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Subject: Having trouble deciding future military career
Garland    3/27/2011 10:01:26 AM
I am planning to enlist right when I turn 18 here is my current plan- I plan to go army infantry, then airborne school and eventually ranger school. Some of my concerns are, if I do somehow passs ranger school, I ehar they can still stick you into being a cook, your not guaranteed a regiment, and what happens if you fail school? Those are the main things pushing me towards the marines. Any and all insight is awelcome. Physically I am alright I can easily do 60+ push ups non stop, crunches are easy, pull ups no problem, I rep about 215 on bench I am 6"2 195 pounds and have about a 7 minute mile(working on it). If I plan to train everything every single day do you thgink I am in good shape for ranger school? I am mainly worried of sleep deprivation
 
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Garland       3/27/2011 10:03:51 AM
I apologize for the other topics, my comp spazzed out. I wanted to add in, I get terrible shin splints
 
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Garland       3/27/2011 10:08:31 AM
I apologize for the other topics, my comp spazzed out. I wanted to add in, I get terrible shin splints
 
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Garland       3/27/2011 10:27:26 AM
I apologize for the other topics, my comp spazzed out. I wanted to add in, I get terrible shin splints
 
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smitty237    My advice   3/27/2011 11:09:51 PM
It's been a long, long time since I've talked to an Army recruiter, but I doubt too much has changed.  The first thing I would suggest is that you do your research and know exactly what you want to do.  Joining the Army and getting a slot in Airborne School is pretty easy.........you can get that as part of your enlistment contract.  Ranger School is a different story.  Ranger School is a combat survival and leadership school.  A lot of soldiers covet a slot in Ranger School, but there are a limited number of students allowed in each class.  As such you have to earn a slot in a Ranger School class.  A position in one of the Ranger battalions, however, is a different story.  When I joined in the early 1990's it was possible to join the Army and chose infantry as your MOS and request Airborne School and a Ranger slot as a condition of enlistment.  Once you finished basic training and AIT at Ft. Benning, GA you took a bus to Airborne School.  After Airborne School those graduates that had Ranger slots took a bus to another part of the post where they then entered the Ranger Indoctrination Program (R.I.P.--probably called something else now, I'm sure).  RIP was the selection course for the Rangers.  If you made it through the rigorous program you were then assigned to one of the Ranger battalions.  Back then there were a limited number of Ranger slots available at any given time, so not everybody had that option available to them. 
 
Not all Rangers in the Ranger battalions have been to Ranger School, but all Rangers that want to stay in the unit will have to go there eventually.  If you join the Army as an enlisted man, the quickest route to Ranger School is through the Ranger battalions, but enlisted men from other units (82nd Airborne, 4th ID, 10th Mountain, etc.) can still earn slots in Ranger School.  If you want a career in the Army in combat arms you will probably have to attend Ranger School at some point.
 
The best advice I can give you about talking to the recruiters is this:  DON'T TAKE ANYTHING AT FACE VALUE.  Know what you're talking about and what you want to do.  Ask lots of questions, and it isn't a bad idea to write them down first.  If you have a friend that has served in the Army, take them with you when you talk to the recruiter.  If the recruiter doesn't like it, then tough shit.  I wouldn't sign crap on my first visit.  I would arrange a couple of meeting to talk to the recruiter, and only sign up when you are ready.  Last, but not least, make sure you get EVERYTHING YOU'VE AGREED TO VERBALLY IN WRITING before you sign anything.  Also be aware that if something happens as some point in the process (getting hurt or sick in Airborne School or R.I.P.), all bets could be off and the Army could put you wherever they need you. 
 
Hope this helps.  Good luck. 
 
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