Posted on Apr 2, 2018
I'm joining the National Guard. What are my chances to get into a Pre-Ranger course?
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Hi! So I turn 17 in May and was planning on joining the guard. My plan is after AIT, go to Airborne School and then I wanted to see what my chances would be to get a seat in pre ranger. I have always wanted to make it to the Rangers and I feel like I could do it if I were to put the work in. Could anyone provide me with some tips to help me achieve my goals?
Ranger
11B1V: Airborne Ranger
Ranger School
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 10
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It really depends in what state you plan on joining. I was the Senior Platoon Trainer at the National Guard's Pre-Ranger Course at Fort Benning. The issue is getting a slot. The Guard is now sending soldiers from Basic training to Pre-Ranger but they don't fare very well. They just don't have the base knowledge to function at a high level. And unless you are going to an airborne unit in the National Guard you won't get airborne school. Schools in the Guard are based on a need in the unit. If the unit doesn't need that skill then they won't have a slot to send anyone. I used to be in a mechanized infantry unit. No one could have got an Airborne Slot. But if you want to be an airborne and ranger then you should try to go to the Regular Army.
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SSG (Join to see)
I have to agree with LT, not sure about the Guard but in the Reserves schools are based on the need of the unit and there are very, very few slots for airborne and ranger school in the reserves. I would say only the best of the best get those slots because of funding. They hate to send a PVT only to have them wash out and lose that slot. So usually only more senior proven soldiers get those slots.
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I'm not sure how many ranger units there are in NG (if any). Are you wanting to be a ranger or just go to ranger school? If you want to be a ranger I would recommend going active duty instead. If you just want the tab and the school, just be a stud and bug your unit for a school slot or get it in your re-enlistment contract.
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SPC David Willis
Garrett Parker - To be honest if your plan is RIP it may be to your benefit to go to basic/AIT/OSUT then directly to Airborne and directly to RIP rather than doing basic over the summer and everything else a year later.
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SPC Erich Guenther
Been a long time since I looked but once upon a time where were some Civil Affairs or maybe Psyops NG units that required RANGER for NCO's Not sure if that is still the case. Again it is rare for NG unit to require RANGER for anything. Agree that a better chance is Active Duty and even via Active Duty it is tough to get RANGER unless you have it in your enlistment contract.
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SGT Eric Davis
Go active duty. When you turn 17 you can get your parents to sign and let your enlist AD so when ou gradutate high school you habe a career; you can go to BASIC/AIT/ airborne and more when ou finishhigh school. You can sign up for AD up to 14 more before shot date so I’m may just go active!
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CPT (Join to see)
I agree with everyone above but your first priority (IMHO) in your contract needs to be Basic Airborne and your functional area needs to be in the 11 series (preferably 11B). I don't know if you can get a guaranteed assignment to the 82nd ABN. Ranger anything is exceptionally difficult. It requires the strength of an adult male (21 y/o+), professional judgement, seasoning, and maturity far beyond what most people would expect. It is much harder today than it was in 1985 when I was at HAAF with the 1st Batt. I was a medical type then and despite my very high level of fitness (I was an Olympic alternate for the 1980 Moscow games before we refused to attend), I could not keep up, It was just too physically demanding. Long posting short, get into the 82nd ABN (or failing that the 173rd ABN BDE) and then go for Ranger with your re-enlistment contract. If you can make it in the 82nd (or to a lesser extent the 173rd in Italy) as your first assignment, you will be ready for the Ranger Regt when you are 21-22 y/o.
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As enlisted in the guard it can be very hard to go ranger from what I’ve been told by everyone. But I was told in that here in Washington the NG will send officers with combat MOS to the school. If I was to start all this younger I would do the ROTC route as someone suggested about and go for ranger that way.
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Garrett,
Are you assigned to a unit in GA yet?
Your first step would be to talk to your leadership at the unit and make sure they understand your goals. You will also have to hit the ground running and work you butt off to show that you are worth the money that they are going to invest in you for all that training. You will also need to ensure you are in the physical condition to handle Ranger school. It is a physically and mentally challenging course but you can look online for workout programs to get ready.
