SITREP - G.I.434

[G.I.434]

Ranger Grim666, drown proofing to my knowledge is just building confidence in the water in situations where you have limited range of motion or other "tight situations." But, going forward I'm gonna just make sure I can swim well. I did run 5 miles yesterday. I found out after the track is a bit long and is a resistance track, so I ran about 5.3 miles in 42 min on a track that adds 3 to 5 min to most people's 5 mile time. I feel confident in my 5 mile time and will perform and post my time on normal ground as soon as training allows. Need to work more on my pushups, and doing lots of sprints/iintervals to build my 2 mile time. Thanks Ranger Grim666.

Ranger Jim, hard to believe I am this close to the challenge! I am constantly thinking about victory and ways to incorporate more pt. Always trying to be first. Thank you Ranger Jim.

[Jim]

Please keep up the good work and stay in touch. Never, never quit!

[G.I.434]

Rangers, after a bit of down time, I was thrown back into tower week with a condensed training schedule. This past week I finished up all of tower weeks training and jumped 4 times between today and yesterday. After one more jump Monday, I will have earned my silver wings, and my spot in the RASP pipeline. I was scarred as hell that first jump, it's a wild experience I'm proud to say I have had.

[Jim]

Rangers, after a bit of down time, I was thrown back into tower week with a condensed training schedule. This past week I finished up all of tower weeks training and jumped 4 times between today and yesterday. After one more jump Monday, I will have earned my silver wings, and my spot in the RASP pipeline. I was scarred as hell that first jump, it's a wild experience I'm proud to say I have had.

Hopefully, by now you have completed your fifth jump and shipped to RASP. Never, never quit!

[G.I.434]

Roger that Ranger Jim, I graduated yesterday. My last jump Monday was something else, I was first up. Standing in the door was a great experience, but thanks to a gust of wind I landed in the back of the Lieutenant Colonel and Command Sergeant Major's jeep! Last thing I ever thought I would look up to see was the entire chain of command from B Co and A Co all the way up. CSM said he wished he had a coin to give me, he's pretty sure I'm the first person to actually land inside of a vehicle. LTC told me I need to learn to slip better. Damn wind. Enjoying the holiday's four day weekend with my family getting ready to ship to pre-RASP on Tuesday. 6 weeks of pt left. Happy Thanksgiving Rangers.

[Jim]

Roger that Ranger Jim, I graduated yesterday. My last jump Monday was something else, I was first up. Standing in the door was a great experience, but thanks to a gust of wind I landed in the back of the Lieutenant Colonel and Command Sergeant Major's jeep! Last thing I ever thought I would look up to see was the entire chain of command from B Co and A Co all the way up. CSM said he wished he had a coin to give me, he's pretty sure I'm the first person to actually land inside of a vehicle. LTC told me I need to learn to slip better. Damn wind. Enjoying the holiday's four day weekend with my family getting ready to ship to pre-RASP on Tuesday. 6 weeks of pt left. Happy Thanksgiving Rangers.

Wow1 You landed in the vehicle and were not injured. He owes you a coin. Please contact the other mentees and encourage them to post a SITREP. Never, never quit!

[G.I.434]

Roger Ranger Jim, it was a wild experience landing back there.

The past two weeks at pre-RASP were different than I expected. Working at the clinic is very rewarding. I've met, worked with, and learned from some very experienced Rangers. The last week was a big move for the clinic, so most of the week was moving and organizing. For a few days another medic and I were given the task to direct and kind of oversee one of the contractors work. The called us the "NCOIC'S." Pretty funny, but nice to have an actual responsibility. Got to lead small groups on different tasks. But being on detail means getting released a few hours later, and less pt. Doing a good job here so far. Excited for the real testing to start!

PT is all I do in my free time. My run has shown great improvements and my weekly mileage is really starting to grow. I really need to put more focus on my pushups now, all the running has them a little low right now. Feeling good about the pool. Need to climb more ropes.

Getting the chance to go home will mean ample time for quality pt, a bit of a recharge, and reminder of why I'm here. The next few weeks should put me right where I need to be.

Alot of the guys here are really out of hand. Our class has a terrible reputation among Cadre and other classes. That plus the fact we are mostly 11b and have a long break before class tells me the Cadre will probably lay it on heavy right out of the gate, but I'm looking forward to losing some of the bad apples and trouble makers.

Feels like a dream to be on this side of the brown fence and working Rangers everyday. PT test on Tuesday.

[Jim]

Great SITREP! Fort Benning has a long tradition of brutal PT just after Christmas Exodus. Good to know that you and some of the other mentees are bonding and working together. Never, never quit!

