastly improve your schooling opportunities.

Their school funding is limited, but - they do take care of their own!

The Guard’s full timers often act as a branch of the renown E-4 Mafia, excepting that more ranks are members.

(A now deceased friend was fired as a full time Chief of Staff because he was striving to improve the efficiency and performance of full timers).

That was fine, after the gnashing of teeth, his resulting reassignment resulted in him becoming a BG.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 3 at 2020 9:28 PM

2020-09-03T21:28:18-04:00

Yes you can but you probably won’t be able to.

What you can do is join the NG and apply to RASP. If you pass RASP, you will go active into the 75th and go to Airborne and eventually Ranger School

Response by MSG Felipe De Leon Brown made Sep 3 at 2020 10:50 PM

2020-09-03T22:50:37-04:00

Short answer...Yes. Slots, however, are limited in the Guard and you might have to go active duty in order to do so. Depending on your level of physical fitness, you might be able to go thru RASP and then to Basic Airborne or vice versa. Whatever you decide, talk to a recruiter first. Good luck.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 3 at 2020 11:11 PM

2020-09-03T23:11:24-04:00

PFC Private RallyPoint Member I've been 30+ schools as a tradition National Guard soldier, including Ranger, airborne, pathfinder, mountain warfare, assault climber, sniper, etc. My first piece of advice is, always take ANY school you can get. Distinguish yourself as the one that will go to the 6-day shit-burning course, because when the high speed stuff comes up, you will be on the forefront of everyone's mind to fill that slot.
As others have said, your path to completing those schools is always easier if you are in a slot that requires them. If you are in Texas, you can interview to join the 143rd INF. If accepted, you would very quickly go to airborne (within a year). As you become an NCO, you would also likely have the opportunity to attend Ranger, pathfinder, jumpmaster, and more, as these are all required skills to have in an airborne unit.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 3 at 2020 11:14 PM

2020-09-03T23:14:32-04:00

Yes, go for it. There is a warrior training center managed by the guard at Benning to get you through it. Getting a slot, even in a unit that requires the qualification, may be difficult. If you go to a SOF or CA unit you may have a better chance. Good luck-

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Sep 4 at 2020 2:40 PM

2020-09-04T14:40:39-04:00

Yes. My grandson completed ranger and SF training while in the Guard. However he joined a SF Guard unit from the start. Talk to your retention NCO or training NCO.

Response by SGT Eric Kesseler made Sep 11 at 2020 11:29 PM

2020-09-11T23:29:48-04:00

It’s possible, but highly improbable. There used to be a Guard LRSD out of Suffridge Air Base in Michigan. They got Airborne slits because they were on jump status. They could occasionally get Ranger school too. It is much easier to get a RASP contract and go AD. Ranger Regiment as a whole is Airborne and as an 11B you can’t get promoted to SGT without the Ranger Tab. Best way to go. You can always go Guard as you ETS. You could even go AGR and be a full time Guard recruiter.

Response by SFC Karen Chambliss-Abraham made Sep 12 at 2020 7:57 PM

2020-09-12T19:57:03-04:00

If you find a National Guard unit that has vacancies in those MOSs. Unit vacancies would be varied depending on the mission of the unit. Make a few phone calls and you should have your answer. I have known of Special Force Units in the AR and they always needed new members. Check around and you will learn more than asking those without actual knowledge. Good luck in your career.
Shana Tovah,
SFC Karen Chambliss-Abraham, USA Retired, service 1961-1994

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 31 at 2023 3:08 PM

2023-12-31T15:08:01-05:00

Yes

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 17 at 2024 9:19 PM

2024-01-17T21:19:31-05:00

In Texas Army National Guard you can