Army Ranger School, established in September 1950 at Fort Benning, Georgia, is widely recognized as the U.S. Army's premier leadership course. It is a mentally and physically challenging 62-day course that develops functional skills related to close combat and direct-fire battle. The program aims to push soldiers to their limits by emphasizing small unit tactics and leadership skills under extreme conditions. Ranger School is open to all military occupational specialties, not just those in infantry roles, and even allows other branches and international forces to attend.
The course is divided into three phases: Benning, Mountain, and Swamp, following a "crawl, walk, run" training method. These phases are designed to assess a soldier’s physical stamina and mental toughness, providing instruction on military mountaineering, mobility training, waterborne operations, and survival skills. Throughout the course, students face sleep deprivation, operating on less than four hours of sleep a night, and consume approximately 2,200 calories a day, far less than what they expend. Participants engage in demanding combat scenarios, including airborne operations, air assaults, boat movements, ruck marches exceeding 12 miles, and river crossings. Historically, only a small percentage of candidates complete the course without having to repeat a phase, with roughly 30-50% earning the Ranger Tab. Completion of Ranger School is often a requirement for soldiers aspiring to join the 75th Ranger Regiment.