[G.I.434]

Roger that Ranger Jim, looking forward to the welcome home that is just ahead of me!

Time home has been great catching up and working out. Overall I may have overdone pt the last few days, I'm starting to feel weak, slow, and tired. Generally, everyday has consisted of a run or ruck and calesthinics. The 3 days before I leave I'm going to really take it easy with some running and a lot of recovery.

Unfortunately, there are no ropes to climb near home so I wasn't able to perfect that skill over the break but I have gained a lot of confidence in the water. I've been using the breaststroke and doing a lot of laps in uniform. One of the runs I did this evening was 200 yards straight, so I feel good going into the swim event.

In 40 min I ran 5.2 miles over a very hilly course and the next day rucked 4.2 miles in about 57 min on the same route. Both times I had sore legs, very sore for the ruck. My 2 mile time is about 14 min, but when it comes time for a pt test I get anxiety that seems to screw up everything I've worked on. I can't seem to focus on form or breathing which runs my time into the ground. The week before our pft in pre-RASP I ran about 13:30 and when it came time for the pft I ran a 14:50 on the same course. Really got to find a way to get around that.

My girlfriend has kept plenty of good healthy meals that fit pretty close to the nutrition brief we got before we left. She's got me pretty sharp on history too.

I feel like if I make sure to do some extra pushups and pull ups in my down time, I should be right were I need to come test time. I get the impression the course will give us plenty of cardio and core workouts. I'll shoot for extra runs on the weekends and swimming when I can. Still hoping to find a rope to climb around here. 6 or 8 mile ruck tomorrow.

Thanks for the help and guidance that has got me this far in my journey. I'm nervous, but very much ready. Thank you Rangers. Every minute I will shoot to earn that title. Hope everyone had a good Christmas and enjoys the New Years.

[rangerjd]

Great SITREP, remember to relax some too, and enjoy the family. Be ready to hit it hard the day you get back. Give everything you've got, every time you give and never, ever quit! RLTW

[G.I.434]

Roger Rangerjd, relaxing has surprisingly been the hardest thing to do while home, but I have made some good time with the family. I am ready to go, the next few days are going to be really easy, slowly fading into just recovery. After learning so much about the history of the unit and it's lineage, I'm even more pumped to get there and earn my place.

Rucked 7 miles in 90 minutes this evening. Tomorrow is a 5 mile run for time, which is my last strenuous workout. Light swimming the next two days. Maybe a light recovery run Saturday. Hydrate, eat, rest, stretch, and recover are my priorities until Monday.

I was able to find a good rope to climb today as well.

[Jim]

Joe, By now you should be back at Mother Benning. Looking back, you have come a long way in a short time. You have been on the site just over a year. Never, never quit!

[G.I.434]

Roger Ranger Jim, I am back home. Week one of RASP has passed and I am doing pretty well here so far. It has been about what I expected, lots of smoke, tough time hacks, and good pt events. The best leadership I have been able to see in the Army, hands down. I've had some good NCO'S, but everyone of the Cadre are full of knowledge and in great shape. If you keep your ears open there's some good jokes too. Even though it has been tough, I love it here. I can tell that even in week one, I have gained alot.

We have lost a lot of people. We are going in to Cole Range with the same number the last class left with. I am very excited to get going and be apart of the crucible that forms this great brotherhood.

I passed the first ruck, both tests, and the swim. I was just shy on the Doughboy run and my 5 mile was 40:15. I'm really dissapointed with failing so close on the run events, but I know as long as I keep this effort up, and with the help and training of my cadre, I will more than pass the next running events.

Thank you Ranger Jim

[Jim]

How was the second week of RASP, Joe? Never, never quit!

[G.I.434]

Ranger Jim, I am happy to say I earned my hot dogs. Week 2 of RASP was a wild ride. Alot of repetitions, running, time hacks, and land nav. I was pretty cold a few times as well. Going into Cole Range I had no idea what to expect, but I just kept my head level, thinking about why I was there, and repeating the advice I was given on this forum, and before you know it, you'll be running to get on the bus. "Never, never quit,""give everything you got, everything you give,""it's nothing a man can't do." More than happy to have knocked down Cole Range, and very excited to move into RFR and the training for week 4. Time to start hitting pt hard again.

Everyone behind me, Cole Range is about moving fast and efficiently as a team, confidence, and dealing with the suck. There isn't too much you can do to prepare for it, either you got it or you don't. The difference is in giving up, or fighting till the end. Any man can do it.