# Intel-Related Question for Rangers



## Marauder06 (Oct 2, 2013)

Rangers-

A member in good standing here on the site PM'd me earlier this evening with the below questions.  I think these are legit questions, and I don't think they have been previously addressed here on the site.  Since the Ranger Regiment is far outside my area of expertise, I thought I would cut/paste his questions here and ask if anyone can answer them.  Thank you.

-mara

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- If I was to branch straight MI how would I go about applying for the Ranger Regiment, alternatively is RSTB something you can tryout for straight out of MIBOC?

- Do support Officers go through RASP 2 as their selection or is there another selection program?

- Would you recommend embarking on such a path if presented or is it better to gain experience at other more conventional units/ another branch prior?

- How does being a MI Officer in Battalion compare to other units?


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## Ranger Psych (Oct 2, 2013)

Wasn't an officer, but I spent time trolling the head shed and on staff duty...bout as good as a motel 6 but no holiday inn...

A: Call the Regimental recruitment POC's, it's on about 14 different websites and they can get them the straight skinny for that current time
B: As far as I know, every swinging dick still does RASP to actually selected to serve in Regiment
C: As a general rule with specific exceptions for Ranger SSG's and up that do OCS TDY and return to take a platoon, you'll need to have had some experience somewhere and have done well to get to try out. 
D: I would say it's better because not only do you get access to "the good shit" but you also get to develop more stuff directly through your guys since X intel you got turns up Y information/detainees that produces products for raid Z... moreso than most of the made up shit or hearsay regular army worked with.


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## goon175 (Oct 3, 2013)

To echo Ranger Psych, everyone goes through RASP now. 

I would say that comparing any job in Battalion to it's counterpart in big army will be drastically different, to include being an Intel Officer.


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## Ranger Psych (Oct 3, 2013)

and as per Ragnar standard, i cannot into engrish what is grammar i do not even, etc


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## exarmy (Oct 3, 2013)

Everyone goes through Rasp. E-6 (Possibly E-5 promotable) and above will go to Rasp 2. I was enlisted and my only knowledge of the officer pipeline comes from conversations with a hopefull Lieutenant in Ranger School, in 2011. The LT had recently graduated MIBOLC (or another officer specific school) and was awaiting his first assignment. Somewhere along the lines, he contacted the RSTB and recruiting section. Based on his intent to join Ranger Regiment, Ranger Regiment slotted him for Ranger School. After Ranger School he had to complete a full tour at another assignment. Pending graduation of Ranger School and positive reviews/evaluations from his tour, the recruiting division would bring him into the RSTB. During the process, he also exchanged emails/phone calls with the Company Commander in what I assumed to be very similiar to an interview.

I do not know if that is the standard process or not, but the above is what I gathered from my conversation with a LT. trying to make it to the RSTB. With that being said, I do believe a tour at Ranger Regiment cannot be an officers first tour because they have to be evaluated prior to assignment.

As far as reward of assignment in RSTB as opposed to elsewhere, the opportunity for MOS related and non-MOS related schools is much better in the RSTB. More TDY. While in the Regular Army I saw officers filling what looked to me to be staff positions while deployed. While in RSTB I saw officers serve in operational positions while deployed.


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## RangerRudy (Oct 8, 2013)

Be prepared.  Joining Regiment from the regular Army is like jumping on a train going 100mph...

Regardless of MOS or Branch, Regiment is an excellent boost to anyone's career.


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## Ranger Psych (Oct 9, 2013)

I'd concur with exarmy on the fact that regardless of MOS or rank, anything in the 75th is significantly more "hands on" than what the positional counterparts might be outside of SOF.  Expect to need field uniforms.


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## Rick Rojas (Apr 18, 2015)

Hello Sir,

Would it be possible for you to kind of answer the questions you asked if you were able to complete your path into regiment and into RSTB? May i PM you ?


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## Ranger Psych (Apr 18, 2015)

Erm, what? Please rephrase the question and try again?


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## Rick Rojas (Apr 19, 2015)

My apologies for the confusion sir, please allow me to rephrase my post.

Basically my main question is similar to one that is in the beginning of this post.

 " If I was to branch straight MI how would I go about applying for the Ranger Regiment, alternatively is RSTB something you can tryout for straight out of MIBOC?"

