Intro: Riffle

[Riffle]

Hey there. I'm Ryan, 18 years old an in the recruitment process.

I'm still just a dirty civilian in the process of getting my ass into the Army. I hope to be an infantryman, and someday count myself among the likes of the Rangers. Until then though, I'm here mostly to watch and learn and maybe ask the occasional bone-headed question... and when that happens, not the face, alright? My mom says I have a good nose.

[Jim]

Ryan, if you truly want to earn a space in the 75th Ranger Regiment, you are at the right site. We take a lot of pride in the fine young men who pass through armyranger.com on their life journey. Read all the FAQs as well as select stickies and threads. Most questions you may have, most likely have been addressed at least once. Use the search feature, located at the top right of this page. The search feature is your friend. Tell us more about yourself. Why do you want to be a Ranger? What are you doing to prepare yourself for service? Please self-administer a PT test and post the results on this thread. Accomplish this task within the next 72 hours. Never, never quit!

[Riffle]

I've always wanted to be a soldier. My parents still have this finger painting from my first day of kindergarten; it was a "What I Want to Be When I Grow Up" deal, and there in the middle of the page is a stickman dressed in crayon cammies labeled "Soljer". I want to be part of something big and important, to make a difference and all that feel good stuff...and there's also the fact I probably watched We Were Soldiers and Black Hawk Down too many times as a kid.

I want to be a Ranger because I do my homework. I've looked into the Marines, Air Force and Navy and all their units and I know they've done exceptionally awesome things. But what gives me those butterflies in my stomach is when I read about the battles at Pointe Du Hoc, Cabanatuan or Mogadishu. The Infantry and Ranger creeds just make me sit a little bit taller whenever I read then. So the Army and its Rangers were a simple choice for me.

The recruiters I've been visiting haven't bullshat me before, so I'm lucky in that. So when the SFC told me I was basically shit out of luck when it came to 11X Op. 40, or even 11X, my heart sank a little. I pressed for what I wanted, like some have advised me, and I was told to look it up. I did. He hasn't seen Op. 40's for combat arms in months, and apparently even Op. 4 or vanilla 11X are pretty hard pickings anymore. So I decided that the next time an Infantry contract pops up, I'm going to snag it, take my chances and bust my ass to stand out at OSUT.

So here I am.

There's nothing for me to complain about. Just getting to this point has been kind of a trial. In the past 9 months I lost 40 lbs and went from a shitty APFT score to a halfway decent one, and with an ASVAB I can be happy about as well, scoring a 91 AFQT. And I read, a helluva lot, whatever I can. Print, online, whatever I can about the Rangers, the Army, or anything military.

Ranger Jim, the PT I just ran:

Pushups: 45
Situps: 80
2mi Run: 12:53

[CharlieRanger1FFV]

Welcome to the site, Riffle.


RLTW!!!

[Jim]

Ranger Jim, the PT I just ran:

Pushups: 45
Situps: 80
2mi Run: 12:53

Good discussion and now you have a good PT baseline to build on. Knock out more pushups. Never, never quit!

[MichaelS]

PM inbound, Riffle.

[Riffle]

Thanks and roger that, Rangers.

[Jim]

Thanks and roger that, Rangers.

Don't thank us for doing our job. Keep us updated as your enlistment efforts progress. Please begin to memorize the Ranger Creed and practice saying it out loud. More important think about what it means. Never, never quit!

[Riffle]

Update: I was scheduled to head up to MEPS tomorrow, but apparently I need a pathology report for a biopsy that I had done and documentation for physical therapy sessions I had for a pulled back muscle.

My recruiters knew about this info before hand - it was all in my packet - which is frustrating. I doubt the local clinic will be expedient enough to get these documents to me by tomorrow.

Do you Rangers or recruits have any words of wisdom for when I finally do head up?

[Jim]

Stand your ground. This is your future. To your recruiter, you are a statistic or a quota.

[Riffle]

Scratch my last.

I was able to get my info together and head on up to MEPS. I did the whole duck walk show, swore in, and am now an official 11X Infantry candidate in the DEP. I ship late August and get to Benning early September, so I'm confident I'll have a enough time to be physically prepared to earn my Ranger slot at OSUT if I can continue improving at the rate I've been going. Not to say I won't be fighting for an Op. 40 between now and then, but in any case I have to push myself to be as ready as possible.

[Jim]

OK, if you have not seen this site, use it and make phone calls. Never, never quit!

https://www.benning.army.mil/tenant/75t ... uiting.htm

[Jim]

Add pull-ups to your exercises...and more push-ups. Never, never quit!