will special forces help me get into the rangers?

[Mr. Safety]

if i enlist on the special forces enlistment option, and get accepted into special forces (would want to be a medical, communications, or engineer sergeant), will it help me get accepted into rangers? my uncles were rangers and i want to become one too, but should i just skip special forces and try to get into rangers straight out of jump school?

[bopdaddytoo]

as you have family in there ask them for advice as they have lived that life

[sj_akh]

special forces training is harder than rangers. And the majority of special forces soldiers have already completed Ranger School. If you're planning on doing special forces, and make it through, than stick with it. Rangers are the best CONVENTIONAL soldiers around. Special forces are the best trained troops and adapt to different combat environments better than the 75th ever could and no disrespect to my fellow rangers, but are more versatile in warfare. So go ahead become special forces, become qualified ranger, but stay special forces. HOOAH

[artilleryman89]

Rangers are easier to get into and complete the training than the special forces (green berets) are. Ranger training takes about a year. Green Beret training or special forces training takes about 2 years.

[trazel187]

Okay, I can answer this correctly since I 've done, but if you want to listen to whatever you want then I won't waste my time...
There are two distinct things: the Ranger School and the 75th Ranger Regiment. The School is ran by the Ranger Training Brigade (where I worked years ago). The Regiment is the tactical arm. Savvy? Alot people will confuse you and tell that Rangers are this and that. Most are civvies and military people with limited knowledge. I walked the walk.

If you want to be a Army Ranger (in the Battalions, in Regiment, where you will go to the School later in your career (about a year or less), then I will give you the entrance requirements:

To become a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment you must begin with the nine weeks of Basic Training. Upon completion of Basic Training you will then attend Advanced Individual Training to obtain a Military Occupational Specialty (MOS). This training varies in length depending on the selected MOS. Next you must complete Airborne training. Upon graduation of Airborne School you will be assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment to attend the Ranger Indoctrination Program (RIP).

If you pass each of the required training schools and RIP, you will receive an assignment to either the 75th Ranger Regiment Headquarters or one of the three Ranger Battalions.

60% Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) in the 17 to 21 age group
5-mile run at no slower than 8 minutes per mile
Successful completion of Combat Water Survival Test (CWST) must be able to complete 15 meters in BDU's, boots and LBE
Must complete 2 of 3 road marches, one of which must be a 10-mile road march
70% on all exams

Ranger Indoctrination Program (RIP) begins when the Ranger Liaison picks up the Ranger candidates at Airborne School - just after graduation - to immediately begin the program.

The program is designed to instruct and select, from a pool of candidates in grades E-1 to E-4, those suitable for service in the 75th Ranger Regiment. The four week program consists of physical training and continuous preparation for service in the Regiment. It is important that each candidate be familiarized with operational procedures, equipment and the standards of the Regiment prior to their assignment.

Daily Physical Training
Ranger History test
Map Reading
APFT
Airborne Operation
Ranger Standards
Day and night land navigation
5-mile run
Combatives
Knots
Combat Water Survival Test
6, 8 and 10-mile road marches
Driver Training (DDC Card)
Fast Rope Training
Combat Lifesaver certification

In order to become a Ranger in today's Army, you will need to contact your local Army Recruiter and ask for Ranger contract which will include Basic Training, Advanced Individual Training, Airborne School and assignment to the 75th Ranger Regiment to attend the Ranger Indoctrination Program (RIP).

This is what the Regiment is and does:

The Regiment is composed of rapidly-deployable light infantry forces with specialized skills that enable them to perform a variety of conventional and special operations missions – airborne, air assault, and direct action operations, raids, infiltration and exfiltration by air, land, sea, airfield seizure, recovery of personnel and special equipment, and support of general purpose forces (GPF), among other uses. Each Ranger battalion is expected to deploy anywhere in the world within 18 hours' notice.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/75th_Ranger_Regiment_%28United_States%29

This is what the School is about:
The United States Army Ranger School is an intense, nine-week-long, combat leadership course, oriented to small-unit tactics, and conducted in three separate three-week-long phases - at Fort Benning, Georgia, U.S.A., (the woodland terrain, 'Benning Phase'), at Camp Rogers and Camp Darby, Georgia, 'the Mountain Phase' at Camp Merrill, near Dahlonega, Georgia, and the Florida Phase at Camp Rudder, Eglin AFB, Florida. The Desert Phase, conducted first at Fort Bliss, Texas and later at Dugway Proving Grounds, Utah was eliminated in 1995. The last Ranger School class to go through the desert phase was class 7-95.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranger_School

There are plenty of links at the bottom of each of those pages so you can learn more. I say EVERY thing and you will be straight, then go talk to a Army recruiter. This isn't a simple thing, this a lifestyle. I did it and I am happy I did.

Sua Sponte and thanks for even considering it......

[Taylor W]

By special forces I assume you mean Delta, or the Green Berets. You should enlist with an option 40 which means you will get to go to Airborne School. If you pass you go to Ranger School. If you pass you go to RIP. If you pass you are a Ranger. As you progress as a Ranger you will have oprotunities to become SF. Oh and by the way Rangers are special forces.

[jimmy s]

If you make it into Special Forces why would you want to step DOWN to the Rangers? Believe me, after you spend some time in Special Forces there is no way you would ever want to go to the Rangers. You may go to Ranger school and return to Special Forces after Ranger school. Ranger school is good training. But there is a big difference between being a Ranger school graduate and being IN the Rangers (ie In the Ranger Regiment). Go Special Forces and you will never look back because you will be to busy doing things that 99% of the people in the Army never will know about.