Posted on Aug 15, 2015
Will the Army open its elite Ranger Regiment to women?
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Air National Guard C-130s roared over the lush, shaggy grass of the Elizabeth Drop Zone here last week, a near-steady hum overhead. Army Ranger students were a few hours into a mission known as Operation Pegasus, and needed to parachute in from a height of about 1,100 feet.
Aircrews made several passes without letting any students out due to breezy conditions deemed unsafe to jump. But eventually, the students’ green chutes dotted the early-evening Thursday sky. They floated down into the open fields of Eglin with 70 pounds of equipment, food and water before disappearing into thick brush, beginning a 10-day exercise that ends this Saturday and is the last major field event in the Army’s famously difficult Ranger School.
History is in the balance: For the first time, two female students advanced to the third and final phase of the famously exhausting course in the swamps of Florida, and are within reach of graduating. If they pass, they will become the first Ranger-qualified women in the history of the U.S. military and celebrated at an Aug. 21 graduation ceremony at Fort Benning, Ga., that is expected to draw not only family and friends, but hundreds of other well-wishers and media from across the country.
If they graduate, the Army must confront a separate, but related decision: Whether to allow women to try out for the elite 75th Ranger Regiment. The highly trained Special Operations unit carries out raids and other difficult missions and includes about 3,600 soldiers, according to a recent Government Accountability Office report. It remains completely closed to women, even though some of the jobs in it, ranging from parachute rigger to intelligence analyst, are open in other parts of the Army.
The women were allowed into Ranger School this year as part of the military’s ongoing assessment of how to integrate women into combat roles. In 2013, Pentagon leaders decided to rescind the long-held policy banning women from serving in combat-arms jobs like infantryman. Thus far, the Army has said that any woman who graduates will be allowed to wear the prestigious Ranger Tab, but won’t be allowed to serve in the Ranger Regiment. The decoration is highly respected across the military, and considered a necessity to advance in many Army careers.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/will-the-army-open-its-elite-ranger-regiment-to-women-a-controversial-decision-awaits/ar-BBlEbj7
Aircrews made several passes without letting any students out due to breezy conditions deemed unsafe to jump. But eventually, the students’ green chutes dotted the early-evening Thursday sky. They floated down into the open fields of Eglin with 70 pounds of equipment, food and water before disappearing into thick brush, beginning a 10-day exercise that ends this Saturday and is the last major field event in the Army’s famously difficult Ranger School.
History is in the balance: For the first time, two female students advanced to the third and final phase of the famously exhausting course in the swamps of Florida, and are within reach of graduating. If they pass, they will become the first Ranger-qualified women in the history of the U.S. military and celebrated at an Aug. 21 graduation ceremony at Fort Benning, Ga., that is expected to draw not only family and friends, but hundreds of other well-wishers and media from across the country.
If they graduate, the Army must confront a separate, but related decision: Whether to allow women to try out for the elite 75th Ranger Regiment. The highly trained Special Operations unit carries out raids and other difficult missions and includes about 3,600 soldiers, according to a recent Government Accountability Office report. It remains completely closed to women, even though some of the jobs in it, ranging from parachute rigger to intelligence analyst, are open in other parts of the Army.
The women were allowed into Ranger School this year as part of the military’s ongoing assessment of how to integrate women into combat roles. In 2013, Pentagon leaders decided to rescind the long-held policy banning women from serving in combat-arms jobs like infantryman. Thus far, the Army has said that any woman who graduates will be allowed to wear the prestigious Ranger Tab, but won’t be allowed to serve in the Ranger Regiment. The decoration is highly respected across the military, and considered a necessity to advance in many Army careers.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/will-the-army-open-its-elite-ranger-regiment-to-women-a-controversial-decision-awaits/ar-BBlEbj7
Women in the Military
Army
Ranger
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 37
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I will also note a lot of men who sign up for a Ranger Bat have no idea what they're getting into. When I was there in 79-80, about 1 in 4 made it through RIP. It wasn’t just big monster guys who could bench 500 lbs who made it, a lot of little wiry guys made it. It’s about heart, not brute strength. Many SEALS with 0% body fat bolo’d Ranger school because they had no body fat – they were used to 4000-5000 calories a day to support all the weight training they did. I remember guys in pre-Ranger being allowed to go through the chow line as much as they wanted in order to put on some fat… I’m drifting off topic, things have changed. I personally don’t think many women could hack a Ranger Bat but I suppose they should be allowed to try. If they can make it through RIP, I’d give them a 1 in 4 chance of being able to serve a two-year tour.
