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Ranger School Smiles
- Thread starter btice
- Start date
Ben congratulations are in order, good school. Follow on orders?
Raomvis,
If you want to be a Marine and go to Ranger school your best chance is join a reserve unit and use one of their quotas. Same thing for jump, dive, pathfinder, etc. Basically MarForRes (the reserves) get quotas that mirror their active counterparts but it is harder for the reserves to get the additional time off to attend, especially the longer courses. You can be in the reserves and still be in the PLC program (if that is what you are looking at).
If you want to be a Ranger in a Ranger batt. then join the Army. They have an enlistment guarantee that basically guarantees you a Range Bn. slot so long as you make the grade from basic, jump school, etc. They also have a SF guarantee along the same lines.
Basically different different cultures, missions, etc. Whether Marine, Special Forces (not Green Beret as thats their hat), or Ranger depends on many factors.
The number one reason that other services go to Ranger school, Weapons Tactics Instructor course, Fighter Weapons course, etc. is to improve interoperability and jointness. You have operators in that have a tendency to stay in their services respective deployed forces and have leadership/instructor potential/jobs who have a better idea about the other services.
Just remember that you will always have a moments where you think should I have done something else? Ill tell you about a couple SF buddies of mine and myself.
The 1st one I played high school and college ball against while playing on the same team for the Shrine game. He just picked up SgtMaj. in 1st SF group. The 2nd I knew in college. He applied to the PLC air (Marine aviation contract) after I did. He had 20/25 in one eye and went Army where they gave him an infantry and jump school guarantee.
The SgtMaj. sometimes wishes he had taken the officer route as he has a BS and sometimes talks about going back to a Ranger Bn.
The SF officer is now a LtCol., served with the guys behind the fence, etc, was sent to Harvard on the govt dime for his masters is now working his doctorate while being out of the operating forces since 95/96 (2-3 year med. partial after a fast rope accident) and has been back to Monterey for a 2nd language, embassy tours. He wishes he could bet back, had never left, an operating Bn. or had somehow been able to become an aviator.
I get to play with the snake eaters on occasion and envy their down time while deployed. Not nearly as much as aviators nowadays as were always planning when not flying. A short stay with a certain SF bn., agreement between my CO and theirs after they idd a need an aviator that could deploy with them, was extremely enjoyable. I did well and that Bn. CO later became a Gen. Officer and backed me when we were told to do something extremely stupid.
Dont know if the ramblings helped or not but if you have any questions about the Marine side of the house or my impression of the other avenues open to you shoot me an email.
S/F, Mike
Raomvis,
If you want to be a Marine and go to Ranger school your best chance is join a reserve unit and use one of their quotas. Same thing for jump, dive, pathfinder, etc. Basically MarForRes (the reserves) get quotas that mirror their active counterparts but it is harder for the reserves to get the additional time off to attend, especially the longer courses. You can be in the reserves and still be in the PLC program (if that is what you are looking at).
If you want to be a Ranger in a Ranger batt. then join the Army. They have an enlistment guarantee that basically guarantees you a Range Bn. slot so long as you make the grade from basic, jump school, etc. They also have a SF guarantee along the same lines.
Basically different different cultures, missions, etc. Whether Marine, Special Forces (not Green Beret as thats their hat), or Ranger depends on many factors.
The number one reason that other services go to Ranger school, Weapons Tactics Instructor course, Fighter Weapons course, etc. is to improve interoperability and jointness. You have operators in that have a tendency to stay in their services respective deployed forces and have leadership/instructor potential/jobs who have a better idea about the other services.
Just remember that you will always have a moments where you think should I have done something else? Ill tell you about a couple SF buddies of mine and myself.
The 1st one I played high school and college ball against while playing on the same team for the Shrine game. He just picked up SgtMaj. in 1st SF group. The 2nd I knew in college. He applied to the PLC air (Marine aviation contract) after I did. He had 20/25 in one eye and went Army where they gave him an infantry and jump school guarantee.
The SgtMaj. sometimes wishes he had taken the officer route as he has a BS and sometimes talks about going back to a Ranger Bn.
The SF officer is now a LtCol., served with the guys behind the fence, etc, was sent to Harvard on the govt dime for his masters is now working his doctorate while being out of the operating forces since 95/96 (2-3 year med. partial after a fast rope accident) and has been back to Monterey for a 2nd language, embassy tours. He wishes he could bet back, had never left, an operating Bn. or had somehow been able to become an aviator.
I get to play with the snake eaters on occasion and envy their down time while deployed. Not nearly as much as aviators nowadays as were always planning when not flying. A short stay with a certain SF bn., agreement between my CO and theirs after they idd a need an aviator that could deploy with them, was extremely enjoyable. I did well and that Bn. CO later became a Gen. Officer and backed me when we were told to do something extremely stupid.
Dont know if the ramblings helped or not but if you have any questions about the Marine side of the house or my impression of the other avenues open to you shoot me an email.
S/F, Mike
- Joined
- Mar 5, 1999
- Messages
- 34,096
Good info, Mike, and thanks.
Career decisions are strange how they work out. At age 28 I came within a frog's hair of reupping in the Navy and going to flight school. I was more than qualified -- had 2 years active, 2 years reserve which beat the 26 year age limit for flight school. Had my degree, 38 hours of college math so could do nav problems in my head, had my private ticket and 4 or 5 years with Boeing in flight test. Perfect health, 20/20 and then a little. Only thing that kept me from signing the contract was if I flunked out of flight school (remote possiblility but I was old enough to understand Murphys'Law) I had to finish my tour doing sea duty. I had destroyer experience so figured that's where I'd get stuck.
