THE FOUNDATION OF THE RANGER PROGRAM

RANGER TRAINING AT FORT BENNING, GEORGIA, BEGAN IN SEPTEMBER 1950 DURING THE KOREAN WAR WITH THE FORMATION AND TRAINING OF 17 AIRBORNE RANGER COMPANIES BY THE RANGER TRAINING COMMAND.  IN OCTOBER 1951 THE COMMANDANT OF THE U S ARMY INFANTRY SCHOOL ESTABLISHED THE RANGER DEPARTMENT AND EXTENDED RANGER TRAINING TO ALL COMBAT UNITS IN THE ARMY.  THE FIRST RANGER CLASS FOR INDIVIDUAL CANDIDATES GRADUATED ON 1 MARCH 1952.  ON 1 NOVEMBER 1987 THE RANGER DEPARTMENT REORGANIZED INTO THE RANGER TRAINING BRIGADE, AND ESTABLISHED THREE RANGER TRAINING BATTALIONS.

MISSION

CONDUCT RANGER AND LONG RANGE SURVEILLANCE LEADER COURSES TO FURTHER DEVELOP THE LEADERSHIP AND THE COMBAT FUNCTIONAL SKILLS OF THE SOLDIER  BY REQUIRING THEM TO PERFORM INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE TASKS AND MISSIONS IN TACTICALLY REALISTIC  ENVIRONMENTS UNDER MENTAL AND  PHYSICAL STRESSES THAT APPROACH THOSE FOUND IN COMBAT.
 

PURPOSE

DEVELOP THE COMBAT  SKILLS OF OFFICERS AND ENLISTED VOLUNTEERS ELIGIBLE FOR ASSIGNMENT TO UNITS WHOSE PRIMARY MISSION IS TO ENGAGE IN CLOSE-COMBAT, DIRECT FIRE BATTLE.
 

ENDSTATE

CONFIDENT
MILITARY  LEADER

PHYSICALLY FIT

INTREGAL PART OF THE COMBAT TEAM

“THE RANGERS WOULD JUDGE MEN BY WHAT THEY COULD DO, AND NOT BY THEIR  RANK OR THE SHAPE OF THEIR FACES OR THE COLOR OF THEIR HAIR.  WHAT THEY  WOULD DO WOULD BE TOUGH, NO OUTFIT WOULD HAVE IT TOUGHER.  THEY WOULD  SPEARHEAD ACTIONS: THERE WOULD BE NO ONE AHEAD OF THEM BUT THE ENEMY.”

                                                                         BRIGADIER GENERAL
                                                                           WILLIAM O. DARBY