Posted on Feb 22, 2015
SFC Cryptologic Network Warfare Specialist
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Once upon a time, not so long ago, one of my fellow Soldiers mentioned it a few times about Sapper school being harder than Ranger's.

What's your thought on this?
Posted in these groups: Leadership RangerA02453 large1 Sapper
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Responses: 12
SFC (Non-Rated)
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Having to have gone to both and successfully have earned both tabs my opinion is each school had its own "degree of suck". Granted Ranger School was a marathon focusing on mainly ones own people skills and the mental toughness to not quit Sapper being the sprint is a "fire hose" of information being given in a short period of time and being able to retain whats being taught and applying it to combat situations.....In all both schools have earned my respect and im proud to wear both tabs
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MAJ Contracting Officer
MAJ (Join to see)
9 y
I've heard Sapper is more challenging from a mental, intelligence point as demolition calculations seem to fail some of the individuals. From a physical standpoint I can't see how Sapper could compare to ranger provided the length of the courses. SFC (Join to see) what are your thoughts?
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SFC (Non-Rated)
SFC (Join to see)
9 y
I could see your view Sir but what would you rather have a "strong DUMB ranger" or both a "SMART STRONG ranger". The point I'm trying to make is this, Ranger is only more physical due to the duration of the course. For those of us who've been to Ranger School we all know the missions we were given weren't very complex challenging yes but NOT complex. At Sapper School the variety of missions your given aren't something your PLT or SQD train for on a day to day basis so its strictly up to you to be successful at something your not familiar/comfortable with doing in which your leadership ability is exposed.
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SPC Bridge Crewmember
SPC (Join to see)
>1 y
You did not answer the question.
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1SG 1st Sergeant
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Okay. So I have the privilege of having been a sapper instructor, who is ranger tabbed, and I also got to teach at PreRanger in Hawaii, so I may have a good grasp on this. Sapper is the smart sprint, and we have failed those who have passed Ranger a few times. It is also much smaller, usually 40 students a class at 15 classes a year. You are constantly learning new things in Sapper School. For some this is challenging and to others, impossible. Ranger is a dumb marathon. You learn infantry tactics, Raid Recon and Ambush, and how much suck you can endure on a "holy hell, this is retarded, I just want to sleep / eat" level. It is more taxing on the body due to its length, 62 days. Sapper is only 28. Sapper is intense nearly every day, whereas Ranger, I do recall standing on rocks just wishing I could eat or sleep often. Ranger also has about 10 classes a year but graduates around a hundred each class. My class had a 182 graduates and the class before had just 85. In Sapper, we would graduate a class of 30, and the next class graduate a class of 6. My last class we graduated 1 student out of 48. How hard is each school? Depends on the person attending.
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MSG David Johnson
MSG David Johnson
7 y
Our instructors at Sapper Leader Course in '87, said maybe a half dozen of us would have made it through the Ranger course too.
It's good to hear from an instructor on here.
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SFC Combat Engineer
SFC (Join to see)
6 y
When I was in Sapper School in 2010 I failed land nav the first time...as a really inexperienced Buck Sgt...Made me feel better that a Delta CSM was going through the course at the same time and he failed the Land Nav course as well, he said it was one of the hardest Land Nav courses he had done. Now I'm not sure if he was just saying, or if he actually felt it was extremely difficult...dude was a beast for being ver 40 then. Me and him were the only two to climb the wall...in the rain. Sappers forward!
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SFC Michael Hasbun
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Well, I can say I've seen tons of Ranger tabs walking around, and maybe a handful of Sapper tabs...
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1SG 1st Sergeant
1SG (Join to see)
7 y
That is because of quantity. Ranger has nearly 400 students show up day one with nearly a 25% grad rate. Sapper only has 40 students show up because it is a small course. I should know, I was a sapper instructor.
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MSG David Johnson
MSG David Johnson
7 y
We had 33 go to the course with 16 graduate.
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MAJ Infantry Officer
MAJ (Join to see)
6 y
Question how many people do you see attend Sapper outside of the rank requirements. I ask because as an Infantry O-4 I may be attending the course soon? I’d like to pick your brain a little as a former instructor of the course if you have the time. Thanks
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1SG 1st Sergeant
1SG (Join to see)
6 y
Pick away. I’m currently a 1SG at Campbell. [login to see] . You will need to justify why you have to go to get a rank and MOS waiver approved
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