RIP question for a 68W

aequitas55 · Post by **aequitas55** » July 4th, 2007, 7:23 pm

My fiance is about to finish AIT as a 68W and then will proceed to Airborne school. He was scheduled to begin RIP right after Airborne and then do the combat medic course at Fort Bragg. He and all of the soldiers in his company with an Option 40 in their contract are now being sent to Fort Richardson in Alaska after Airborne. They have heard rumors that a Ranger detachment will be starting up there, but have gotten no information regarding whether they will still get a chance at RIP and if the course at Fort Bragg is still in the near future for them. My fiance would not have signed a contract without the Option 40 and now there is question as to whether they will even send him to RIP. Their DS in unwillingly to listen thus far, so I was hoping to glean some information here. Thank you to any Rangers with some insight about this situation.

42L5V · Post by **42L5V** » July 4th, 2007, 7:54 pm

Ma'am,

Tell your man to not believe every rumor that comes down the pipe. If he has a paper copy of orders in his hand, then he should be concerned. Until then, tell him to keep a low profile, and to post an intro here. He'll be okay.

Unless there's a national emergency, the Army won't break the contract he has. If he has a 68W/Opt 40, then that is what he'll get.

Good Luck.

Bugsy · Post by **Bugsy** » July 4th, 2007, 8:07 pm

Ma'am I've been out for a long time but one thing I know for sure. If your future husband has an Option 40 as part of his enlistment contract, short of failing in Airborne School, he will definitely get his shot at becoming a Ranger through attending RIP.

However let me pass on a few words of wisdom........ as he gets closer and closer to RIP he'll start to hear rumor after rumor after excuse as to why going to RIP doesn't make sense or this OR that reason why going to RIP doesn't seem like such a good idea anymore.

What he's actually hearing is the mental weakness of others verbalize themselves through their fear of facing the reality of a real challenge.

No matter what, if he's got the Opt 40 Slot he gets his shot, provided he passes each phase along the way. Now he can either listen and mind screw himself, or he can distance himself with the BS and focus on ACHIEVING WHAT HE SET OUT TO DO AND BECOME!!!

Each and every one of us here as current and former Rangers hopes he makes it!!!

I hope that's the real deal, cause he could be calling you with a bunch of BS as well.... as a prelude to him QUITTING and you not being disappointed in him because you don't know any better. (I truly hope that isn't the case)

BTW, nobody upon completion of RIP has a clue as to which BN they get assigned to but if he graduates from RIP he will definitely get assigned to either Ranger Regiment or Bn.

aequitas55 · Post by **aequitas55** » July 5th, 2007, 7:52 am

Thanks so much- what I'm hearing on this forum is reassuring. He has already heard some soldiers try to talk themselves out of RIP with weak rationale, but he wants his shot badly. This was one of his main goals concerning his enlistment with the Army and he will do what it takes to get RIP. It sounds from what I'm hearing here that he will get it, but the question is when. Someone had talked to his group of 68Ws with the Option 40 in their contract and said that they go to RIP immediately after Airborne and that they must complete the 6-month medic course at Fort Bragg before being assigned to a Battalion. Since Alaska offers neither RIP or the medic course (and that's where they're now scheduled to go after Airborne), he and the others are confused about how becoming a Ranger fits into their upcoming career path. Could it be that they might just pull them from their duty station at Fort Richardson at some random time to do RIP?

Bugsy · Post by **Bugsy** » July 5th, 2007, 10:21 am

aequitas55 wrote:It sounds from what I'm hearing here that he will get it, but the question is when. Someone had talked to his group of 68Ws with the Option 40 in their contract and said that they go to RIP immediately after Airborne and that they must complete the 6-month medic course at Fort Bragg before being assigned to a Battalion. Since Alaska offers neither RIP or the medic course (and that's where they're now scheduled to go after Airborne), he and the others are confused about how becoming a Ranger fits into their upcoming career path. Could it be that they might just pull them from their duty station at Fort Richardson at some random time to do RIP?

Ma'am once again let me make it totally clear, if he has an Opt 40, once he gets out of AIT, he'll go directly to Airborne School, once he gets out of Airborne school he goes DIRECTLY to RIP.....once he gets out of RIP, he'll go DIRECTLY TO A RANGER BN OR REGIMENT (provided that he makes it) NOT FT. RICHARDSON. From there and the timing as to when he'll go to another school will depend on many factors but they will all lead him back to Bn or Regiment anyway you cut it.