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I was not extrememy challenged by Ranger School, and it was not the hardest thing I have ever done. Ranger school is not the selection to make it to the Regiment, it is a basic requirement.
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Absolutely. I don't give a damn who a person is, as long as they can fight and get INTO the fight. Too many pretty pretty 6 pack abs male models shiitake in their pants at first gunshot. Are you in the fight? Yes?!?!? Then you are fine in my book. Tab doesn't define you, action does!
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If you haven't passed RIP/RASP and served in the Regiment then you have no idea what it takes to survive, let alone perform well there in a place where exceeding the standard is part of the Creed. Not some Creed that gets put on a wall somewhere, but one that every person can recite at will and lives by.
Just as I have never been an astronaut, I wouldn't pretend to tell NASA what it takes to send someone in space. If you're one of the people who think that having a tab and serving in Regiment have any connection other than a historical one, you are so woefully uninformed that you should do research before forming an opinion and sharing it with the world.
Also, before we talk about "meeting the standards" we need to make one standard across the board and bring these PT events up to participate for everyone. As long as women are perceived to have an unfair advantage with their PT scores, they will never be fully integrated into combat arms.
Just as I have never been an astronaut, I wouldn't pretend to tell NASA what it takes to send someone in space. If you're one of the people who think that having a tab and serving in Regiment have any connection other than a historical one, you are so woefully uninformed that you should do research before forming an opinion and sharing it with the world.
Also, before we talk about "meeting the standards" we need to make one standard across the board and bring these PT events up to participate for everyone. As long as women are perceived to have an unfair advantage with their PT scores, they will never be fully integrated into combat arms.
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SSG (Join to see)
Sir, I reserve no justifiable reason that women should not be a part of the unit. I will admit to you that it is a bit of a pride booster to be a part of such a prestigious unit and if anything changes, then I have a feeling that I am not having the same experience as my fellow Rangers that served before me. I see it as a change in a big part of prideful history but that's just me being selfish. If a women deserves the title and earned it, then why not afford them the opportunity of being a Ranger?
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CDR Jim M.
Not so many years ago the law enforcement profession went through a similar evaluation, could women be as successful as men in front line policing? Not all women, just like not all men can physically subdue and arrest a combat trained six foot tall 185 pound man, however policing usually seeks to arrive on scene with overwhelming firepower and resources keyed to the type of event. Family fight? Two officers, two suspects? Four officers, major fight? Multiple officers assigned or dispatched until numerical superiority is reached. However, every male or female officer must meet the same service entry criteria, just as testing for any elite assignment would require.
I've worked with good police officers who were female as well as male. I've seen female officers effectively detain, control and arrest combative suspects just as capably as their male counterparts. I've also fought combative suspects and been glad to have a backup, male or female when the going got tougher than expected.
Warfare is dissimilar to law enforcement in many ways, however a strict bias against a particular group or individuals, without empirical evidence, is what kept racial divides and assignments in the military for years during peace and war. Surely we can make some effort to test for evidence of equality and capability.
As an example, 42 years ago in my first police academy there were no women in the class. Three years later there were eight in our forty officer class. Of that forty, all eight graduated the Academy and five finished field training. Of the thirty two men twenty five finished field training. From that population of thirty officers over twenty years we produced two command officers, a dozen sergeants and nine detectives. All six of the women made detective and two went to the District Attorney's office. All finished twenty plus years of honorable and frequently exemplary service. Every one of us in my class did multiple street level enforcement tours.
