Ranger School opens up

[SR-25]

Soldiers don’t have to be in combat arms to attend



Want to earn that Ranger tab?
Now you can, even if you aren’t a combat arms soldier.

The plan to allow combat support and combat service support officers and enlisted soldiers to attend Ranger School has been approved by Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker, chief of staff.

The new policy does not apply to women, who are still barred from this most rigorous of Army training because of the service’s combat exclusion policy. Until now, the grueling 61-day small-unit leadership course has been the exclusive domain of infantrymen and other combat arms soldiers.

The change was proposed by the Infantry Center, Fort Benning, Ga., and Task Force Soldier. Schoomaker established the task force in September 2003 to develop new ways of instilling the warrior ethos and battlefield skills in all soldiers, regardless of branch.

“Traditional branch roles on the battlefield are no longer the norm for our forces and the threat facing us today requires that we ensure select leaders of combat support and combat service support units receive the same unique skills taught at Ranger School,” said Human Resources Command officials announcing the procedures for the new policy.

Combat support generally includes chemical, engineer, military police, military intelligence and signal soldiers. Service and support soldiers come from the adjutant general, finance, ordnance, transportation, quartermaster and health services branches.

To apply for Ranger School soldiers must submit a DA Form 4187 (Request for Personnel Action) and an Airborne/Ranger physical through the first lieutenant colonel in their chain of command to the installation director of plans and training management/G3. If the application is approved locally, it will be forwarded to HRC, the agency that manages Ranger School slots, for final approval.

Detailed instructions for applying for Ranger School were announced March 9 in MilPer Message 05-067.

http://www.armytimes.com/story.php?f...PER-712593.php