At this point in my career  I have the opportunity to finish my degree and commission into MI or INF, I could also request for release into active duty as a specialist. In conclusion I am looking for guidance in which is the best way to reach a position within regiment coming from the NG. I am more than willing to follow either the Officer or the NCO path but before I make a decision I would like to be as informed and prepared as possible.

I hope I was able to make my question more clear, Thank you in advance.


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## Ranger Psych (Apr 19, 2015)

Neither way is going to be easy, in fact it's going to be harder as an officer considering that there's.... oh, about 40 some odd or so per Bn LTC-1LT and some more at Regiment... whereas there's 40+ enlisted per platoon. Simple math. Enlisted you have to get through RASP as an E1-4, RASP+Ranger school as an E-5+ specifically as combat arms... Officer you need to have your Tab, have a favorable performance in your first assignment (Regiment's not for cherry officers, 2LT's are few and far between, only ones I have ever seen were prior E6'es who grew up in Batt and kicked ass all the way) and then pass RASP + the additional stuff that leaders have to go through when they hit RASP.

Boils down to what you want to do outside of Regiment, since at some point in either case you'll have to leave. More likely in the officer route as well, since there's a decreasing amount of positions as you gain rank as an officer (obviously) whereas while that's still a factor on the enlisted side, it's less of an issue and typically "easier" to bounce out and back if you're squared away like a mofo... 

In either case, the Ranger Recruiting team would be a good POC, and there's some officers on here that might be of assistance as well with insight on the O-"scene". Officer you'll obviously have a somewhat better quality of life, provided you're capable of leading as expected of the position.


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## AWP (Apr 19, 2015)

Rick Rojas said:


> At this point in my career  I have the opportunity to finish my degree and commission into MI or INF, I could also request for release into active duty as a specialist. In conclusion I am looking for guidance in which is the best way to reach a position within regiment coming from the NG. I am more than willing to follow either the Officer or the NCO path but before I make a decision I would like to be as informed and prepared as possible.



Are you trying to commission through the NG such as a State OCS program or are you dropping a packet to go Active via OCS? In other words, how do you plan on obtaining a commission?


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## Rick Rojas (Apr 19, 2015)

@Freefalling I plan on commissioning via ROTC since, as far as I know, the only way to become an AD Officer.

With that being said, I believe that my personal preference would be to favor the enlisted side. @Ranger Psych Thank you for the advice, I know that there is no easy way into Regiment and from what you have said I believe I would be a better fit as an NCO instead of an officer, at least for the beginning of my SOF career. I plan on contacting the Regiment Recruiting POC when I get home from deployment to learn what would be the best way to get a spot of RASP I, if this option is not available I will contract with ROTC at my local state college and Try for RASP II after I commission and complete my first assignment.


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## Ranger Psych (Apr 19, 2015)

If you're already in ROTC, honor that committment and take the experience it brings you. Regiment due to intake timeframes doesn't work out even for stellar performers sometimes due to TIG, etc... but other opportunities still arise, if you're up to the challenge. Either way, college on the gubmint dime with a pseudo-guaranteed job once done? Fuck yeah, ride that shit mang.  Is SOF fun, cool, etc? Can't say it wasn't.... but SOF is a very small, and hard to enter in any circumstance (for a reason) community.


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## AWP (Apr 19, 2015)

Rick Rojas said:


> @Freefalling I plan on commissioning via ROTC since, as far as I know, the only way to become an AD Officer.



I'm tracking.

If commissioning on the AD side don't think for a second you'll have your first or second choices available. You'll see guys branch detailing for that reason alone. There are many officers who thought they would be XXXX only to find that quota met or their GPA a bit on the low side or whatever and now they are YYYY. Factors can conspire to send the studliest of studs into Transportation...


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## Rick Rojas (Apr 19, 2015)

@Ranger Psych Roger Sir, At this time I don't have any commitment to ROTC, I only do with the Indiana NG. What is your opinion on guard SF? We have a group that is being opened up in my state ( I believe transferring from Illinois?)

@Freefalling Roger that sir, my current plan of studies is for a Mechanical Engineering and Technologies degree. Do you have more info on branch detailing? I've read some but a lot of the material contradicts each other.


