Why did/do you serve?

[Valdor]

I know this is a very personal question for most, and so I ask you Rangers with no expectation of an answer, only a desire. Why did you join the Rangers and the Army in general (or specifics)? Even though I have obviously not been a part of any of the training or recruitment process yet, it's clear you need to need to be a Ranger.

It is not something that just happens to you.

Was it the want to serve your country? Or was it the need to be a part of something more, something greater than yourself, a brotherhood? Or was it an earnest desire to be a part of the most elite unit in the most powerful military in the world? Was it for your family, or was it something more, or wildly different?

As I go further along in the process, I am contemplating my drive to join, and I would like to compare to others. I know the mindset of a Ranger is "Never Quit, and Lead the Way", but what is the motivation behind it?

[Slowpoke]

The reason I joined the Service is it beat going to jail, the reason I picked the Army was no other branch would have me, and the reason I became a Ranger was it sounded like more fun than being a mechanic. True story!

[McD]

I had a dead end job after high school.
Smoking dope and drinking everyday.
Got sick of it and always wanted to be in the Army.
Walked into the recruiters office and saw the coolest poster of a Ranger.
Recuiter told me very few can do it and it will kick your ass and "Idon't recommend it nor would I do it".

I wanted my ass kicked and a gut check.

Sign me up

[rgrokelley]

Its a DNA thing. Being a Southerner, means you have a 1 in 4 chance of going in the military. Being Irish means I was going to be a soldier, a priest, firefighter or cop. So again, another 25% chance. My father was one of the guys who started Special Forces back in the 1950s, so I grew up around warriors. My neighbors on both sides of me, in Fort Devens, were on the Son Tay Raid... so I thought everyone else was too. It was normal.

I joined because I didn't want to just draw pictures and be an artist. I wanted some excitement, adventure. I would only do it until it was boring. Twenty years later I finally popped smoke. It wasn't boring then, but I moved on to another job that sounded pretty cool.

Life is an adventure.

Still is.

[BruteForce]

While pursuing a West Point acceptance (having gotten my nominations and my interim GO), I really just wanted to piss off my old man. My father served in the Army for 28 years, served two tours in Nam (and virtually every other shit hole post-Nam), so instead of waiting for the full GO from USMA, I enlisted.

In hindsight, I regret not having waited for my USMA process to conclude. Got my acceptance letter toward the end of BASIC, but the Army wouldn't release me from my enlistment contract. I don't regret the things I got to see/do and the friends I made during my years in, though.

[panthersix]

I went Rangers because that's the easiest unit to get into the Special Forces from....because my retard recruiter said that there weren't any SF Medic slots when I wanted to enlist. I never went SF as I had no desire after being in a Ranger unit. True story.

[RRDTm3]

I joined the Rangers because I thought it would be cool. Unbeknownst to me but my joining put in me an environment filled with some of the finest Americans I have ever met and I now have the privilege to call them friends

[Ranger Bill]

The reason I joined the Service is it beat going to jail, the reason I picked the Army was no other branch would have me, and the reason I became a Ranger was it sounded like more fun than being a mechanic. True story!

X2, but replace mechanic with morning report clerk.

[Jim]

As long as I can remember, I wanted to be a soldier. My Grandfather was in the war with Spain (1898), my father in WWII. I retired from active duty during my 30th year of active duty and for the past 15 years I've been an Army Contractor. It's what I do.

[RangerX]

Recruiter said it would make my dick bigger.

He lied.










































Seriously, I knew I didn't want to do "average". I hate average. The Rangers are DEFINITELY not average. I had long term goals which included jumping the fence. While those didn't work out, I can't stress how glad I am that I experienced what I did. The Pastor's sig line "I'm not the way I am because I was a Ranger - I was a Ranger because of the way I am." says it best. I identify more with men I have not seen in 20 years, or ever have met, than any civilian I interact with.

[RRDTm3]

the biggest reason I joined was so i could scream



























Tab check!

8-91

[Reiver]

Summer of 1976. IDF Rescue Opn, Entebbe, Kenya. Parade (News Paper) Magazine article said the folks in US military who would do such were 1-75 & 2-75. Passed through GA before, never seen WA, "survey says"...2-75! Probably better for all concerned, if I'd signed up as a cook (Luv Smokin' anyway).

Did do some time @FBNC as well...cdl

Still keep running into the same under-achievers...