If I were to branch Armor and become a Cavalry scout, how much of a necessity is the Ranger tab?

When I was in the Cav, I only remember seeing one Ranger tab in my unit and it was on a SSG. My two SCOs were Anthony Ierardi who now has 3 stars and serves as Deputy Chief of Staff G-8 and Paul Funk, who also now has 3 Stars and is Commanding General, Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve. Neither of them have it and they both started as Armor/Cavalry officers.

The Ranger Tabs represents the highest qualifer of combat leadership prior to combat. Simply put, it is a leadership course. It is not a school becasue the ranger candidate is required to know and be able to demonstate the skills of all the positions of the patrol. The leadershiip part is being a leader that can motivate tired and hungry men to hump day and night without much food and complete the mission. You will have to learn the ways they demand you do Operration Orders. You have to stay awake and learn how the cadre want things done. Leadership is also being part of a team and the ability to follow when required. The Ranger tab command respect no matter what career field. I highly recommend you consider going after your commissioning. Cadets do not have a high average of being tabbed the first go around. Make sure you have mastered the basic soldiers skills and have a strong determination to want that tab; You got to want it more than anything. You quit or get yourself hurt for a dishonorable out, it will be a career ender somewhere down the road. Go to jump school, air assault and any other course before taking that Ranger Step. For me, it was the most demanding course I ever went through. I went as a 34 year old Master Sargeant and was an Honor Graduate.

Many LTs coming out of ABOLC are being sent automatically to ARC. They will discuss this with you at BOLC. There is currently a shortage of Armor Officers so you usually do not have long to wait for PL time. Focus on being the best PL you can possibly be. Once you know your unit, find out what is needed, the conform to the standard.

I'm just curious...what major are you? GPA? STEM major? Grad school inclinations? I only ask as, regardless of svc or branch, trust me, from day one, you're gonna get hit with the whole part time masters gig, as well as PME...I just have an interest in such things...I might be able to suggest some stuff, look up AFIT for USAF, Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), Rhodes Scholar, you can apply for alp of those as Army, most don't think of that hat stuff...I was Army ROTC then went USAF OTS instead...also, little known tip if you wanna try for it, he CO of an ROTC unit can nominate for the adpcademy of their svc, very few know that, it's not just Congress types, my ROTC unit trained a good deal at West Point, barracks, fining hall, orienteering range, obstacle course, my next younger brother was USMMA Kings Point, I commissioned him when he finished while I'd been on active...just figured it might interest you, ifmtou hadn't heard that, I'm not saying you want it, just food for thought, honest...I'd be most eager to hear more....

If you are in good enough physical condition and someone is offering you Ranger School by all means go. Years from now you will most likely regret not going.

A necessity- no, but it's mind broadening and certainly would be helpful

Ranger tab means nothing in the Armor community. Today's Cavalry Squadron is no more than a Recon BN for a BCT. I served in a Divisional Cav Squadron and an Armored Recon Squadron, the differences in doctrine is immense as one was eyes and ears on the ground and in the air for of a Division and the other is a robust AR/Mech formation that leads the BCT.
Your tankers and scouts won't think any more or less if you have a Ranger tab, Airborne tab, or Air Assault tab on your uniform. In fact, we teased the Infantry as being too slow while they teased us about being too afraid to dismount; all good laughs.
If your top choices are between Armor and Infantry, ask yourself what you want to do more: walk everywhere or depend on helicopters, planes, and trucks for a lift or enjoy the fast paced OPTEMPO that comes with moving fast and striking hard from various mounted platforms.