The problem was I got seasick. One of the worst cases I've seen. The sea could be like glass and I'd still get sick. I could handle any manuver a plane could do without any problem whatsoever -- in fact, enjoyed it. Never found an amusement park ride that bothered me. But put me on a boat and I'd get sicker than a dog. Lucky for me storekeepers didn't have much to do while at sea so I spent most of my time in the rack trying to keep anything I'd eaten from coming up again. Weighed 135 pounds when I got out. Went in at 160. I was NOT going to spend 4 years on a tin can as some ops officer sick every day. I tried to get a contract that would discharge me if I flunked out -- no deal. So, no deal from me.
Looking back, if I'd taken the chance and made it thru flight school I'd been one of the first pilots to fly in Nam. Probably would have been shot down and I'd already made the decision that I would NEVER be captured alive.
The story that might have been is I would now have been dead for 35 years.
Moral: Never try to fight karma.
Career decisions are strange how they work out. At age 28 I came within a frog's hair of reupping in the Navy and going to flight school. I was more than qualified -- had 2 years active, 2 years reserve which beat the 26 year age limit for flight school. Had my degree, 38 hours of college math so could do nav problems in my head, had my private ticket and 4 or 5 years with Boeing in flight test. Perfect health, 20/20 and then a little. Only thing that kept me from signing the contract was if I flunked out of flight school (remote possiblility but I was old enough to understand Murphys'Law) I had to finish my tour doing sea duty. I had destroyer experience so figured that's where I'd get stuck.
The problem was I got seasick. One of the worst cases I've seen. The sea could be like glass and I'd still get sick. I could handle any manuver a plane could do without any problem whatsoever -- in fact, enjoyed it. Never found an amusement park ride that bothered me. But put me on a boat and I'd get sicker than a dog. Lucky for me storekeepers didn't have much to do while at sea so I spent most of my time in the rack trying to keep anything I'd eaten from coming up again. Weighed 135 pounds when I got out. Went in at 160. I was NOT going to spend 4 years on a tin can as some ops officer sick every day. I tried to get a contract that would discharge me if I flunked out -- no deal. So, no deal from me.
Looking back, if I'd taken the chance and made it thru flight school I'd been one of the first pilots to fly in Nam. Probably would have been shot down and I'd already made the decision that I would NEVER be captured alive.
The story that might have been is I would now have been dead for 35 years.
Moral: Never try to fight karma.
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2002
- Messages
- 796
I know what you mean about seasick, UB. Took a ferry from England to France; first time big boat, big water; last time big boat, big water. Man was I sick and it's funny, but I have never been sick in a plane.
Fog, this is my son's last week in Airborne School, then it's off to Korea with the 2nd ID. He hopes for a Ranger Batt. when he returns.
Ben
Fog, this is my son's last week in Airborne School, then it's off to Korea with the 2nd ID. He hopes for a Ranger Batt. when he returns.
Ben
UB,
Right after I was commissioned there was a 3 month wait for TBS class then a further wait for flight school. The Navy was supposedly short of pilots (actually over and later got hammered for using assets earmarked to train USMC to train USN)and I rec'd a call from a Lt. I asked if I knew him and he told me he was in the Navy and inquired if I would like an interservice transfer and leave for Pensacola next week.
Never having flown and not knowing if I would get airsick or some other NAMI whammy, I asked what would happen if I was attrited. The answer was SWO or GURLi. I said know.
About 7-8 years later I was at Travis AFB picking up a hop. I recognized my OCS rack mate. He had an aviation contract and got the call from the Navy but took them up on the offer. He didn't make it through flight school and I offered my sympathies and inquired if he was a SWO or GURLi. Evidently the Navy knowing he had been through USMC OCS asked him he would like to go to BUDS, he made it and was on a Team.
You never know.
btice,
As Korea gets cold and the issue sleeping bag system could be better you might want to have him look into a Wiggy sleeping bag. Wiggy will give him a great deal as active duty. The system looks similar to the issue as it's black, etc. but it is one of the best available and only about .5-1.0 lbs heavier while not gaining weight while in the field nearly as fast as the others and cleans up easily.
S/F, Mike
Right after I was commissioned there was a 3 month wait for TBS class then a further wait for flight school. The Navy was supposedly short of pilots (actually over and later got hammered for using assets earmarked to train USMC to train USN)and I rec'd a call from a Lt. I asked if I knew him and he told me he was in the Navy and inquired if I would like an interservice transfer and leave for Pensacola next week.
Never having flown and not knowing if I would get airsick or some other NAMI whammy, I asked what would happen if I was attrited. The answer was SWO or GURLi. I said know.
About 7-8 years later I was at Travis AFB picking up a hop. I recognized my OCS rack mate. He had an aviation contract and got the call from the Navy but took them up on the offer. He didn't make it through flight school and I offered my sympathies and inquired if he was a SWO or GURLi. Evidently the Navy knowing he had been through USMC OCS asked him he would like to go to BUDS, he made it and was on a Team.
You never know.
btice,
As Korea gets cold and the issue sleeping bag system could be better you might want to have him look into a Wiggy sleeping bag. Wiggy will give him a great deal as active duty. The system looks similar to the issue as it's black, etc. but it is one of the best available and only about .5-1.0 lbs heavier while not gaining weight while in the field nearly as fast as the others and cleans up easily.
S/F, Mike
real quick http://wiggys.com/ http://wiggys.com/category.cfm?Category=6&CFID=882357&CFTOKEN=98803 the FTRSS and the pad is better than the issue one as it doesn't get stiff and break in the cold nor delfate like normal pads w/holes in it.
S/F, Mike
S/F, Mike