Posted on Dec 16, 2021
Should I volunteer for RASP unprepared, or decline the offer and train up?
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It may seem like a potentially obvious answer, but I just need some help. Here’s the background for this question:
Recently, to any of you that have been keeping tabs on me through RP, my request to transfer from reserve to active duty was approved. In January, I will be attending 92Y AIT. I found out that Fort Lee has recruiters for the 75th Ranger Regiment, and that they host daily PT to prepare those soldiers for Ranger Assessment and Selection (RASP). I decided I would volunteer when I got there to challenge myself as much as possible. I spoke briefly with the Ranger LNO this morning about this, and here is what he outlined.
Because Ranger PT is only for soldiers going to RASP, I would have to attend a RASP brief and sign a volunteer statement to volunteer for selection. He would then screen it, and tell me if I qualified. Now, this was my goal, to begin with, but I was planning on volunteering for airborne school, getting to my unit, and training up from there. But now the opportunity is right here in my face, but I’m not as prepared as I could be. The humility of it burns like a branding iron. I’ll make sure I never forget this feeling.
I might not be as prepared as I could be now, but after 8 weeks of PT focused on helping candidates, as well as using the time I have before I report to AIT, I *at least* stand a chance. The worse thing that happens is I get hurt, or not selected. That’s a lot better than the regret of not going at all, or not even trying. Right? Anyways, here’s my question:
Should I show up unprepared at my own peril? With the risk to reward being, at a minimum, I get to say I went through some of the hardest training the army has to offer? Or, do I decline and invest the time when I get to my duty station in becoming the best candidate I can be? Am I looking at this the wrong way? Is this the wrong mindset to have? Am I a complete soup sandwich?
Thank you all for your precious time. I look forward to learning from your answers.
Recently, to any of you that have been keeping tabs on me through RP, my request to transfer from reserve to active duty was approved. In January, I will be attending 92Y AIT. I found out that Fort Lee has recruiters for the 75th Ranger Regiment, and that they host daily PT to prepare those soldiers for Ranger Assessment and Selection (RASP). I decided I would volunteer when I got there to challenge myself as much as possible. I spoke briefly with the Ranger LNO this morning about this, and here is what he outlined.
Because Ranger PT is only for soldiers going to RASP, I would have to attend a RASP brief and sign a volunteer statement to volunteer for selection. He would then screen it, and tell me if I qualified. Now, this was my goal, to begin with, but I was planning on volunteering for airborne school, getting to my unit, and training up from there. But now the opportunity is right here in my face, but I’m not as prepared as I could be. The humility of it burns like a branding iron. I’ll make sure I never forget this feeling.
I might not be as prepared as I could be now, but after 8 weeks of PT focused on helping candidates, as well as using the time I have before I report to AIT, I *at least* stand a chance. The worse thing that happens is I get hurt, or not selected. That’s a lot better than the regret of not going at all, or not even trying. Right? Anyways, here’s my question:
Should I show up unprepared at my own peril? With the risk to reward being, at a minimum, I get to say I went through some of the hardest training the army has to offer? Or, do I decline and invest the time when I get to my duty station in becoming the best candidate I can be? Am I looking at this the wrong way? Is this the wrong mindset to have? Am I a complete soup sandwich?
Thank you all for your precious time. I look forward to learning from your answers.
Posted in these groups: 
Special Operations75th Ranger RGT
Ranger Assessment and Selection Program (RASP)
Military Career
Humility
Special Operations75th Ranger RGT Ranger Assessment and Selection Program (RASP) Military Career Humility
Posted 3 y ago
Responses: 4
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You'll never be ready. There's no such thing as being ready for RASP. The whole point is to push you past your breaking point and see who quits. You'll never be prepared enough and if you wait to be prepared you'll never go.
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SGT (Join to see)
Right. Because the further I push the date the less real it will seem. That’s really useful to know. Thank you, Sarge!
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MAJ Byron Oyler
SGT (Join to see) , listen to SFC (Join to see) as he gives some of the best advice on here and is really the only positive voice to you just doing it. Winners have more failures in life because they got out of bed and tried where as losers just stayed in bed crying over their few failures. For the rest of your life it is better to say "I failed out of RASP because of' then all those that say, "I almost went/joined." Not saying you will fail but you will never succeed if you don't take opportunity when it comes to you. Do it and you will not regret it.
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SGT (Join to see)
MAJ Byron Oyler wow. That’s like the people who say “I almost joined the military but…”
Better to be a defined failure then undecided. I appreciate this comment greatly sir. Thank you so much.
Better to be a defined failure then undecided. I appreciate this comment greatly sir. Thank you so much.
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SFC (Join to see)
SGT (Join to see) when I worked at Ranger School and we would get new guys into the OPFOR platoon who weren't Ranger Qualified, the first question we would ask them is "Do you want to ge to Ranger School?"
The ones who said yes went and sometimes passed. The ones who said, "I need to train more" never went. They were never ready enough to overcome their fear of failing.
Abiut two thirds of your class is going to fail, and statistically that will be you as well. Like I said before, it's not designed to see how strong you are, it's to see if you have a quitting point or not. If you know that no amount of pain, suffering, and sleep deprivation could make you quit, then go for it. If you know that everyone quits, it's just a matter of when, then you should not bother attending.
Good luck
The ones who said yes went and sometimes passed. The ones who said, "I need to train more" never went. They were never ready enough to overcome their fear of failing.
Abiut two thirds of your class is going to fail, and statistically that will be you as well. Like I said before, it's not designed to see how strong you are, it's to see if you have a quitting point or not. If you know that no amount of pain, suffering, and sleep deprivation could make you quit, then go for it. If you know that everyone quits, it's just a matter of when, then you should not bother attending.
Good luck
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Prepare as much as possible with long rucks and long runs. You will be tested on 5 mile run and 12 mile ruck but that level of endurance is needed to get through RASP in general. Land navigation and morning PT will test your endurance so if you are not comfortable completing those events in respectable times , then you are probably also not ready to endure the many other events that come along the way.
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SGT (Join to see)
It’s been 3 months since I’ve made this post. I leave for Fort Benning in about a week from now.
Your advice lines up with what I’ve been told since then. Frankly, I wish I could delete this post because of how I sound in it.
Thank you!
Your advice lines up with what I’ve been told since then. Frankly, I wish I could delete this post because of how I sound in it.
Thank you!
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