# Ranger school before SFAS?



## Zulien (Jun 19, 2019)

Gents, title says it all. 

Physically preparing myself to tryout for my state's SFRE. My new 1SG is a former Batt boy and wants to send more guys to Ranger school.

I have done some research on opinions over this and I've found two main camps of thought.

1) Focus on getting to SFAS. SUT will teach you what you need to know

2) Don't give up a slot or think Ranger school will set you back

I do want to attend Ranger school before I hang the boots up for good. Whether that's while on a team or as a grunt. 

Always seeking more wisdom, thank you.


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## DZ (Jun 19, 2019)

Do you have a slot to pre-Ranger/Ranger right now? When do you plan on attending SFRE? What state are you trying out in?


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## Zulien (Jun 19, 2019)

DeadZeppelin said:


> Do you have a slot to pre-Ranger/Ranger right now? When do you plan on attending SFRE? What state are you trying out in?



There is a tentative list right now of 5 available slots for the April class. Only 2 in the entire company have shown interest so far. So nothing etched in stone

My intent is to attend SFRE after Spring of 2021. Reason being is I will have completed my 4th year of my apprenticeship (5 year program). From what I have been told, soldiers are typically on the team for a year. If that is the case, I would be wrapping up my apprenticeship so I can square away my civilian career. 

Rhode Island 

Thank you for the reply


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## DZ (Jun 19, 2019)

If you have that much time before you're planning on going to an SFRE, then I'd definitely try and get Ranger school knocked out in the mean time. SUT is being changed to 1 week (eye roll), so being Ranger qual'd would give you a big leg up.

Also, if you ever make it to a team, it's hard to slice off enough time to do Ranger school depending on your team, upcoming deployments, etc.


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## Zulien (Jun 19, 2019)

Thank you for the advice! 

And SUT is 1 week now? One? Seven days!?


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## DZ (Jun 20, 2019)

Zulien said:


> Thank you for the advice!
> 
> And SUT is 1 week now? One? Seven days!?


The course is changing this month. There is a new tactics portion that is 6 weeks, but supposedly only one week of that covers SUT. You can read about it in some other threads on this site.


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## Zulien (Jun 20, 2019)

I'll employ the search button

I absolutely want to go Ranger first then, don't want to miss out on anything. Appreciate the advice, I think that has cemented my goals


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## Diamondback 2/2 (Jun 20, 2019)

Never pass up a Ranger school slot in the guard...


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## Brill (Jun 20, 2019)

Diamondback 2/2 said:


> Never pass up a Ranger school slot in the guard...



And once given coveted slot, “don’t fuck it up”.

(hangs head in shame)


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## 18C4V (Jun 27, 2019)

Do it  now, otherwise you won't have enough time later on once you get to your team with deployments, JCETS, etc.


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## DasBoot (Jun 27, 2019)

You want to go to school? Fuck that noise. I only went because I had to. Did I mention fuck that place? 

In all seriousness jump on it while you can. Make sure they slot you for RTAC or any other pre Ranger if you can get it so you don’t show up totally in the dark.


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## Habibi_mabrook (Aug 26, 2019)

I have read a little bit about Ranger School (not RASP, but the actual Tab-school. I'm sure my lexicon is awful, please bear with me.).  Would you guys say that, due to so many graduates of Ranger School coming out markedly underweight, probably vitamin deficient and likely sleep-deprived (again, my knowledge is minimal, feel free to set me on course) it might actually be detrimental to go even remotely near the time you are set to complete the most grueling (from what I hear) 24 days of your life?  I would think that even being at a point where your calcium levels are depleted would negatively affect the NMDA and Dopamine neurotransmitter balance in your CNS, making for a state of mind that leads to worse than normal decision making and less regulated moods due to the extra GABA1 that would be released by your brain to calm any excitatory hormones.


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## Steve1839 (Aug 26, 2019)

Habibi_mabrook said:


> Would you guys say that, due to so many graduates of Ranger School coming out markedly underweight, probably vitamin deficient and likely sleep-deprived (again, my knowledge is minimal, feel free to set me on course) it might actually be detrimental to go even remotely near the time you are set to complete the most grueling (from what I hear) 24 days of your life?


I was 29 when I finished Ranger School.  I started at 150#, finished at 118#...a month afterwards, I assumed command of an ODA  and began winter warfare training.  I was probably a little puny for a couple weeks immediately after getting back from Fort Benning, but within a month, I was fine.  I concur that Ranger School isn't a good idea with SFAS on the near horizon.  In a perfect world,I'd say 3-6 months between the two might allow for sufficient mental and physical recovery.   Full disclosure, SFAS did not exist when I graduated from training group, although COL Beckwith had patterned Phase 1 of the Q course to be similar to SAS selection.   I can't speak for either SFAS or SAS selection..


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## devilbones (Sep 9, 2019)

lindy said:


> And once given coveted slot, “don’t fuck it up”.
> 
> (hangs head in shame)


Story time?


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## Brill (Sep 9, 2019)

devilbones said:


> Story time?



SPT Co, 2/20th rarely got slots for Ranger (C, 2/20th would grab ‘em). I was in very good shape (lived outside Colorado Springs at 7k so Ft Benning was great!) but was 41 so my stupid plan was to try to conserve as much as possible for future events to stay in the course.

Missed the ruck standard by 90 seconds but still had plenty left in the tank.  I could have gone much faster.  Regardless, I was sent home with guys who VW’d.

Calling back to the unit was hard but explaining why was very difficult.  I totally wasted the slot because I was stupid.


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## Kaldak (Sep 9, 2019)

Like because that was so honest.

Not because of the drop.


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## devilbones (Sep 10, 2019)

lindy said:


> Calling back to the unit was hard but explaining why was very difficult.  I totally wasted the slot because I was stupid.


Oh man.  I dont think I would volunteer and not 41 yet.  I am still trying to get my unit to send me to Airborne, lol.


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## Diamondback 2/2 (Sep 10, 2019)

lindy said:


> SPT Co, 2/20th rarely got slots for Ranger (C, 2/20th would grab ‘em). I was in very good shape (lived outside Colorado Springs at 7k so Ft Benning was great!) but was 41 so my stupid plan was to try to conserve as much as possible for future events to stay in the course.
> 
> Missed the ruck standard by 90 seconds but still had plenty left in the tank.  I could have gone much faster.  Regardless, I was sent home with guys who VW’d.
> 
> Calling back to the unit was hard but explaining why was very difficult.  I totally wasted the slot because I was stupid.



I spent the better part of 6 months getting ready for Ranger school, they ended up giving my slot to a cherry butter bar who VW in phase one. Probably one of my more bitter memories.


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