Tab or Scroll – What Makes a Ranger?

It all comes down to being committed to your organization and committing to the values of the Ranger Creed. I spent a year in Ranger Regt. I arrived tabbed SSG, and it was obvious that I was different than the home grown 'Batt Boys' and was referred to as an import. The way I saw it at the time, being tabbed and not in Regiment was like being airborne and never being in an airborne unit. After I left Regiment for flight school I've found that whenever I run into tabbed aviators there is a camaraderie there because of a shared experience. You know something about each other. Being part of the Ranger Regt. is a HUGE accomplishment, and so is attending the Ranger School and being awarded your tab. Remember, however, neither Maj. Robert Rogers nor Col. Darby had a Ranger tab. If we can understand the differences in culture between being a school trained Ranger leader and being a member of the Ranger Regiment, we can honor both with pride.

Ranger School is a leadership school. Ranger Regiment is a way of life. I'm not sure someone can answer this without both serving in Ranger Regiment and graduating Ranger School. I considered myself a Ranger upon graduating RIP in 1993. I considered myself a leader after graduating Ranger School in 1994.

A Ranger is someone who is a member of a Ranger battalion. A Ranger qualified soldier wears the tab.