Posted on Jan 18, 2015
What is the difference between Marine Corps Boot Camp and Ranger School?
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From what I have been reading on posts about Ranger School, it sounds equivalent to Marine Corps Boot Camp. Can any prior Marines that have been to Ranger School explain the difference?
Ranger
Boot Camp
Ranger School
Posted 11 y ago
Responses: 16
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I haven't been to the other, but from what I've been told, there is a lot more patrolling and tactical thought in Ranger school than in USMC boot camp. The more tactical side of Marine training comes later in SOI or MCT.
The comparison I always heard was between Ranger School and Infantry Officers' Course: loads of field time, tons of hiking, field authority (for training) matters over rank, lots of patrolling, limited food and sleep and it pays to be a winner.
The comparison I always heard was between Ranger School and Infantry Officers' Course: loads of field time, tons of hiking, field authority (for training) matters over rank, lots of patrolling, limited food and sleep and it pays to be a winner.
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This is a very random question. So what is the difference between flying a jet and race car?
Now I have completed Ranger school. We had several Marines at the start. Only one made it. So the Marines select only the best to go, from their Recon elements. Ranger is an advanced school. You are graded on leadership. If you don't pass your patrols you fail out. In Marine Boot Camp it isn't that demanding. The Rangers are experts in small unit tactics and are the best of the combat arms in the Army. Boot camp is just the initial school for Marines.
It may be as challenging for a new marine to complete Boot as it is a experienced soldier to complete Ranger but the graduation rates don't add up. Ranger has a much lower graduation. The ones that fail out of Ranger are among the best of their units also.
Now I have completed Ranger school. We had several Marines at the start. Only one made it. So the Marines select only the best to go, from their Recon elements. Ranger is an advanced school. You are graded on leadership. If you don't pass your patrols you fail out. In Marine Boot Camp it isn't that demanding. The Rangers are experts in small unit tactics and are the best of the combat arms in the Army. Boot camp is just the initial school for Marines.
It may be as challenging for a new marine to complete Boot as it is a experienced soldier to complete Ranger but the graduation rates don't add up. Ranger has a much lower graduation. The ones that fail out of Ranger are among the best of their units also.
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SMSgt (Join to see)
Since I have not been through Marine Boot Camp, I have no real basis for comparison, however, I will venture to say that at least 50% of those who finished Marine Boot Camp would not successfully complete Ranger School. It is really comparing apples and oranges.
As others have stated, I have known many Marines, Navy Seals and others who have completed Ranger School and would verify that it is somewhat akin to Seal training with all the stress, sleep and food deprivations, constant pressure, etc. etc. Although it may be blasphemy in some circles to say so, I believe that Seal training is the only training that is more difficult than Ranger School and I think most people will agree with me. I don't believe any Marine would equate Marine Boot Camp with Seal training, nor should they with Ranger School.
Since I have not been through Marine Boot Camp, I have no real basis for comparison, however, I will venture to say that at least 50% of those who finished Marine Boot Camp would not successfully complete Ranger School. It is really comparing apples and oranges.
As others have stated, I have known many Marines, Navy Seals and others who have completed Ranger School and would verify that it is somewhat akin to Seal training with all the stress, sleep and food deprivations, constant pressure, etc. etc. Although it may be blasphemy in some circles to say so, I believe that Seal training is the only training that is more difficult than Ranger School and I think most people will agree with me. I don't believe any Marine would equate Marine Boot Camp with Seal training, nor should they with Ranger School.
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Cpl Kevin John
Women can pass Ranger school yet not a single female Marine has passed BASIC infantry training in the Corps. Sorry to burst your bubble. Who was called on to take Fallujah? The Rangers? No the Grunts of the Usmc.
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COL Jean (John) F. B.
Cpl Kevin John - Obviously, you are not aware of the respective missions of Ranger/Special Operations units as compared to typical Army or Marine units. Your attempt to compare them or ask about where they were in battles like Fallujah and others have no real relevance/comparison.
The female officers who graduated from Ranger School were selected out of hundreds who had gone through intensive testing and training prior to being selected for the course. Even then, they struggled and had to be recycled in order to graduate. Again, your attempt to compare these two officers to typical/regular females who attempted Marine basic is off-base and flawed.
I have no doubt that the typical Marine would have about a 50% pass rate in Ranger School, just like the Army.
The female officers who graduated from Ranger School were selected out of hundreds who had gone through intensive testing and training prior to being selected for the course. Even then, they struggled and had to be recycled in order to graduate. Again, your attempt to compare these two officers to typical/regular females who attempted Marine basic is off-base and flawed.
I have no doubt that the typical Marine would have about a 50% pass rate in Ranger School, just like the Army.
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LTC Paul Labrador
Reason why Marines were tasked to take Fallujah is very simple: It was in their AO....had Fallujah been in an Army AO, the Army would have been tasked to take it. BTW you may want to look at the order of battle for both Fallujah 1 and 2. Marines had Army units attached for both operations to fill capability gaps (particularly in armor).
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