The Discovery Channel has been doing a series of shows covering the entry level screening and training courses for the American military’s elite units for some time. They’ve already covered BUD\/S, SFAS, Marine Corps Scout\/Sniper School and the Air Force’s PJ and CC selection courses, among others. Inevitably they’d get around to the newly revamped Ranger Assessment and Selection Program, known as RASP. RASP is the initial entry and training course for the 75th Ranger Regiment. The 75th’s three line and one support battalions are the pinnacle light infantry formation in the Army, almost exclusively tasked by, although not part of, the Joint Special Operations Command. You may know a few contributors here who were once part of the 75th.<\/p>\n
The show has been pulled from YouTube and the 75th Facebook page. I haven’t yet seen it but my understanding is that follows the same formula as the other segments still available on Youtube, albeit with one difference: The class followed by the Discovery Channel, 5-12, reached a graduation rate of approximately 80%. Once this uncomfortable reality set in some in the Ranger community were outraged. Traditional graduation rates in RASP hovered between 20-30%. “Jack Murphy” over at SOFRep had an absolute conniption fit <\/a>at this revelation. According to him this signifies a “plummeting” set of standards in the Regiment:<\/p>\n With the Army issuing a press release to announce a new Discovery Channel Special called Hell and Back, Special Ops Ranger, there was one curious factoid published with it that left many of us in the Ranger community taken aback. The documentary follows a class of prospective Rangers through RASP, the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program which is a pre-requisite for serving in the 75th Ranger Regiment. …<\/p>\n Something changed with RASP class 5-12. In the class that the Discovery Channel filmed, 20 RASP students failed Land Nav and still graduated. 7 students were caught drinking and still graduated. A student received 90% negative peer reviews and still graduated. Since class 5-12, graduation rates have continued to be abnormally high with upwards to 130 students graduating per class. I can’t vouch for Mr Murphy’s credentials nor the truth of insider assertions. From the perspective of a Pouge Marine I’d say it’s all pretty out of my lane. I also view his negative view of the Army’s 18-Xray program as unusual. His assertion is that the program was “a failure” while everything I’ve heard has said the opposite. Then again, it’s always hard to decipher what really going on in the Special Forces community. They take the entirety of their “Quiet Professionals” manta pretty damn seriously. <\/p>\n Nonetheless, it will be interesting to see what the Ranger community at large has to say as this unfolds, membership here included.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\nThe Ranger Regiment is known to maintain tough standards in regards to everything from physical appearance, to maintenance of equipment, and most importantly, performance in combat and job competency. These standards are enforced, violators are shown the door and Released For Standards but more critical than that, these non-performers are usually never allowed through the door to begin with, they are weeded out during the selection process which historically only has a 30% graduation rate.
\nThis is why we were shocked when the Army press released stated, \u201c114 Soldiers started Class 5-12; 91 Rangers graduated.\u201d This is a shockingly high graduation rate of about 80% as opposed to the historical 30% that pass RASP and before that RIP. These graduation rates signify is massive drop in the physical and\/or academic standards that RASP students are being held too in order to move on to a Ranger Battalion.<\/p>\n
\nAfter being held accountable to standards and enforcing them as well, these numbers leave many current and former Rangers embarrassed, disgusted, and ashamed.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n