Ranger History

• The Ranger Department was established in 1951, by the Commandant of the U.S. Army Infantry School. The goal of the department was to further develop skills of the basic infantryman, in order to create a specialized force for fighting. The first candidates graduated in 1952. Thirty-five years later, the department was re-organized, and is now known as Ranger Training Brigade.
  
  

Ranger Training

• Ranger candidates complete three two-month Ranger Training Schools. The three-phase training (crawl, walk, run) requires students to wear 65 lbs. of combat gear while moving through adverse terrain, existing on little or no sleep and consuming no more than two MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) each day. By pushing emotional, mental and physical boundaries, the soldier's endurance builds to a level that far exceeds the average citizen.
  
  

Ranger Graduation Rates

• The average graduation rate since 1951 is 53 percent. In 2009, 46 percent graduated from Ranger Training Brigade. The average size of each class is 290 soldiers, who are typically between the ages of 19 and 27.
  
  

Reconnaissance Training

• Recon soldiers obtain a military occupational specialty of 19D Cavalry Scout through a 16-week training course. They attend One Station Unit Training, which means they'll complete basic training and continue advanced individual training at one location. They may go on to complete Ranger Training, SERE (Survival Evasion, Resistance, Escape) School, or a number of other elite training programs, but such advanced training isn't required.
  
  

Mission of Ranger

• Rangers seek to secure targets, and destroy or capture the enemy. They accomplish their mission by directing heavy and vicious firepower at the enemy in a short time frame, adhering to the manner consistent with the Army term Shock and Awe. Due to their year-round training regime, the Rangers bring to the fight a well-orchestrated delivery of firepower, often using assets from Air Force gunships and Special Operation helicopters to assist in the completion of their missions.
  
  

Mission of Recon Soldier

• Recons are the eyes and ears for Special Forces, who scout the mission's area. They report terrain maneuverability, road conditions and other variables that are difficult to confirm by satellite or camera. They typically are not directly in the fight, and instead operate undetected. Unlike the Ranger, whose job is to get in and out of enemy lines quickly, the Recon team is often behind enemy lines for extended periods of time in isolation from other friendly forces.