Whether you are a Private or a Colonel, you're here to find out how to earn your Ranger tab. This page will give you all the info you need to start off on the right foot and to finish Ranger School with a first-time GO. Here you'll find:
Check it out -- after over 100 miles in these things, I'm happy to report that the Wiivv 3D-printed custom insoles have been awesome for my training. Support our fundraising by heading over to https://shop.wiivv.com/?discount=Jame. and ordering your own.
Everyone loves to say that Ranger School will push you to your limit, but we don't often get into what that means. So let me share a secret -- Ranger School will push you to your limits, again and again, until you fail or succeed.
Many people who attend hit their first limit in the first day or two. Although we can all run the 5 miles, or do the CWST, or crush a buddy run, it becomes a lot harder when each event is back-to-back, with little opportunity for physical or mental rest.
The first limit comes when you say to yourself, for the first time, "what have I gotten myself into." It is a mental limit, and one you can easily overcome by remembering why you are there and what you hope to be by graduating.
The second limit is when you feel deep and genuine exhaustion for the first time. Until Ranger School, I had never been so sleepy deprived that I would pass out while standing up. I never hallucinated from being so tired, believing that a guy pulling a black garbage back out of his ruck was playing with a dog. I never rucked and then suddenly found myself walking into a tree, barely remembering the past few minutes (or was it hours?). You will get there, and when you do it is far harder than simply being burnt from too many pushups. Your body and mind want to shut down, and will sometimes do so without your permission. Just accept it, and drive on. Remember that all you have to do, in the end, is put one foot in front of the other.
The third limit is, for many, the hunger. I lost 35 pounds in Ranger School, and remember how hard it was to stay warm without anything in my system. You could smell the ammonia of everyone's muscle tissue burning up, and licking out the MRE bag was perfectly normal. But food will come -- you'll get the occasional golden walk with some extra chow, or you'll starve through 5 days and make it back to those Mountain blueberry pancakes. Just remember that everything is temporary except earning the Tab, which you'll have for long after the hunger.
The fourth limit, and the worst at times, is the mental game. Can you shut up and let someone else lead? Can you be a team player even when you have no patience left? Can you follow a nonsensical plan? And can you do it all without pissing off everyone else in your squad? When you get overwhelmed enough, and tired enough, and hungry enough, your deepest self will start to show through. You may not like what you see, and it may distract you from the task at hand. Remember that part of mental toughness is being able to set aside a temporary emotion to focus on the larger goal.
In the end, Ranger School will push you to multiple limits multiple times. Every time you feel yourself hitting that wall, just put one foot in front of the other and it will pass. Once it does, take a deep breath and think to yourself "okay -- ready for the next one." Make it to the end, and you'll find that most "limits" are self-imposed.
Here at Pass Ranger, we firmly believe that earning the Ranger Tab is both an honor and a commitment: an honor to join such a select group, and a commitment to always "be a Tab bearer, not a Tab wearer." Once you earn the Ranger Tab, you must always set the standard and live the Ranger Creed.
We believe that this doesn't end when you leave the military either. A Ranger's dedication to service, to excellence, and to "never leave a fallen comrade" extends to helping other veterans. Over 200,000 veterans a year leave the military, and many of them face significant personal challenges. Some have been physically injured, some have faced mental trauma, and some just don't know how to make the move back to civilian life.
That's why we're excited about Fight Harder. Don't know what this is? Click through, check it out, and consider making a donation to help support your brothers and sisters.
Okay -- let's be super-clear up front. NO GPS WATCHES ALLOWED AT RANGER SCHOOL! Do not show up with a GPS watch, or any other GPS device, at Ranger. At the very least, they will take it away from you and you won't see it until the end. Worse, they may consider that you failed to follow instructions, or didn't read the packing list, or didn't get your ruck checked by your unit -- all of which could lead to a Major Minus or to you being sent home.
With that out of the way, you should definitely be running and rucking to prepare for Ranger School, and a GPS watch can help you to track your distance, times, total mileage, and routes. With that said, here are some recommendations:
If you are looking for a decent GPS watch for under $100, the Tom Tom Runner is a great choice. While it doesn't come with a heart rate monitor, you can buy the additional heart rate monitor strap for less than $30. Again, this is a budget model, but it will take care of your needs and will track you as you move, maintain records of your runs, is waterproof, and will even track you on indoor treadmills.
Next up is the Garmin Forerunner 230 for a bit over $200. More money pays for the better screen, link to your cellphone for notifications, and a battery life allowing active GPS tracking for up to 16 hours. Again, this device requires a separate heart rate monitor strap unless you want to upgrade to the Garmin Forerunner 235 for an additional $100, which provides an optical heart rate monitor built into the watch.
FITNESS TRACKER OPTION:
If you want an overall fitness tracker, the FitBit Surge is an increasingly popular choice for just over $200. Although you certainly won't impress anyone with the way this device looks, it incorporates GPS tracking, built-in heart rate tracking at the wrist, and will measures metrics all day such as steps taken. The biggest negatives are the appearance of it and the critical fact that it isn't waterproof. Although it should be able to handle day-to-day moisture from running, swimming is a no-go.
A GPS tracker is absolutely not necessary for you to prepare for Ranger School. It is just another tool you may consider using in our preparation. Remember, however, that a Ranger's greatest tools are the heart and the mind -- everything else just makes the job a bit easier.
Worried about land navigation during RAP Week? Here are some things to keep in mind as you
prepare for school:
Why do so many Ranger students fail the pushup portion of the Ranger Physical Fitness Test? Often, it is because they haven't been properly graded for most of their time in the Army. Many Soldiers who claim to do "true pushups" would be surprised with their score at Ranger School -- and perhaps be angered to be sent home after hearing "1 . . . 1 . . . 1. . ."
The fix is simple, but you don't need an article from me -- trust Command Sergeant Major Dennis Smith and watch his video here.
