Posted on Dec 26, 2020
What is the best way to prep for IBOLC and Ranger?
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I recently branched AD Infantry. I am in already in good physical shape and can run the <40 5 miles. I was wondering how do I prepare for the academic side and which FMs I should browse. I am also female and was wondering if that made a difference.
Infantry Basic Officer Leader Course (IBOLC)
Ranger
Fort Moore
Posted 4 y ago
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There is no female standard, all the standards are the same. But as a female you're at a higher risk for stress fractures in the femur and hip area so start rucking heavy as far out as possible and load up on calcium. The idea is to build your bones up as much as possible because your body will start eating your fat, muscle, and bone when you go into starvation mode. Think, female athlete triad, at its most extreme for at least two month, longer if you recycle.
The ARTB website has the skill level one tasks you'll be tested on in RAP week. Study those because if you don't pass RAP week, you don't get in. Statistically, most failures happen at that point.
Rucking... You need to be able to do the EIB standard ruck. But it will be in sand and you'll have two hours of sleep. There are gates they close at certain periods so you have to keep ahead of the pace, you can't fall back and catch up later. You should be walking at a 12 min mile pace normally if you want to pass. Same thing for the 5 mile run. It's down hill then back up and you'll be on zero sleep and very little food. You need to be able to pass your 5 mile at around 35 minutes or less normally.
Ruck heavy and start now. You don't have to walk fast but there are days where you'll be carrying 120 pounds all day, up the side of mountains and through swamps with mud that goes up past your boots. In practicing rucking heavy you're trying to develop your tendons and ligaments, not your muscles. Don't go up more than 10% in weight or distance in a week. Preferably about 10% a month. I would recommend that you're rucking at least once a week with at least 65 pounds every week, for six months before your ligaments are ready for Ranger school..
Academically, as an officer you're going to be familiar with OPORDS by the time you get to Ranger school. About the only academic thing that might help is if you can call for fire. Everything else is in your Ranger handbook which is physically on you at all times.
The ARTB website has the skill level one tasks you'll be tested on in RAP week. Study those because if you don't pass RAP week, you don't get in. Statistically, most failures happen at that point.
Rucking... You need to be able to do the EIB standard ruck. But it will be in sand and you'll have two hours of sleep. There are gates they close at certain periods so you have to keep ahead of the pace, you can't fall back and catch up later. You should be walking at a 12 min mile pace normally if you want to pass. Same thing for the 5 mile run. It's down hill then back up and you'll be on zero sleep and very little food. You need to be able to pass your 5 mile at around 35 minutes or less normally.
Ruck heavy and start now. You don't have to walk fast but there are days where you'll be carrying 120 pounds all day, up the side of mountains and through swamps with mud that goes up past your boots. In practicing rucking heavy you're trying to develop your tendons and ligaments, not your muscles. Don't go up more than 10% in weight or distance in a week. Preferably about 10% a month. I would recommend that you're rucking at least once a week with at least 65 pounds every week, for six months before your ligaments are ready for Ranger school..
Academically, as an officer you're going to be familiar with OPORDS by the time you get to Ranger school. About the only academic thing that might help is if you can call for fire. Everything else is in your Ranger handbook which is physically on you at all times.
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CPT Lawrence Cable
To expand on the first part, considering that it's been more than a few years since I went though what was then IOBC, but it still basically the same school. Be able to pass the ACFT with better that minimum scores when you walk in the door. There is a 12 mile ruck and a 5 mile run in your basic course also, so take SFC Boyd's advice and start rucking and running early. Academically, it's fast paced, but if you read the assigned sections, it shouldn't be a big deal. You can google the school's site and it lays out the schedule and requirements very well. Just as a note, the PT will be designed to get you past RAP week for Ranger School, although not every officer will get slotted from school.
Now the voice of reality. Infantry is a physically brutal job where you will be judged by your ability to compete with the most macho section of the Army. Soldiers get hurt all of the time and physiology indicates that female soldiers get hurt and at a significantly higher rate. Training can reduce the risk, but that risk will always be higher. Be prepared for the "talking shit" that is almost a way of life for grunts. You want these guys (not gender specific) to follow you, you need to be able to perform better than the average level of your platoon.
Last advice is to listen to your Platoon Sergeant, and pray you get a good one. He's been around a lot longer than you, knows the troops and the mission. You still are the one in command and it's your decisions, but if you go against the advice of the Platoon Sergeant, you need to be right. Learn all the jobs in your platoon. You don't need to be an expert, but you need to know enough to see that it's being done correctly. Remember that if it isn't inspected, it didn't get done. Be the first in line at PT and last in the chow line. You can't lead from the rear.
Now the voice of reality. Infantry is a physically brutal job where you will be judged by your ability to compete with the most macho section of the Army. Soldiers get hurt all of the time and physiology indicates that female soldiers get hurt and at a significantly higher rate. Training can reduce the risk, but that risk will always be higher. Be prepared for the "talking shit" that is almost a way of life for grunts. You want these guys (not gender specific) to follow you, you need to be able to perform better than the average level of your platoon.
Last advice is to listen to your Platoon Sergeant, and pray you get a good one. He's been around a lot longer than you, knows the troops and the mission. You still are the one in command and it's your decisions, but if you go against the advice of the Platoon Sergeant, you need to be right. Learn all the jobs in your platoon. You don't need to be an expert, but you need to know enough to see that it's being done correctly. Remember that if it isn't inspected, it didn't get done. Be the first in line at PT and last in the chow line. You can't lead from the rear.
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Get yourself a Ranger Handbook. Thats the publication you'll be living by in school.
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You will have classes on everything you are expected to do at Ranger school, but you will be receiving those classes on 1-2 hours of sleep each night. The majority of your mental stamina in the classes will be spent just trying to stay awake. KNOW THE RANGER HANDBOOK BEFOREHAND!
If you have the option, go through the Warrior Training Center (WTC) Ranger Training Assessment Course (RTAC), or a similar post/unit pre-Ranger course. When I went through RTAC, the cadre said students that passed RTAC had an 86% pass rate for Benning phase of Ranger school. This first phase is typically where you see the most attrition, so clearing that hurdle will ultimately set you up for success.
If you have the option, go through the Warrior Training Center (WTC) Ranger Training Assessment Course (RTAC), or a similar post/unit pre-Ranger course. When I went through RTAC, the cadre said students that passed RTAC had an 86% pass rate for Benning phase of Ranger school. This first phase is typically where you see the most attrition, so clearing that hurdle will ultimately set you up for success.
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