Posted on Oct 2, 2023
How many schools can someone attend within a 6-12 month span? What insight can you provide on trying to fit in as many as possible?
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This might be a dumb question so please bare with me as I'm still learning as I go. So I'm interested in attending a few schools, mainly Air Assault, Airborne, Pathfinder, and Ranger school. I have a few questions that encompass this question:
1. Is there a limit on how many schools we can go to within a 6 month - 1 year span?
2. What would be the best ways to prepare for these schools? (I'm already going to the gym twice a day and doing full comprehensive body workouts and personal rucks on certain days, but what else can I do to help me better prepare?)
3. How difficult is it to get into Pathfinder school?
4. Describe generally what Ranger school is like.
5. Can you go to schools successively one after another (For example: Could I go to Airborne, then immediately to Air Assault, then Pathfinder, then Ranger school in rapid succession, over an 8-month span?)
The reason I'm curious about all of this is I'm currently in process of pursuing the Green to Gold Program and attending school for my Master's degree in Computer Science with a focus in AI and Data analytics (I didn't finish my Master's as a civilian unfortunately) in August of 2024, and I'm curious about if this will inhibit me from going to certain schools, or if there is a limit on the amount we can go to.
1. Is there a limit on how many schools we can go to within a 6 month - 1 year span?
2. What would be the best ways to prepare for these schools? (I'm already going to the gym twice a day and doing full comprehensive body workouts and personal rucks on certain days, but what else can I do to help me better prepare?)
3. How difficult is it to get into Pathfinder school?
4. Describe generally what Ranger school is like.
5. Can you go to schools successively one after another (For example: Could I go to Airborne, then immediately to Air Assault, then Pathfinder, then Ranger school in rapid succession, over an 8-month span?)
The reason I'm curious about all of this is I'm currently in process of pursuing the Green to Gold Program and attending school for my Master's degree in Computer Science with a focus in AI and Data analytics (I didn't finish my Master's as a civilian unfortunately) in August of 2024, and I'm curious about if this will inhibit me from going to certain schools, or if there is a limit on the amount we can go to.
Ranger
Ranger School
Airborne School
Air Assault School
Pathfinder School
Posted 2 y ago
Responses: 7
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I do not think there's a limit, especially if you go while enroute. Otherwise your commander will decide how many, how often and if you go. Mission-First.
Physically, based on your description, you should be good.
Airborne - Attention to Details, They teach you how to survive first. All the other stuff, with the exception of the the actual jump's "heavy as all 'ell" loadout equipment, is set to get you "qualified alive".
Ranger - Be tactically and technically proficent at tactics but follow my favorite two rules: 1.Don't Quit. 2.Keep Your Sense Of Humor.
Air Assault - Attention to Detail because it only looks simple and your life is your hands once you're on the ropes. They will teach you everything else. Pay attention.
Pathfinder - Now you're planning and performing setup of Airborne, Air Assault, Waterborne (only did three of these, hundreds of the other two) Operations in the a preliminary survey to gain information, especially in an exploratory military survey of landing zones in enemy territory. Again pay attention.
Physically, based on your description, you should be good.
Airborne - Attention to Details, They teach you how to survive first. All the other stuff, with the exception of the the actual jump's "heavy as all 'ell" loadout equipment, is set to get you "qualified alive".
Ranger - Be tactically and technically proficent at tactics but follow my favorite two rules: 1.Don't Quit. 2.Keep Your Sense Of Humor.
Air Assault - Attention to Detail because it only looks simple and your life is your hands once you're on the ropes. They will teach you everything else. Pay attention.
Pathfinder - Now you're planning and performing setup of Airborne, Air Assault, Waterborne (only did three of these, hundreds of the other two) Operations in the a preliminary survey to gain information, especially in an exploratory military survey of landing zones in enemy territory. Again pay attention.
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SPC(P) (Join to see)
Thank you for the response SFC! I appreciate that information immensely and will for sure do the necessary research into each one specifically so that way I can tailor my learning and the way I conduct myself around them.
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MAJ Ronnie Reams
Is air assault now fast roping rather than coming in just above ground and jumping off?
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SFC Ralph E Kelley
MAJ Ronnie Reams - I believe all techiques are taught (maybe just classrom not field-trained) because other countries we are partners with don't fast-rope. However that information is out-of-date as they may not include it anymore.
Anyone on RP recently been to Air Assualt got more updated information.
Anyone on RP recently been to Air Assualt got more updated information.
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SFC Ralph E Kelley
SPC(P) (Join to see) - You might also consider Mountain School if the 10th Division is on your horizen.
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Get it all! I think this is outa control ambitious, but I love it... I wish more Soldiers thought like this. I mean with no impact on the mission.
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SPC(P) (Join to see)
Thank SSG! I figure the worst they can say is no so I might as well try. We have a cool off period after we get back from deployment where the unit focuses heavily on soldier's self development and schools and they really don't bother us too much since the other detachment is gearing up for deployment.
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1. Technically there is no specified limit in reg.
2. PT, and read the study material for the school.
3. Very difficult. There is a long wait for seats for Soldiers who are assigned to a Pathfinder duty position to go to the school. And if you don't hold the MOS for those duty positions, you need a waiver approved by the school.
4. Ranger School is 70-ish days of patrol base, OPORD, rehearsing actions on the objective, moving to an ORP, conducting the mission, then repeat. And your chow and sleep is limited by design. Once you complete Ranger School, you are not physically ready to report to another school for at least six weeks.
5. All else aside, the likelihood of getting even 3 schools of any kind in rapid succession is very slim, unless you diligently book all those reservations back to back about 18 months out.
Now for the reality: the Army funds school seats based on what the Army needs, not what the Soldier finds interesting. And that funding gets tighter every year.
Airborne seats primarily go to Soldiers assigned to or en route to an Airborne unit.
Air Assault seats primarily go to anyone in the 101st, then a few here and there who keep trying to get a seat.
Pathfinder seats go to those who need it for their duty position.
Ranger school is easier to get, especially if you want to go right after BOLC.
FYSA, your list of schools is pretty much all the cool badges/tabs. Your career, reputation, experience and job satisfaction in the Army comes from how well you do your job, how well you lead, and how you treat people.
Every day.
And none of that ever came from a badge or a tab.
2. PT, and read the study material for the school.
3. Very difficult. There is a long wait for seats for Soldiers who are assigned to a Pathfinder duty position to go to the school. And if you don't hold the MOS for those duty positions, you need a waiver approved by the school.
4. Ranger School is 70-ish days of patrol base, OPORD, rehearsing actions on the objective, moving to an ORP, conducting the mission, then repeat. And your chow and sleep is limited by design. Once you complete Ranger School, you are not physically ready to report to another school for at least six weeks.
5. All else aside, the likelihood of getting even 3 schools of any kind in rapid succession is very slim, unless you diligently book all those reservations back to back about 18 months out.
Now for the reality: the Army funds school seats based on what the Army needs, not what the Soldier finds interesting. And that funding gets tighter every year.
Airborne seats primarily go to Soldiers assigned to or en route to an Airborne unit.
Air Assault seats primarily go to anyone in the 101st, then a few here and there who keep trying to get a seat.
Pathfinder seats go to those who need it for their duty position.
Ranger school is easier to get, especially if you want to go right after BOLC.
FYSA, your list of schools is pretty much all the cool badges/tabs. Your career, reputation, experience and job satisfaction in the Army comes from how well you do your job, how well you lead, and how you treat people.
Every day.
And none of that ever came from a badge or a tab.
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