SITREP - ROBERT

Commo from our members who are in OSUT, Jump School, RIP, Ranger School, etc.
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C0LDY
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SITREP - ROBERT

Post by C0LDY »

Rangers,

I am currently at the MEPs hotel and will be flying out to Fort Benning tomorrow morning. I think back to when I first joined this website and look back on the people I've encountered, the stories I've read, the lessons I've learned and how much I have grown as an individual since committing myself to this goal. I also think of the many who have gone before me and have been in my exact position. I am filled with the feelings of anticipation and excitement.

I'd like to thank all the Ranger's on this website for the treasure trove of information that has been accumulated here since it's been established.

I feel the information I have been able to take away from this website has greatly prepared me for the journey I am soon to embark on.

Thank you all once again. It is time for me to begin my adventure just like the many before me.
11X
Ship Date: 20200128

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Re: SITREP - ROBERT

Post by Disinfertention »

Robby, it won't take luck so do the job. Keep us updated as you can!
USASOC 2015-2023
HHC 2/75 2012-2015
HHC & Cco 1/75 2010-2012
OCS Cadre 2007-2010
Cco 3/75 2003-2007
Ranger School 09-04
C0LDY
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Joined: September 11th, 2017, 4:42 pm

Re: SITREP - ROBERT

Post by C0LDY »

Rangers,

It’s been a long overdue SITREP update.
I shipped out on January 28th, and started OSUT on February 7th. I had an interesting cycle to say the least, Covid happened and a lot of things changed throughout the 22 weeks I attended Infantry OSUT. I graduated from C 1/50 on July 11th, 2020 and was able to volunteer during my time there for an Opt40. This was my biggest fear not being able to volunteer. I was a thorn in my Drill Sergeants side constantly asking when the Ranger Liason were going to arrive and before I knew it within the last 4-6 weeks of OSUT I was afforded the opportunity to volunteer.

Soon after graduating I attended PreRASP. On a long run in late July I ended up heat catting, I came down with severe heat stroke with a 107 core temp. I was in real bad shape and was put on a 5 1/2 month profile prohibiting me from taking any type of PT test until November. It was a really rough time at the start, I had been ice sheeted in a fire any colony and was bitten well over a thousand times over my upper body and arms. I spent 2 weeks on Quarters and then 2 weeks of no standing for more than 15 minutes followed by a no run/ruck or lifting anything over 10lbs, a very restrictive PT profile essentially inhibiting me from doing any type of PT. However, I knew in my heart of hearts why I was there and why I wanted to be a Ranger. A quote that resonated in me then and continues to this day as Ranger Jim would say is “Never, Never Quit.”

The day I got off quarters I started PTing on my own again, I went from running a 32 minute 5 miler to not even breaking 40. A lot of lessons I learned from this forum came back to me. “Okay this is my baseline, I can only go up from here.” Running was my biggest challenge I’m fortunate to have met up with a few members of this website at PreRASP who helped me greatly in my journey in recovering. Notably Dmc3020 and Rysilver55. These guys are studs and I don’t know what I would have done without them. I PT’d on my own in the bays at night and in the mornings, continued to learn Ranger Knowledge and Study the Ranger Creed which resonates in my core. I fought tooth and nail to recover to accomplish my goal, I don’t think too many people expected that I would wait 5 1/2 months to class up, some people looked at me like I was crazy but I did.

There were many ups and downs during my long duration at PreRASP. Bouts of hopelessness as I see capable people quit, friends come and go and the constant fear of everyday being my last at RSTC thinking that I was going to get dropped for being there too long. I persisted and stayed under the radar. The months rolled by and I had many friends come and go I met some of the greatest people I could imagine at PreRASP many of which are now serving in Battalion. Time went on at one point I served CQ every other day for 3 1/2 weeks, I spent this time looking at the wall of heroes, Rangers who paid the ultimate sacrifice, sweeping and mopping floors, looking back on how many previous members of this website had step food in the vary halls I was tasked with maintaining. Looking at the paintings of Ranger Medal of Honor recipients and uniforms in trophy cases. At night I would read books on the History of Regiment such as “To fight with Intrepidity” and “Back in the Fight”, a book I’d read whenever I felt down on my luck and sorry for myself.

The months rolled on and finally November rolled around. I got off profile, took the class up PT test and classed up! I began RASP in November and went straight through graduating with class 02-21 on January 28th, 2021 a year to the day I initially shipped out. Donning my Tan beret was the most rewarding experience of my life. I felt like I was 10 feet tall all those long nights, the intense PT, the training my brother and I put forth before joining the Army and finally the knowledge I learned on this forum. A culmination of hard work, dedication and the will to fight on to what was my Ranger Objective. I had graduated. I’ll never forget having my Scroll put on my left shoulder and looking down with the upmost pride I’ve ever imagined. And once again saying the Ranger Creed now with a Scroll and Beret. I had finally done it.

Following RASP we were sent to Airborne where I completed my 5 jumps and soon after returned to Post RASP. There is nothing like having your Ranger Buddy help you harness up your equipment I wouldn’t have felt safer with anyone else.

