Do you believe the 2 women Rangers passed on their own merits or were they given special treatment?

I believe that even if special accommodations were made (which I doubt anyhow) the women would not have accepted it. Any women that has the drive and desire to go to Ranger school does so knowing that her admission, performance, and standards are going to be monumentally scrutinized. A women - a Soldier - with any self-respect and integrity wouldn't take any shortcuts as not to cheapen earning that tab. Having said that, God himself could have been a grader and some people still wouldn't believe it if they said they were held to the same standard.

Absolutely. Zero doubts of this, they were held against the same standards as everyone else.

I believe they succeeded on their own merits.

I also believe there are some who will never believe that. Sad.

Of course they did. I know for a fact the Army's Ranger School would never lower their standards no matter what. And I'm also certain that people who think so are just haters. Haters gotta hate. That just gives the new female Rangers more power of them. But seriously, stop hating on these females. They worked very hard to earn this qualification. Good for them and shame on those who can't accept it.

Rangers don't just give out tabs, they are earned. Male or Female......I believe they earned those tabs and I would be honored to serve next to them any day. Both those ladies had what it takes and showed the military that you can't define a persons ability by thier gender. I say HOOAH!!!!!

Yes, completely on their own merits. All the comments abut lets see what the investigation says or I would like to know what the Ranger Instructors would say if they were free from retribution only means that it is believed. Why investigate? If we think the US Army Ranger School has truly done this then the response would be to shut it down and disband the Rangers. This is saying you think Rangers from every rank are liars and have zero integrity. These Soldiers who passed have no Honor and are part of a giant conspiracy to do what I don't know. If you think it's true or even that an investigation is required then you think the Army is one giant piece of shit. I say to all F*** Off. These women went out and did something incredible. They should be met with nothing but congratulations and respect. There are always so many comments about "brothers and sisters in arms' and all this crap about veterans and how noble we all are. If you think this is true and you draw your pride form the US Army then you need to realize that everything you told yourself is a big fat lie. Why question these hard charging Soldiers just because you don't believe it is possible for a woman to do something 99% of everyone commenting has no idea what it's about and would not get past the first fricking day.

Listen to MAJ Jim Hathaway, the current RTB executive officer:
No matter what we at Ranger School say, the non-believers will still be non-believers. We could have invited each of you to guest walk the entire course, and you would still not believe, we could have video recorded every patrol and you would still say that we “gave” it away. Nothing we say will change your opinion. I and the rest of our cadre are proud of the conduct of our soldiers, NCOs, and officers; they took the mission assigned and performed to the Ranger standard. Rangers Lead the Way!

And if you want to lump this Major and the Lieutenant who wrote the piece into the same category then you must be so humiliated to be associated with such an honor-less military system you should get the f*** out and go work at UPS.

As a Ranger graduate,we insist on maintaining the standards of the course. I can tell you that the CG at Ft Benning visited the school just before the two women graduated,and checked on the status,grading and monitoring of the women. As the women progressed through the 2 months,he continuously checked that all standards were being met-after they passed the first 4 days--6 pullups,50 situps and 50 pushups in 2 mion,and a 5 mile run in 40 min,plus the forced march (about 40% of the men didint make it) they were over the hardest part.
They made it fair and square--!

I believe without a shadow of a doubt that these two Officers passed Ranger School on their own merits. I personally know the Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade CSM. He is the epitome of doing things the Right way. He would NEVER encourage his instructors to bend the rules for anyone! The fact that people are calling professional Officers and Noncommissioned Officers integrity into question is appalling. The fact of the matter is these two Officers passed Ranger School. If you dont like it, Volunteer to get out. This will save someone from being involuntarily seperated due to Sequestration.

I think given the attrition rate for females and the agony these ladies went thru it is an insult to both them and their instructors to question the integrity of a system that was already under so much scrutiny.

SSGT Robinson:
This is the Army and we do not condone special or individual treatment. It is hell being the first of anything. I have been the first female in my division, and my special treatment was getting punched in formation. I have been in programs where we had 14 females in a class of 180. Believe me if anything these two Soldiers has more stress and faced higher tension than the average Soldier. I doubt very serious they wanted all of this attention.