Ranger culture question

[carlo amedio]

What is the general attitude the ranger regiment has on being a quiet professional? A while ago I read the book violence of action and I recall a story in which a private was RFSed from the 75th for calling a friend and bragging about how his platoon had just aided in repelling an attack. This got me thinking about how [Name auto-filtered; he is not welcome here] wrote in one of his books that most SOF guys won't tell anyone what they do because it "makes them feel cool". are rangers allowed to tell others what they do? how often is this enforced?

 

[carlo amedio]

"name auto-filtered; he is not welcome here"? now I have more questions.

 

[Ranger Psych]

Our missions and jobs are made public, as higher command sees fit. It is not our job or place to talk about things without getting approval for disclosure, as all the reputable books have been.

 

[TLDR20]

[Name auto-filtered; he is not welcome here]

 

[AWP]

"name auto-filtered; he is not welcome here"? now I have more questions.

And those will not be answered here. He is filtered for a reason and that's it.

 

[carlo amedio]

Our missions and jobs are made public, as higher command sees fit. It is not our job or place to talk about things without getting approval for disclosure, as all the reputable books have been.

Thank you for the answer, but how far does this extend? Are rangers allowed to tell people that they are rangers?

 

[TLDR20]

Thank you for the answer, but how far does this extend? Are rangers allowed to tell people that they are rangers?

Lol yes dude.

 

[TLDR20]

Rangers are infantrymen. While they have a specialized selection and it is a SOF unit, they are infantryman, mortarmen, and other support jobs. Maybe in one company they have a job that would keep them from advertising where they work, it isn't that important. To be honest, almost anyone in the military can say where they work. Even a guy in those other places can say where they work...

 

[medicchick]

There is a difference between telling someone about your job and giving details about specific missions/events.

 

[carlo amedio]

Lol yes dude.

lol thanks, I know that was a pretty extreme jump, but when I read Chris kyles book he told people he drove an ice cream truck for a living. I would venture to guess this had more to do with avoiding follow-up questions than breaking any rules?

 

[carlo amedio]

There is a difference between telling someone about your job and giving details about specific missions/events.

ok, that makes sense

 

[TLDR20]

lol thanks, I know that was a pretty extreme jump, but when I read Chris kyles book he told people he drove an ice cream truck for a living. I would venture to guess this had more to do with avoiding follow-up questions than breaking any rules?

Yeah well that is a typical gay ass SEAL response. SEALs tend to think being a quiet professional means lying to everyone about what you do, while doing it, then writing books when you are done.

 

[benroliver]

Yeah well that is a typical gay ass SEAL response. SEALs tend to think being a quiet professional means lying to everyone about what you do, while doing it, then writing books when you are done.

Savage...Remind me not to get on your bad side

 

[Ranger Psych]

lol thanks, I know that was a pretty extreme jump, but when I read Chris kyles book he told people he drove an ice cream truck for a living. I would venture to guess this had more to do with avoiding follow-up questions than breaking any rules?

Generally speaking, I didn't talk much at random with people about who I was with or what I did, unless they asked. At which point attention starts getting paid, as there's a difference between idle benign interest and focused interest. Of course, not everyone's brilliant and at one point I had a congressional staffer totally buying that during the laser eye surgery I received in-service, I also had an optical nerve interlink surgically installed that allowed direct interface with digital targeting systems like thermal rifle scopes, etc. She was flipping out about it because "that's so cool but my boss is on the national defense comittee how come i never heard of it i'm going to ask about it on monday"

Have fun with that. LOL.

Sometimes it was fun to string along with bullshit, sometimes just being blunt when people were cool and active themselves, sometimes deflecting when there wasn't any necessity to involve my job in the conversation. It's situational.

 

[benroliver]

Generally speaking, I didn't talk much at random with people about who I was with or what I did, unless they asked. At which point attention starts getting paid, as there's a difference between idle benign interest and focused interest. Of course, not everyone's brilliant and at one point I had a congressional staffer totally buying that during the laser eye surgery I received in-service, I also had an optical nerve interlink surgically installed that allowed direct interface with digital targeting systems like thermal rifle scopes, etc. She was flipping out about it because "that's so cool but my boss is on the national defense comittee how come i never heard of it i'm going to ask about it on monday"

Have fun with that. LOL.

Sometimes it was fun to string along with bullshit, sometimes just being blunt when people were cool and active themselves, sometimes deflecting when there wasn't any necessity to involve my job in the conversation. It's situational.

Lol a friend of mine asked me what my goals are when I swore in last week and I said I would love to be a Ranger medic and he goes, " Why would you join the Army to be a Park Ranger, thats a thing?"

