Does Ranger School currently have the lowest graduation rate ever? If so, what's going on?

2018-04-17T22:36:05-04:00

As per the ARTB website http://www.benning.army.mil/infantry/ARTB/ Ranger school had a 33.1% grad rate for 2017. This is far from the historic average near 50%. Is there any specific reason for this? I know RTTs are now a drop event but that can't be the only issue.

The United States Army | Fort Benning | Infantry | ARTB

Colonel Douglas G. Vincent graduated in 1992 from the Virginia Military Institute and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army Infantry. He first served in the 82nd Airborne Division as a rifle platoon leader, scout platoon leader and HHC executive officer in 3-505th PIR. After the Captain’s Career Course, he was assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division, were he was the battalion S-4, battalion AS-3 and Charlie Company Commander in the...

Response by CPT Don Kemp made Apr 17 at 2018 11:09 PM

2018-04-17T23:09:07-04:00

I am not qualified to answer your question about a specific class’ graduation rate, but the average is just that - an average. Winter classes tend to have lower rates if memory serves me correctly. I started in Ranger Class 5-73 Frostbite Five; Coldest Alive.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 17 at 2018 11:24 PM

2018-04-17T23:24:11-04:00

I’m not currently Ranger qualified, but I’m stationed at 6th RTB and I will say this...

If the quality and discipline level of Soldiers decline with the regular Army, so shall the Ranger population.That’s what has happened during the last decade. It’s as simple as that, Sir.

I definitely recommend attending the course, especially as an Infantry Officer, but it really is that simple.

Good luck!

Response by COL Charles Williams made Apr 17 at 2018 11:38 PM

2018-04-17T23:38:20-04:00

2LT Private RallyPoint Member 12-85, my class, was about 40% left at the end; I thought the historic attrition rate was closer to 60%?
I would say today, it is because many more are weak minded now.
I now deal with HS kids daily, and I have never heard so many excuses for why one can't do PT. I have had 7 kids graduate and attempt RASP, and only 2 lasted; and only one of those two made to Ranger School and graduated. Those 7 were all exceptionally physically fit and capable, but they all did not really want it.

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made Apr 18 at 2018 5:38 AM

2018-04-18T05:38:45-04:00

IMHO sir, it's lack of physical and mental discipline.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 18 at 2018 6:03 AM

2018-04-18T06:03:24-04:00

It isn't just Ranger School. The same issues have been noted at the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course. Bottom line is that extended dismounted patrolling skills and land navigation by compass and map are severely atrophied skills because the military has spent the last 15 years doing mostly mounted patrols that rarely last more than 12 hours.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 18 at 2018 8:57 AM

2018-04-18T08:57:03-04:00

Soldiers not knowing the basics and lack of mental toughness of millennials and generation z.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 18 at 2018 9:31 AM

2018-04-18T09:31:47-04:00

I am Ranger and Ranger Instructor qualified. I worked at the Ranger and Training Assessment Course at Fort Benning. I can speak a bit to this. But the 50% success rate is pretty rare. I can't say I have seen it that high. My class back in 2014 was at 33 percent. There are a few reasons as to why it is that low. The proficiency of soldiers today is something that needs to be improved. At times soldiers go to ranger school and they are not familiar with infantry tactics and weapon systems. This is especially the case with non-combat arms soldiers. RTT came about due to soldiers in Ranger School not having the acknowledge to function weapon systems. If you are Ranger Qualified you would be expected to know how to use those infantry weapons. That is just one issue. When you go beyond that Ranger School is open to all MOS's. If believe if you just had infantry it would be higher. When they opened it up to pretty much everyone you added soldiers that were not familiar with small unit tactics or infantry operations. They are going to be hit hard. The school doesn't change but it has to figure out how to maintain a standard of proficiency. Over time they will adjust the training to reflect what is coming to them from the force.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Apr 18 at 2018 9:50 PM

2018-04-18T21:50:37-04:00

Probably because if 75% of todays youth can pass a AFPT to join the Army, then the current crop probably can't gut out RASP.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 21 at 2018 9:01 PM

2018-04-21T21:01:17-04:00

I will tell you what Special Forces cadre told me. Unfortunately, bringing in women cause a problem for hardened, simple minded males. If the attrition rate is super high, when every female is dropped, no one will bat an eye. Why? Statistically it was bound to happen.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 24 at 2018 1:55 AM

2018-04-24T01:55:42-04:00

A lot of units are filling training calendars with collective tasks and leaving the individual tasks to "white space" that isn't really there. While Ranger School is mostly collective tasks, those tasks are only performed as well as the individual tasks that comprise it.
Worse classes I ever saw as an RI, the two classes after Ranger School was opened to women, a lot of soft skill Soldiers thought the standards would drop so they tried their luck, worse pass rates I saw in 4 years.

Response by CDR R. Mark Lusted made May 12 at 2020 3:51 PM

2020-05-12T15:51:56-04:00

First a disclaimer. I did not attend Ranger School; in fact, I was in the Navy. However, I did attend Navy Nuclear Power School, and I was the director of the Submarine Officer Basic Course, and I have a number of friends that have attended Ranger School... some graduated and some did not.
While the preparedness and motivation of the incoming Ranger School students may well have declined, it is perhaps too convenient to blame the serious decline only on student quality. Part of the answer, at least, may also be the quality of the instruction at Ranger School. As I've talked to grads and drops, one of the common themes seems to be very poor consistency in the feedback students receive when they fail patrols; it seems that frequently students that are recycled have a very poor idea of where they need to improve. There is a lack of consistency between instructors in how the students are graded... particularly in the Darby Phase, and while a certain amount of "unpredictability" can enhance a curriculum, that unpredictability should be carefully planned and should not preclude the feedback that is crucial to the learning process.
The other area to consider is the culture in the Army that has grown up around Ranger School as a right-of-passage - particularly for the infantry. This encourages sending units to send both officer and enlisted students to the school as an "automatic" step without screening them for motivation.
In an attempt to reduce the failure rate at RASP, many Army units have put in place "pre-Ranger" courses that do not have standard curriculums and are not administered by trained instructors. Further, these local pre-Ranger courses are not monitored for effectiveness, and may actually do more harm than good.
All that said, the benefits of Ranger training are tremendous. The philosophy behind it great. I wish that the Navy had had something like it.