Expert: Cynthia Bedell - 2/17/2005

Question
My student, Jake, is required to do an interview as part of his independent study project on Army Rangers. I would appreciate it if you could briefly answer his questions.Thanks!
Interview Questions about Army Rangers
By Jake Pieper

1.What do you think is the Army Ranger's favorite time of day?

2.What do you think the Army Ranger's main piece of gear is?

3.What do Army Rangers wear?

4.What are Army Ranger's survival skills?

5.What is an Army Ranger's training like?

6.Are there different types of Army Rangers?

7.What other armed forces do Army Rangers fight with?

8.Do Army Rangers have anything to help them know where they are?

9.What is a usual day for an Army Ranger like?

10. How did you learn about Army Rangers?


Answer
Dear Jake --

I must caveat my answers by saying, I am not and never will be an Army Ranger as women are not allowed to be Rangers.  All my responses as to what they might like is supposition on my part, from hearsay and rangers I have known.

For more detailed answers to all your questions please visit the Ranger training Brigade's homepage:

http://www.benning.army.mil/rtb/rtbmain.asp

1.What do you think is the Army Ranger's favorite time of day?  I think like most Soldiers, Rangers look forward to meal time, or rest time after a mission.

2.What do you think the Army Ranger's main piece of gear is?  His weapon.

3.What do Army Rangers wear?  Rangers wear the US Army uniform appropriate for the environment in which they are operating.

4.What are Army Ranger's survival skills?
Rangers are trained to operate in all environments, temperate, desert, mountain and tropical.  They know how to live off the land when necessary.

5.What is an Army Ranger's training like?
Ranger training takes 9 weeks during which they must navigate, survive, and conduct clandestine combat missions in mountains, deserts, swamps, and temperate terrain.

6.Are there different types of Army Rangers?

All Rangers go through the same training.  Rangers have different ranks based on normal military hierarchy.  

7.What other armed forces do Army Rangers fight with?
Rangers will fight with any joint combat unit as required by the mission.  That includes but is not limited to regular Army, Marines, Navy Seals, Special Operations teams and foreign nation Special Operations teams.

8.Do Army Rangers have anything to help them know where they are?  Rangers can navigate from terrain features and maps.  Today they may use some variation of the global positioning system, but they can operate without GPS anywhere in the world.

9.What is a usual day for an Army Ranger like?

Currently there is no typical day for a Ranger.  The units at war have different challenges every day.  The units in the States are training to be ready for their next tour in combat operations.

Please visit this site to explore more about what a Ranger unit does for training and operations.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Army_Rangers

10. How did you learn about Army Rangers?

I learned about Rangers 28 years ago as an Reserve Officer's Training Corps (ROTC) Cadet going through my initial officer training.  

Good luck with your research.