Now we can understand that because he's newly enlisted its easy to fall prey to BS and mis-information, but he should mainly focus on developing his military skills and physical strength that he'll need once he gets to RIP. I'm not sure if he can develop any mental toughness, that's sort of an internal thing IMO. If anything the Army is good at developing a personâ€™s confidence and bringing to light your true skills and abilities in the development of creating a true Warrior. But deep down, you either have it or you don't.

The bottom-line is this.......he'll either WANT TO BECOME A RANGER AND SEE IT THROUGH NO MATTER WHAT or he won't. It really doesn't get any simpler than that.

One last note, whoever got the OPT 40's together and claimed to know what was going on within the Regiment doesn't know jack. Because their mission is classified, he won't know anymore than anybody else OTHER THAN THE RANGER LIAISON. That's the ONLY person that he'll meet prior to going to RIP that if he tells them something, you can bet it is the gospel truth as it relates directly to either becoming a Ranger or information related to the Ranger Regiment as a whole. (he'll get a chance at answers and questions at Airborne School).

Outsiders are not admitted in, nor will they ever fully know what is going on within the Ranger Regiment.

aequitas55 · Post by **aequitas55** » July 6th, 2007, 9:04 am

Thank you, Rangers. You have been extremely helpful.

TxBowhunter · Post by **TxBowhunter** » July 9th, 2007, 11:47 am

While I don't have experience with RIP I did just finish Ariborne school and I can tell you that the rumors were flying between the OPT 40's. In one night sitting the CQ desk I had 3 come in wanting to talk to the 1sgt about dropping their OPT 40 contract for various bad to really bad reasons. I sent them all packing and told them to think about it over night and talk to the 1sgt in the morning. Of course I didn't tell them the 1sgt was gone for the day, but they didn't ask either.

I don't know how many of them came back, but I can tell you that while at Airborne your fiance will have a lot of people, including black hats, try to talk him out of RIP. Wether he decides to or not is up to him.

EvilCouch · Post by **EvilCouch** » July 9th, 2007, 11:41 pm

Tell your husband to completely ignore anything said that starts with the phrase "I heard" or "They said", because it's probably being made up.

KW Driver · Post by **KW Driver** » July 10th, 2007, 12:59 am

Ma'am, Bugsy has been out for a while. so every thing he said is true except this. your husband will do Airborne, then RIP, then will go to Bragg, then will go to a BN or Regt.

that will be his flow so long as he passes each stage.

aequitas55 · Post by **aequitas55** » July 11th, 2007, 8:04 am

Thanks again, Rangers. Everything I've learned here has been helpful and reassuring. They did have the Opt 40s he's with fill out the paperwork and do exams needed for OCONUS and Ft. Richardson is also listed as their assignment in their AKOs. I'm told there is an Airborne Ranger detachment there. As long as he gets his shot at RIP, that's really all that matters and from what I've heard here, he will. Thank you.

simpson · Post by **simpson** » July 23rd, 2007, 6:38 am

Ma'am what company is he in?

Capellanus · Post by **Capellanus** » July 23rd, 2007, 9:59 am

KW Driver wrote:Ma'am, Bugsy has been out for a while. so every thing he said is true except this. your husband will do Airborne, then RIP, then will go to Bragg, then will go to a BN or Regt.

that will be his flow so long as he passes each stage.

KW Driver is correct except for one thing. If the SOMC does not start immediately following RIP then he will be assigned to the Regimental Aid Station and assist with sick call and range coverage until the next class begins which could take up to 3 months. Essentially he will be in a holding stage until he can be slotted into the next class. Tell him not to quit or give into the temptation to choose the road most traveled. There is no better place to be a medic than Ranger Regiment. Medics who have graduated from SOCM and served well can right their ticket to anywhere else in the Army (i.e. PA school, SOAR, SF ect.).

aequitas55 · Post by **aequitas55** » July 24th, 2007, 7:19 pm

Thank you, Ranger Capellanus. I was told there might be a wait to get into the SOCM course, but wasn't sure how long or where he'd be during that time. I really appreciate all the info I'm getting here because they've left him in the dark about things at Ft. Sam. He's headed to Airborne next week so should have access to a Ranger liaison there and be able to get some questions answered. I've relayed all the words of advice I've gotten here to him and it's been much appreciated. Thanks again to everyone who replied.

RANGER513 · Post by **RANGER513** » July 25th, 2007, 4:16 am

EvilCouch wrote:Tell your husband to completely ignore anything said that starts with the phrase "I heard" or "They said", because it's probably being made up.

Very, very good advice right there.