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## Ranger Psych (Apr 19, 2015)

SF's a military element that I basically didn't interact with much/at all while in the army. There's guys here who were/are SF that are better suited to answer that question, and I'm sure they'll come out of the woodline behind you at some point to pipe in.


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## Lefty375 (Apr 19, 2015)

Ranger Psych said:


> SF's a military element that I basically didn't interact with much/at all while in the army. There's guys here who were/are SF that are better suited to answer that question, and I'm sure they'll come out of the woodline *behind you* at some point to *pipe in*.



I'm terribly sorry to sideline this for a second. I just found this hilarious. I didn't know SF guys were like this, I thought it was just SEAL's.


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## Ronnoc (Apr 19, 2015)

@Rick Rojas, keep in mind the Army ROTC program is going through extremely drastic changes right now, I would be very hesitant, if I were you into contracting into the program until the, "dust settles" on what the program is going to evolve in to (OML changes, new special programs, STEM allocations etc.) It would be a very bad assumption to commit to ROTC thinking MI or IN will be guaranteed, there is a lot of BS between now and then, and they both are extremely competitive; even more so looking at your year group.

I just filled out my branch preference paper work (I'll commission DEC 15'), assuming that aspect stays the same. When you select your branch preferences for example MI, it will prompt a pop-up for detailing, which will then ask you which branch you would be interested detailing in to(IN, FA, CM, AR) I believe those are all of them. So that means you will commission as a 2LT into one of those, "Detail" branches and will then move to MI for the Captain's Career Course. After selecting the branch you would be interested in detailing in to, it will ask if you would like to volunteer to do so, this is a decision that you'll make at the end of your Junior year. Once you can realistically look at your OML ranking and determine if you are qualified to apply for straight IN or MI, which means you would not volunteer for a detail. If branching straight MI is something you're interested in or IN, I would advise you to commit to achieving the following; 3.90+ GPA, ROTC class rank of top 3, volunteer for a language course(CULP/Project GO), 300 APFT, STEM major, high scores on standardized tests etc. 

Now let's say you achieve all of this and choose to not volunteer for a branch detail and request straight MI, there is still a chance you will get A) forced detailed into one of the other detail branches, B) forced into a completely different branch. It is also important to remember an Officer's branch is secondary, serving the Army/your soldiers to the best of your ability is priority number one, in whatever capacity the Army decides to slot you.


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## Rick Rojas (Apr 19, 2015)

@Ranger Psych @lucky l3fty I totally just busted out laughing and ended up waking up my SL, that was a perfect pun lol

@Ronnoc Congrats on the commission! I would actually LOVE to detail IN, FM, AR and CM (in that order) then go MI CCC. With my current timeline I won't even be able to talk to a guard liaison in the ROTC program until the last couple months of the year so i really hope they get it together by then. Currently I am 3+ in all categories in spanish and scored a 90 on the DLAB ( Tracking room for improvement but can't take it again until AUG). GPA and PT have plenty of room for improvement but i am 100% dedicated and with the help of my wife I am sure it can be achieved and of course I am perfectly willing to serve my country in whatever means it needs me, I just hope that my handwork will pay off and allow me to become a more elite soldier whether NCO or Officer

I just want to say again how thankful I am for all the guidance and positivity that you guys have provided, it may not seem like much but its helping me gain a step or two in the right direction.


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## Ranger Psych (Apr 19, 2015)

lucky l3fty said:


> I'm terribly sorry to sideline this for a second. I just found this hilarious. I didn't know SF guys were like this, I thought it was just SEAL's.


dirty dirty ragnar mind


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## MCH75 (Apr 25, 2015)

After RIP I was assigned to RSTB MICO as enlisted.

1. RASP-2 certainly
2. You will almost certainly have a deployment or other conventional experience where you distinguished yourself before you are considered for RASP-2, I never saw a 2LT  at bat.
3. I can't give too much on the structure and nature of duty on here. 
a) It is a lot of responsibility and you will be ridden a lot to perform. 
b) You will have the opportunity to make real decisions that have major impacts on the enemy. 
c) You will have a lot of contact with the enlisted and they will be looking to you for guidance.


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