Need Help for a Novel I am Writing

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reconcolonel
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Need Help for a Novel I am Writing

Post by reconcolonel »

Hi All,

I am a retired Marine writing the second in a series of novels. The book is primarily about a Marine platoon, but there is a Ranger as a main character.

I have always admired Rangers and have proudly served with a number of them, but except for what I have seen on television, I don't know much about the specific slang, training, and such which makes a Ranger a Ranger. I mean the kind of things that if you saw or heard something said, you would know that person was a Ranger even without seeing the tab.

For example, a Marine who has been to Subic Bay would talk about hiking the "Seven Steps," and anyone else who had been there would recognize that as a Subic Bay thing.

I am looking for any Ranger-specific slang or things like certain running trails, events, or whatever which would lend my book a better degree of verisimilitude. I admire the Rangers, so I want to make this as accurate as possible.

Thanks in advance for any assistance.
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abnhawk
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Re: Need Help for a Novel I am Writing

Post by abnhawk »

verisimilitude (plural verisimilitudes)

Noun

1.the property of seeming true, of resembling reality; resemblance to reality, realism
2.a statement which merely appears to be true

You know you all were wondering :D
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Worldweaver
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Re: Need Help for a Novel I am Writing

Post by Worldweaver »

Welcome to ArmyRanger.com Sir (I assume you're a sure by the ReconColonel handle)

It sounds like the character is a "tabbed Ranger" in this story. If you don't mind telling us a little more about the premise of your book and what exactly the "Ranger's" purpose within the novel would be?

Thanks
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reconcolonel
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Re: Need Help for a Novel I am Writing

Post by reconcolonel »

Certainly, I can give more information.

My first novel takes place at the US Embassy in New Delhi in the near future where the Marines have been drastically cut back for budget reasons. The novel is selling well, and I have been asked for a sequel, but I sort of backed myself into a corner with the setting. When the Marines were cut back, a few Marines were kept for Camp David, the White House, and the embassies, but others were either discharged or allowed to transfer to other services. By the end of the novel, the Marines will be slated to be built back up, but that will take a bit of time.

In the second novel, two infantry regiments have been reactivated, and one battalion is going on deployment with one company on anti-piracy patrol. When building back up the Marines, a call went out to former Marines and to members of other services who would like to assist in this, mainly filling senior enlisted and mid-to-senior officer billets.

To cut to the chase here, one of my main three characters was a Marine who got caught up in the cutbacks and went to the Army as an E2. He became a Ranger and made it to E6 when the call for volunteers came out. He accepted, but is having second thoughts now, feeling the pull back to his Ranger ties. But he is a professional, and with his combat experience and leadership qualities, he is vital to the platoon.

I realize this is rather convoluted, but as I wrote above, I sort of painted myself into a corner on the first book. And as it wouldn't make sense for a depleted Marine Corps to have many SNCO's on hand during reactivation of units, and as I have always been a huge fan of the Rangers, it made sense that I choose a Ranger as the platoon sergeant for the main unit in the book.

I went to jump school at Benning, served with the Special Forces during one exercise, served with Rangers on a number of exercises, and had Army officers assigned to me in a staff billet in Iraq, so I have a decent familiarity with the Army (for a Marine, at least). But there are the little things that would make someone reading the book feel like that character really was a Ranger that I need. I was in recon as a Marine, but I went the Navy route for my specialized training unlike some of my peers who went to Ranger School.

Originally, the platoon commander, who was a character in the first book, was envisioned as the main character. But as I am writing, the platoon sergeant is taking over more of the book. He is really more interesting to me now given his conflicting emotions.
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PocketKings
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Re: Need Help for a Novel I am Writing

Post by PocketKings »

It actually isn't that convoluted. The Air Force did the whole 'Blue to Green' thing a while back and sent a few guys over to the Green Weenie. Inter service transfers, and guys with prior time in another branch jump all the time for various reasons.

You could also have him still be a paid Army guy on detail to the Marines with the option to transfer. That would keep his ties stronger and make the decision to go back to the Army the path of least resistance. In the new era of 'Jointness,' that's also a plausible subplot.

Personally, I'd have the guy go RASP and into one of the three Ranger Battalions, versus simply attending Ranger School. He would be a 'scrolled' and 'tabbed' Ranger versus a guy (like me) who graduated from the school only. His prior Marine time would help account for a quicker jump from E2 to E6 than others. You'd get much more fodder for a character with Regiment time than a 90 day course.

Any chance we can get a link to the first novel?
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reconcolonel
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Re: Need Help for a Novel I am Writing

Post by reconcolonel »

PocketKings

Good idea about being still an Army guy.

I know what being 'tabbed" is, but what is "scrolled?"

I don't want to get in trouble by pushing a book, but the webpage is www.thefewthebook.com.

Once I get through this manuscript, I would be more than happy to send copies to anyone who wants them for their pre-publication comments on it. I would rather have someone correct me prior to publication than complain about something after publication. On my first book, a Navy midshipman caught a huge mistake I had made about Navy air.
reconcolonel
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Re: Need Help for a Novel I am Writing

Post by reconcolonel »

I just found out what "scrolled" means. That's a term I need to incorporate. Thanks.
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