Ranger School is often called a leadership course but much of it revolves around Infantry tasks. For those coming from an Infantry background, it builds on what they already know, including tactics, equipment, RTTs, field time, and the daily grind of life. Infantrymen are used to the daily challenges and mental strain, which can prepare them well for Ranger.
If you are coming from a non-Infantry or non-Army background, you are at a disadvantage. But it is a disadvantage you can overcome. Hundreds do it every year. It just means you need to be deliberate in your preparation. Below are key areas you should focus on, in addition to the obvious physical preparation that should already be part of your plan.
Where To Focus Your Ranger Prep:
1 - Master the RTTs
Ranger Tactical Tasks are a series of equipment-based tests conducted during the first week of Ranger School (RAP week). Although you can no longer get dropped for failing to pass this series of tests, this standard occasionally changes, and it can become droppable. Regardless of that, these are skills you should have as a Ranger candidate, and skills that will help you be a useful team player. It'll also increase your confidence knowing the equipment you'll use at School. Learn more about RTTs here.
RTTs have equipment you likely have not worked with before, and once you are at Ranger, no one will care that it is new to you. They will just expect you to handle it. Find a way to get hands-on. Visit a sister unit or get into a Pre-Ranger program where you can practice.
2 - Understand Basic Infantry Tactics
You do not need to show up as a master tactician, but you do need a baseline. Learn how an Infantry platoon is structured, who does what in leadership and follower roles, and the basics of raids and ambushes. Having this foundational knowledge will make everything feel less overwhelming when you are thrown into it.
At school, you will be taught more about these topics and get plenty of practical exercises. You will also see firsthand exactly how your instructors would like to see these executed.
3 - Mentally Prepare For What's Ahead
If you have never spent much time in the field, or if your version of “roughing it” is a cot indoors, you need to mentally prepare yourself for what is ahead. Ranger will challenge you, push you, and break down your comfort zone. If you wait to confront that until you are already there, it will hit hard. Start now by embracing discomfort and making mental toughness a daily habit.
A great way to make mental toughness a daily habit is to mentally grind through your workouts. You will be doing challenging training during your Ranger prep. Not quitting or giving up during those is a great way to build that mental habit. If you think you can go from slacker to suddenly being mentally tough when you get to Ranger, you are in for a rude awakening.
4 - Establish a Firm Grasp on Mission Planning
If you are an officer or senior NCO, you will likely hold graded leadership positions where you are responsible for planning. You need to understand the big picture. Study the Troop Leading Procedures (TLPs), review Chapter 2 of the Ranger Handbook, and get a grip on the OPORD format. If you want a detailed, Ranger-specific dive, check out our OPORD Blue Book.
If you are lower enlisted, just show up knowing what the TLPs and OPORD are generally, but don't spend additional time trying to figure it out. At Ranger School, you are very unlikely to lead this process. Instead, you will support this process and you will learn how you can best do this once you are at School.
5 - Seek Help
Throughout your prep, remain humble and willing to learn. One of the best resources is someone with a similar background to you who can chat with you about Ranger. If someone in your unit went to Ranger School, talk to them. See what they know, what worked, what didn’t, and how they can support you.
Pre-Ranger:
Because of the steeper learning curve, attending a Pre-Ranger program is often recommended for those from non-Infantry or non-Army backgrounds. Whether it is RTAC, your division’s Pre-Ranger course, or something less formal, these programs, while tough, can help you close the gap before you hit Ranger School.
If you are unfamiliar, Pre-Ranger is a course or program that is run before students attend Ranger School. Many different Pre-Ranger courses exist across the Army - it is not as centralized as Ranger School. Some Army Divisions, like the 82nd Airborne, have a large and well-organized Pre-Ranger Program (they call it Small Unit Ranger Training - SURT) that helps validate students’ readiness, and further prepare them for Ranger. These courses are physically and mentally challenging, and help develop soldiers in their own right. But coming from a non-Infantry background, these can be beneficial to you for your prep.
Building Confidence:
Lastly, remember: thousands pass Ranger School every year, and many come from non-Infantry or even non-Army backgrounds. Why not you? There is no excuse for falling short on the physical preparation, because that is fully within your control. Beyond that, use the four points above to close the gaps where you might be less familiar.
If you need support with your physical and mental prep, learn more about preparing with Blue / Green. Regardless of what you do, if earning your tab matters to you, put in the work and make it happen.
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