Army approves first women for Ranger School

[FLPanhandle]

When the spring 2014 Army Ranger course begins at Fort Benning, Ga., on April 20, as many as 60 women will be participating.

The female participants are the first to take part in the elite Ranger school. The training is famously grueling, beginning with small-unit tactics and obstacle courses at Fort Benning, followed by rappelling and mountaineering training in North Georgia.

Students who pass the first two phases move on to the swamps of Camp Rudder, which is located deep within the Eglin reservation.

While proponents of women in combat have hailed the decision, not everyone in the Ranger family is comfortable with the move.




This is another step forward. I hope some of the women make it through and graduate.

[Duckhunter935]

1. Wish them good luck

That is one tough course that I would never take.

[FLPanhandle]

2. As a man would never pass it.

However, I am hopeful some of the women will be able to do it.

I've always thought women were more mentally tough than men.

[Telcontar]

3. No compromise of standards!

That includes the pull ups and 5 mile run

[niyad]

5. why would you automatically assume a compromise of standards?

[Telcontar]

10. Because I've seen it happen before

Standard litter transport was two medics, then more women were coming into thhe Army and could not pass the litter test. The evaluation was changed to four medics per litter.

Airborne training required six pull ups every morning at PT. Women generally havr dificulty, so they do a partial body weight hang.

The tool box for a Blackhawk crew chief is about 50 pounds. Few female crew chiefs are able to run to the bird carrying it, so their pilots end up having to do it.

[xmas74]

8. Why would there be a compromise of standards?

I work on a college campus and believe me, there are a few women that could stand a decent chance, without a single compromise. You'd really be surprised. My hope is that they have chosen the most physically fit to make the attempt, instead of picking with the intention of failure. After all, it would be the most physically fit of men to attempt the program.

[Telcontar]

11. To get in is physically challenging

Push ups, sit ups, 2 mile run, pull ups, 5 mile run, swim test

Most men can't make it.

[xmas74]

13. I know-

I have two family members who were Rangers, one who served under Darby himself. My grandfather, if he were still with us, would be the first to admit that there are women who could make it if given the chance.

There are plenty of men who cannot make it. There are plenty of women who cannot make it. There are a few men who can make it and the same holds true with women. There is no reason why a very physically fit woman wouldn't stand a chance. Go to any college campus and check out some of the female athletes-there would be more than a few who might stand a good chance.

[davidn3600]

14. I don't know if that's the concern

What many people don't want is a situation where you look at who's passing and a higher-up or a politician concludes, "we don't have enough women passing so let's make the tests easier for them" in order to hit an arbitrary percentage.

Many law enforcement agencies around the country have done that to increase the number of female officers in their force. Obviously there is a difference between police and military. But there is a lot of debate about this kind of thing. And there is fear among many in the military that the same kind of mentality is going to eventually be applied if women can't pass the current standards.

[phylny]

4. My husband is an Airborne Ranger.

Ranger school kicked his butt - he lost about 22 pounds in six days. Good luck to these women! I hope they are able to succeed.

[niyad]

6. while I wish these women well, I truly long for the day we can eliminate the military entirely.

[yeoman6987]

9. Well be dead and buried by then

I would say that the military will be replaced by drones and robots eventually but not for 50 years if then.

[AtomicKitten]

7. Hoping the Rangers are less rapey than other branches of the military.

[demmiblue]

12. Sad... that was my first thought, as well. n/t

[niyad]

15. sad commentary on the disgraceful rape culture in the military.

[Orsino]

16. As with men, most will be gone in the first weeks, I suppose.

But my best wishes for success go with all the candidates. Would love to see these most bad-ass of soldiers show that it can be done, and that it doesn't have to be a big deal.