 

[Marauder06]

What is the general attitude the ranger regiment has on being a quiet professional? A while ago I read the book violence of action and I recall a story in which a private was RFSed from the 75th for calling a friend and bragging about how his platoon had just aided in repelling an attack. This got me thinking about how [Name auto-filtered; he is not welcome here] wrote in one of his books that most SOF guys won't tell anyone what they do because it "makes them feel cool". are rangers allowed to tell others what they do? how often is this enforced?

I have heard of this book of which you speak. What did you think about it?


"he who shall not be named" is wrong about "most SOF guys won't tell anyone." The evidence is that he wrote about it in the first place, and whatever he wrote was so egregious that we don't even allow his name to be spoken (and to be honest, I don't even know who we're talking about).

I explained the phenomenon of SOF types talking out of school like this: it's no fun to be part of a secret club if no one knows you're in it. And if your whole identity is tied up in that, and there are no real consequences for doing it, why WOULDN'T you be an oath-breaking asshole and write a tell-all book about what you did?

There are very distinct SOF "tribes," and some of them have a more quiet-professional approach than others. It's entirely possible to write a book about what you did in SOF, or even about your unit. You just have to do it the right way and get it cleared by the right people. But most of the people writing are more concerned about making a buck.

 

[carlo amedio]

I have heard of this book of which you speak. What did you think about it?


"he who shall not be named" is wrong about "most SOF guys won't tell anyone." The evidence is that he wrote about it in the first place, and whatever he wrote was so egregious that we don't even allow his name to be spoken (and to be honest, I don't even know who we're talking about).

I explained the phenomenon of SOF types talking out of school like this: it's no fun to be part of a secret club if no one knows you're in it. And if your whole identity is tied up in that, and there are no real consequences for doing it, why WOULDN'T you be an oath-breaking asshole and write a tell-all book about what you did?

There are very distinct SOF "tribes," and some of them have a more quiet-professional approach than others. It's entirely possible to write a book about what you did in SOF, or even about your unit. You just have to do it the right way and get it cleared by the right people. But most of the people writing are more concerned about making a buck.

Well, I loved Violence of Action and thought it was an excellent book showing the progression of the 75th. the best chapter IMO was "into the water" because it showed how the regiment went from making BPs to operating side by side with DEVGRU.

Thanks for taking the time to reply, and as for the guy I guess I'm not allowed to talk about, I was really under the impression he was highly respected in the special ops community, and I would guess it was something else he did that got him auto-filtered. I would say why, but after AWP 's reply, I think it's best to stifle my curiosity.

 

[carlo amedio]

Lol a friend of mine asked me what my goals are when I swore in last week and I said I would love to be a Ranger medic and he goes, " Why would you join the Army to be a Park Ranger, thats a thing?"

I told a guy I used to be friends with I was trying to become a Ranger when I ran into him a while back and he said "oh so do you wanna work at Yosemite or a local park" so I said "no, Army Rangers" and he said "that's awesome, I think I've heard of them, I didn't know the army did park security"
You can probably see why I stopped hanging out with this guy...

 

[Centermass]

@carlo amedio

Stop stop stop....just stop.

Let me ask you a question:

When was the last time you went and did PT?

Do you know the exact standards for doing a correct sit up or push up?

How many pull ups can you do CORRECTLY ?

What exactly did you do for PT?

What exactly are you doing to better yourself physically?

Have you learned the Ranger Creed?

Have you memorized it completely?

Do you know your Ranger History? And if so, how well?

History of the Regiment? And if so, how well?

Do you have a copy of the Ranger Handbook?

Have you even looked at one or what's in it?

Have you memorized Major Roger's Standing Orders?


This isn't even the half of it. The points I'm making is according to your intro, you want an Option 40, correct?

You want the Brass Ring. Something that will be the hardest and cruelest thing you have ever done, to yourself, mind and body.

Spend more time reading, learning, practicing and applying yourself and making proper use of time management to do everything you can to prepare. You will never be prepared enough once and if you ever reach the pavement at RASP. You will hit the ground running. Guys all around you will start falling by the wayside.

Will you be that guy? Or will you be that guy that has done his homework, and everything within his power to make it all the way through, from beginning until.......

This is just food for thought. You need to do a serious self assessment of where you're at and where you want to be. And just how bad you want to succeed.

No need to answer each question here.

Just a simple "Roger that" will do.

 

[Marauder06]

Well, I loved Violence of Action and thought it was an excellent book showing the progression of the 75th. the best chapter IMO was "into the water" because it showed how the regiment went from making BPs to operating side by side with DEVGRU.

Thanks for taking the time to reply, and as for the guy I guess I'm not allowed to talk about, I was really under the impression he was highly respected in the special ops community, and I would guess it was something else he did that got him auto-filtered. I would say why, but after AWP 's reply, I think it's best to stifle my curiosity.

Well, I'm pretty sure that the best parts were "Of Mottoes and Men" and "Swan Song," but that's just my unbiased opinion. Right @NomadicWriter ?