What is Needed?

[Carthage]

Afternoon ALCON,
I have been looking around the forum at the questions and threads posed and answered. With the Army shrinking dramatically, and with commissioning three years away (I graduate college in 2017) I know it will be tough to get Active Duty and get a slot for IBOLC; but not impossible. With the eventual goal of serving as a Ranger Officer for the 75th, is there any advice you all could give me so I can succeed at this endeavor? Being a quiet professional, always; treating others as you would be treated, a must; but is there anything I might do to best prepare myself physically? I plan on doing well in the upcoming semester, as close to a 4.00 GPA as possible, max the PT tests, do well at land nav, "hitting the ground running". What have you as Operators (both Officers and Enlisted comments welcome!) found "makes the man" when it comes to SOF Officers?

 

[AWP]

If you're looking for a "path" to the 75th, it doesn't exist...at least not what you can influence now. Killer PT, selected to branch Infantry (not a gimme), and complete Ranger School (also not a gimme).

As for general advice, there are threads in the Leadership and Professional Development area further down in the main forum.

 

[Marauder06]

-generally speaking, you can't go straight to the Ranger Regiment (or any other SOF unit) as an officer
-you don't have to branch Infantry to serve as an officer in the Ranger Regiment (or just about any other SOF unit)
-if you don't even commission until 2017, you really need to concentrate on graduating, getting commissioned, making it through your initial training, and doing well in your first duty station before you start worrying about your chances of getting into the Regiment (or any other SOF unit)
-the same things that would suit you well as a SOF officer are the same things you should be striving for regardless of your unit of assignment- mission accomplishment, care for your troops, high level of physical fitness, a high degree of proficiency at your job, and being a decent human being.

 

[Carthage]

I see, thank you both for the knowledge and advice, I will take it all into consideration.

R/,
Carthage