Upon returning to Post RASP I was put in an unfortunate situation. Because of circumstances beyond my control, I was put in a situation where I had to choose between doing the morally right thing and losing my scroll or the morally wrong thing and keeping it. I chose to do the morally right thing. One of my Ranger buddies had been falsely accused of a crime and myself and 3 others who gave witness statements to prove his innocence were released from Regiment. Guilty by association in an unfortunate circumstance. It was both the easiest and hardest decision of my life. On one hand I was throwing it all away, on the other it was doing the right thing, most importantly helping your Ranger Buddy. Easily the 4 of us could have told him to no and we would be at our Battalions right now, just like everyone else who was there. But we didn’t, we chose to live the Ranger Creed, have intestinal fortitude and not fail our comrade. We were told we would still be going to our battalions by our NCOIC but unfortunately that did not happen. We were called into a meeting with the CO and informed we would be getting sent to the 82nd Airborne Division. I was supposed to be headed to 2/75, the next day I watched all my Ranger Buddies pack their duffels as they were ready to leave for the airport. I shook their hands and wished them well as they did the same for us. I had never felt more defeated in my life as I did then.
It pains me to even type that all now.

3 of us were sent to the 82nd Airborne Division, the other to a Special Forces Support Group. Three weeks after arriving at Bragg we got a text from our Ranger buddy back at Benning still being held awaiting a court date. All the charges were dropped and the case was dismissed because of our witness statements.

“You guys saved me man. If it wasn’t for your statements it probably would have went to court. They said we could all come back and they said they really want the guys who gave statements to come back because you guys didn’t have to help me out. They respect what you guys did.”

We kept our brother from going to prison for crimes he didn’t commit, but at what cost? The cost of our careers, our scrolls and berets.. but we kept our honor, and lived the Creed. A Ranger is morally straight and we did the morally just thing. And today I would do it over again knowing the consequences to my career. I had spent nearly 10 months assigned to RSTC, through PreRASP, RASP, all to be dropped at the end.

But that is not where this story ends.
The day we were dropped I did two very important things, I called the 75th recruiting and got information on when I could come back the answer was 10-12 months. The second was I started training to come back. Stronger and Faster.

Although I’ve been at the 82nd since April I will be attending Ranger School in the fall while I’m here, possibly earning my EIB, and returning to RASP in the late winter/early spring of 2022 to do it all over again. As I go through the steps of returning I will continue to update this SITREP thread as I progress.

One of the greatest lesson I’ve learned through this entire ordeal is resilience. Overcoming obstacles, I was told once by a Cadre at RSTC that there’s three types of candidates. The physically willing and mentally unwilling, the mentally willing and physically unwilling, and the mentally willing and physically willing — those who see RASP as a hurdle to the ultimate goal of serving in Ranger Batt. And that is where I want to be.
11X
Ship Date: 20200128

"Five Mentees Report Here" Thread Member

RASP 02-21
RS 03-23
C0LDY
Future Soldier
Posts: 71
Joined: September 11th, 2017, 4:42 pm

Re: SITREP - ROBERT

Post by C0LDY »

Rangers,

It’s been some time since my last update.

I am still on the war path, this past November I attended my units PRC and was the honor graduate. I proceeded to ship for Ranger School and recently graduated.
Since getting to my unit I have often looked to this website for motivation, any DEPs who have done your Taskings will know many users over the years have not had it easy but endured and earned their mark. Others have not. I read the SITREPs and the stories from previous generations of Rangers. I’ve been privileged to find guidance from the Rangers on this forum.

Ranger Carpenter put it best, there is a difference between being Inspired and being Motivated. I am and have been Inspired since I initially came across this forum.

A update on myself, I certainly never expected this letters from school thread to stretch so long. Rangers whom I went to RASP with are ETSing soon, pretty crazy how time flies.
Since arriving at the 82nd I started my time out on the 240 as a Machine Gunner, following the withdrawal from Afghanistan I moved out of Weapons onto the line as a Rifleman and then as my squads DMR marksman. A year passed and I was unable to attend Ranger School. Given my previous Heat Injury I was limited to winter Ranger School classes. In 2022 I became a Team Leader on the line through out performing others in the position. In late 2022 following JRTC I attended Pre Ranger Course and was the Honor Graduate I then shipped to 4th RTB at Fort Benning to begin Ranger School. I proceeded to go 62 and through. Being a Winter Ranger was definitely quite the experience to say the least. I graduated this past Friday with class 03-23.

Everyday I continue to live the Ranger Creed.

I am still on the war path, time to continue this journey that I initially embarked on.

Never, Never Quit.
11X
Ship Date: 20200128

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Re: SITREP - ROBERT

Post by Disinfertention »

Quite the incredible trip in a few short years. Sure am glad we didnt have the Letters from School post when I was new! Would be getting ready to close mine out with some VA learning's.

Great bit of reflection.
USASOC 2015-2023
HHC 2/75 2012-2015
HHC & Cco 1/75 2010-2012
OCS Cadre 2007-2010
Cco 3/75 2003-2007
Ranger School 09-04
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