After that get in to see the unit's Training NCO and work on trying to get something scheduled but remember that schools are limited by money and number of slots your state has so do not get discourage if it does not happen right away.
I got GA to send me to Sapper school and two other people in my Battlaion went to Ranger schoool so it can happen.
MAJ Peterson
Are you assigned to a unit in GA yet?
Your first step would be to talk to your leadership at the unit and make sure they understand your goals. You will also have to hit the ground running and work you butt off to show that you are worth the money that they are going to invest in you for all that training. You will also need to ensure you are in the physical condition to handle Ranger school. It is a physically and mentally challenging course but you can look online for workout programs to get ready.
After that get in to see the unit's Training NCO and work on trying to get something scheduled but remember that schools are limited by money and number of slots your state has so do not get discourage if it does not happen right away.
I got GA to send me to Sapper school and two other people in my Battlaion went to Ranger schoool so it can happen.
MAJ Peterson
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There are no Ranger units in the NG and almost no Airborne units in the NG either. As a National Guardsman you will be authorized whatever school your unit sends you to. You won't be able to volunteer for Airborne school after AIT in the same manner as your active duty companions in basic with you.
If you want to join Ranger Regiment, you go to RASP, not Ranger school. You'll also need to be on active duty.
If you want to join Ranger Regiment, you go to RASP, not Ranger school. You'll also need to be on active duty.
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Well thanks guys for the information you guys are awesome! I think for now I am just going to go NG because ill still be able to pursue some of the other things in life like the business. Also you have to remember I am only 17 and that I am still a teenager with a social life I dont wanna leave behind this early. I did hear that there are ways to get into SF through the NG as well so I may look into that as well. Thanks guys!
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Sgt (Join to see)
Garrett Parker Plenty of teenagers have joined the military. Below is information about National Guard Special Forces. My advice is to get your running around out of the way, decide what your long term goals are, and if you still want to join, then go active duty. If you join the military, you are signing a contract and they will not send you to schools unless you are fully committed to the military.
https://www.nationalguard.com/careers/special-forces
https://www.nationalguard.com/careers/special-forces
Special Forces | National Guard
Be among the best of the best and operate behind enemy lines on a path that offers unmatched excitement, variety and satisfaction. As a Special Forces Soldier, you may train and lead small foreign populations in unconventional warfare, making them experts in guerrilla warfare. Or you may be part of a Direct Action (DA) mission, quickly dropping into an area to capture a prisoner, seize important materials or destroy enemy equipment.Being a...
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Just sing up for AD in May and when you graduate you can get what you want. Also it will be hard to go from reserve or Guard to AD so just do AD.
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Yes you need to be in a slot that requires you to have Ranger qualifications. Many years ago when I was in the NY Army National Guard there were such requirements for certain positions but I believe they were Officer slots.
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For National Guard to get RANGER it really usually has to be a requirement of the specific unit. Most states are not going to pay for hooah training otherwise. NG only gets Air Assault now because they have a special school for AAS for Reserve and NG not because States are feeling more generous with spending. Only NG units I ever saw that required RANGER for NCO not E1-E4 were TXARNG Psyops NG units. I think I saw one or two Civil Affairs units out of TX that required it as well. Very rare it is required due to the expense and back then the NG units preferred to recruit someone from Active Duty that had the training already vs paying to send someone through the school.
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CPT Lawrence Cable
There are currently four NG Long Range Surveillance Companies that funds Ranger School for it's members, all four on the chopping block this year (the active units are already gone). Ground commanders will have to learn the hard way that a drone can't see everything and eyes on is a huge asset. Texas has an Airborne Battalion now, and Airborne units like to push Ranger qualifications for the company grade officers and senior NCO's. There are generally about 200 or so National Guard Ranger slots a year, so there aren't a lot, but not a lot of position require it either. Because National Guard Ranger candidates are required to go to a Pre Ranger course, their completion rate is better than everyone's except the Regiment and the Special Operations guys. When there were still Round Out Brigades, 73 Brigade Ohio National Guard was moved to the 10th Mountain and the Division was pushing Ranger School for company grade officers and senior NCO's too, and there was funding to send them.
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