Just as the winnowing of Ranger candidates takes place to get the best of the best, I'd expect the numbers show significant attrition across both male and female candidates. The answer "Rangers Lead the Way" demonstrates how important it is that elite organizations must also lead the way in all aspects of performance and acceptance.
I've worked with good police officers who were female as well as male. I've seen female officers effectively detain, control and arrest combative suspects just as capably as their male counterparts. I've also fought combative suspects and been glad to have a backup, male or female when the going got tougher than expected.
Warfare is dissimilar to law enforcement in many ways, however a strict bias against a particular group or individuals, without empirical evidence, is what kept racial divides and assignments in the military for years during peace and war. Surely we can make some effort to test for evidence of equality and capability.
As an example, 42 years ago in my first police academy there were no women in the class. Three years later there were eight in our forty officer class. Of that forty, all eight graduated the Academy and five finished field training. Of the thirty two men twenty five finished field training. From that population of thirty officers over twenty years we produced two command officers, a dozen sergeants and nine detectives. All six of the women made detective and two went to the District Attorney's office. All finished twenty plus years of honorable and frequently exemplary service. Every one of us in my class did multiple street level enforcement tours.
Just as the winnowing of Ranger candidates takes place to get the best of the best, I'd expect the numbers show significant attrition across both male and female candidates. The answer "Rangers Lead the Way" demonstrates how important it is that elite organizations must also lead the way in all aspects of performance and acceptance.
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SSG (Join to see)
CDR Jim M. sir, thank you kindly for that amazing read and thank you kindly for keeping American homes safe.
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Now i feel like a Dummy i thought the 75th was just a command I knew they are considered elite ranger unit. But i thought once you earned the TAB you could go to the 75th when slots open up.
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SSG (Join to see)
The Ranger Tab is worn by people who have completed an intensive infantry leadership course, called Ranger School. It is true that every Ranger has to complete Ranger School to earn their tab and be "Ranger Qualified" but this is not what makes them a Ranger. RASP, which is the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program is what will make you a Ranger and allow you to join the 75th Ranger Regiment. Ironically there are non Ranger Qualified Rangers within Ranger Regiment but earning your Tab is just another grueling step in your career that all Rangers must accomplish while for soldiers who aren't within Regiment may see completion of Ranger School as the highlight of their career. Hope this clarifies things PO2 Corey Ferretti
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I think eventually they will but I don't think there is any rush since the first two are just now about to graduate Ranger School.
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In short...NO. The Armay already said no and the 75th Ranger Regimnet is afforded the rare opportunity of a hiring process in which they may select their candidates based off of criteria of their choosing, (also known as RASP I/II). Just because you have a ranger tab doesn't even mean hat the Regiment will hire you. To be Honest RASP is significantly harder than Ranger school, which is why I'm surprised some of the young Rangers fail. The regiment will not allow females, and I HIGHLY doubt that the Army will ever be able to pressure them into it!
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Just my opinion, but yes. Why not. If they are going to open all fields to females then these closely guarded male fraternitys should also, that would be discrimantion if not. I mean surely if they can pass Ranger School then they can do anything right? A soldier is a soldier people have be saying for awhile. Make one PT standard, one grooming standard, gender neutral latrenes, no separate showers fac. no separate sleeping quarters. I mean come on they want to be treated as equal right, not equal but separate. Where will this all end up?
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COL Ted Mc
SSG Jeff Binkiewicz - Staff; I agree. However what you are going to find is that the troops will work out how to avoid insulting each other's sensitivities very nicely all on their own - if given a chance to do so.
Face it, after you've seen the same naked body several times it sort of loses its juvenile prurient value.
[Please note - That comment does not necessarily apply when there is an actual interpersonal "personal" relationship involved.]
Face it, after you've seen the same naked body several times it sort of loses its juvenile prurient value.
[Please note - That comment does not necessarily apply when there is an actual interpersonal "personal" relationship involved.]
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