How to Pass Ranger School

Ranger School is a leadership course.

Dating to the Korean War, participation in the 61-day U.S. Army Ranger Course develops combat skills, while exposing participants to physical fatigue, mental stress and psychological stress. Soldiers are required to perform effectively as leaders of small units in realistic tactical environments. Only one in three soldiers completes the course. To pass the U.S. Army Ranger School you must be in excellent physical condition and understand basic military tasks and principles.

Instructions

1. Focus on physical fitness. Ranger School is a physically demanding course. You should try to achieve 100 points per Army Physical Fitness Training event, perform 12 chin-ups and be a proficient swimmer prior to attending Ranger School. A guide for improving physical fitness is available on the Ranger Training Brigade website.

2. Understand land navigation. The Ranger student must pass a land navigation test beginning in the day and ending at night. The course is approximately 10 kilometers in length. He must find five of six points in five hours during the examination. Practice using a lensatic compass and a map during the day and at night.

3. Incorporate foot marching into your weekly preparation. A 14.5-mile foot march in 6.5 hours or less wearing Battle Dress Uniform, boots, Load Carrying Equipment, a weapon and rucksack is required to pass the course.

4. Understand the 27 common tasks that the student is required to know. Knowledge of these tasks directly affects the evaluations and grades each Ranger student receives for patrolling. Refer to the Ranger School Preparation guide on the Ranger Training Brigade website for a list of the tasks.

5. Have a basic understanding of battle drills. These are an important part of success during Ranger School. Refer to Field Manual 7-8 for a detailed description of each battle drill.

Tips & Warnings

• Follow the Ranger School Preparation guide to pass the course.

References

• "FM 3-22.20, Physical Readiness Training"; Department of the Army; 2007
• "FM 3-25.26, Map Reading and Land Navigation"; Department of the Army; 2001
• "FM 7-8, Infantry Rifle Platoon and Squad"; Department of the Army; 1992
• "Using Map and Compass"; Don Geary; 1995
• "The Mission, the Men, and Me"; Pete Blaber; 2008

Resources

• Fort Benning: Ranger Training Brigade