INTRODUCTION - Derek

Downtown_1 · Post by **Downtown_1** » June 25th, 2012, 1:28 pm

Hello Rangers!

My name is Derek, I'm 26, a Graphic Designer and it has been my dream to become a Ranger. It started in high school when my friend bought a Ranger documentary, discussing the history but mainly focusing on Ranger School. The moment I saw it I could feel it in my blood that's what I was meant for. I have always loved military strategy, tactics and just about everything else regarding the Army and the Rangers.

I began speaking with a recruiter when I was 18 but my best friend and parents talked me into attending college first. I mainly listened to my Dad, He was in Vietnam and mentioned I would be better prepared for what I wanted to do and the college degree could help me out. So college it was. Fast forward four years, about to graduate college and I was at the recruiters again, I took the ASVAB and was offered anything I wanted, of course they kept trying to push me to 18X, not sure why they tend to do that to guys. But lo and behold I fell in love and put my Dream aside to get married. A year and a half later, she had an affair and left me for some guy. I stuck around trying to work things out but to no avail.

Which leads me to the start of my journey with the Army....again. About a month ago I decided I was joining, finally tackling my biggest goal and there is no way I am going to let it slip past me again just to look back when I'm 50 and regret never becoming part of something incredible. I've been reading on this site for a while now and have seen that the Ranger contracts have been limited. So, I began talking to my recruiter about 2 weeks ago, and decided to see if there were any available. Of course, no, and i was told to not cross my fingers. I knew I had to take the ASVAB again so we set a date for the next week. An hour later when I got back to work she called and said 143 new 11x Opt 40s just came in!

I knew my chances weren't good but didn't give up and pushed my test up to 2 days later hoping to grab one. After the test, I got the score I needed, my recruiter told me they disappeared in under 48 hours of when they were posted. Luckily since I have been pressing on my recruiter that I wasn't sticking around if I couldn't get the contract and to call me when they came in, she knew the only way she would be able to snag me was grabbing my that precious 11x Opt 40. She discovered that a guy reserved one but he ended up getting no where near the score he needed to qualify to be a Ranger. So tonight she is dropping it off his name and picking it up under mine. I've been blessed with a recruiter who will go to work late after hours to secure this for me. I'm still not completely betting on it just because you never know what will happen but she said not to worry and it will be reserved under my name till I go to processing.

I am set to go to MEPS this coming Monday and if the contract is correct then I will swear in and sign on the dotted line. Unfortunately there aren't any cash bonuses right now, at least that's what my recruiter said, but there is the loan repayment or the MGI Bill.

I am pumped that I will finally be getting a shot at RASP and hopefully be apart of your Ranger community, among the best. I have been working out, not too intensely this past year but since 2 weeks ago I have kicked into overdrive. If this is the contract I will be getting I will be shipping to OSUT Jan 2, 2013. Which gives me plenty of time to smoke myself into where i want to be. I have also begun memorizing the Ranger Creed, practicing my knots, I have some ex military friends who will be giving me some lessons on Land Nav and joining me on ruck marching with me.

I will continue to scour this website for the unbelievable resources you Rangers have opened to us hopefuls. Thank you for that and you service to our country! I have the utmost respect for you Rangers and what you do.

- Derek

P.S. I'll add my ship dates in my signature once its set after MEPS as well as my PT scores.

Downtown_1 · Post by **Downtown_1** » June 26th, 2012, 5:07 am

Quick update. I was able to get the contract but the ship date was moved up, due to training date changes, to August 27th.

CharlieRanger1FFV · Post by **CharlieRanger1FFV** » June 26th, 2012, 7:51 am

Welcome to the site, Derek

RLTW!!!

GoldCoast · Post by **GoldCoast** » June 26th, 2012, 8:02 am

What have you done in your short career as a graphic designer? Anything we've seen?

Downtown_1 · Post by **Downtown_1** » June 26th, 2012, 1:52 pm

I am definitely ready Ranger ZoneIV, ready to put myself to the test. Even though my ship date was moved up to just 2 months from now it just makes me want to work even harder. I am currently reading though some Military manuals to gain a better knowledge of whatever I can before I arrive. Ranger Handbook (of course), FM 21-26, FM 7-8, No Excuse Leadership, The Coveted Black and Gold, and Military Leadership.

Ranger GoldCoast, I have done many sports environmental graphics for university sports teams, UNCC, UNT, TCU, and a handful of smaller universities but those three are the largest. I Worked on graphics for around their schools, locker rooms, posters...etc. And at the job I'm currently at we do package design for trash bags, plastic sheeting, drop cloths. Just about everyone except Hefty and Glad. Our company's private label brand is Husky and the most well known would be the yellow contractor clean up bags at Home Depot. Not the most glorious job but I can't complain.

Downtown_1 · Post by **Downtown_1** » June 27th, 2012, 1:44 am

I have been working out 6 days a week. Upper body workout / running (mix between slow runs, sprints and timed runs on alternating days) Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Lower body workout Tuesday and Thursday. This Saturday I will start ruck marching and Sundays are my rest days. I will post my self-administered PT test scores tonight but unofficially I am around:

2 mile: 14:23 (need to test my 5 mile)
PU: 53
SU: 47
CU: 11

Downtown_1 · Post by **Downtown_1** » June 27th, 2012, 2:15 am

Will do Ranger ZoneIV.

Downtown_1 · Post by **Downtown_1** » June 27th, 2012, 1:48 pm

Self administered PT test today didn't go so well. Not sure why, no excuse, but just shows that I have a lot of work to do.

2 mile: 13:50
PU: 46
SU: 39

Tomorrow is a new day, keep on truckin and I'll be back with better scores to come.

Downtown_1 · Post by **Downtown_1** » July 2nd, 2012, 12:10 pm

Finally escaped MEPS today. Long day but exciting to have my contract in hand. I got my 11x Opt40 with a ship date of 27 Aug 2012.

Slowpoke · Post by **Slowpoke** » July 2nd, 2012, 12:35 pm

Your AFPT scores are abysmal! You need to cut at least a minute off your 2 mile run time and add 30ea to your push ups and sit ups....and you do not have much time. You're going to need to do extra PT in OSUT as the PT there isn't enough to get you where you need to be. I wish you all the luck but you are going to have to get very serious about conditioning.

GoldCoast · Post by **GoldCoast** » July 2nd, 2012, 3:37 pm

I admire your willingness to drop day to day civilian drudgery and take a bite out of the biggest shit sandwich you can possibly imagine. That said, willingness is only the first step of a thousand mile journey. Can you run five miles right now? If I knocked on your door and you answered, and I told you to run five miles right this instant, could you make that happen?

Downtown_1 · Post by **Downtown_1** » July 2nd, 2012, 8:25 pm

I understand and completely agree Ranger Slowpoke. I tried to get a later ship date but the counselor said he would have had to drop my contract and try to pick it up again but there would be a chance of someone picking it up so I declined and am willing to do whatever work it will take for me to raise my scores.

Ranger Gold coast, yes I am able to run 5 miles. Its on the slower end but I ran 5 miles Sat. at 39:19.

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