Posted on Apr 21, 2015
After the first day of Ranger School, only 3 women failed the PT test, 16 remain. Great job! Do the naysayers still doubt them?
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Well, I for one have never been a naysayer on this issue. Quite the opposite --- I wish them all the best in this challenging endeavor. That said, I think it might be a bit premature to be doing a "happy dance" ... after all, it was just "the first day of Ranger school" and it was just a "PT test" ...
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1SG Harold Piet
Did they have the same standards as the males? or was it the normal, 60% that woman are normally required to do. If they have the same standards and they make , My hats off to them, If they make it on different standards than the men, They are not fit to wear the tab.
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SSG Kenneth Lanning
1SG Harold Piet I fully agree...and personally if I were female I can't imagine myself being successful in meeting the standard while the bar is lowered to do so.
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MAJ (Join to see)
So excellent points about students should be fully prepared for the APFT. The APFT has some added stress. No day zero, so you show up very early with your gear. You go well beyond breaking the plan. Etc etc. I went to Ranger School in 2004 with a pre-Ranger APFT score of 362 but didn't max at the school.
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SFC (Join to see)
Men and women are both required to achieve 49 pushups, 59 situps, and 5 mile run in 40 minutes or less. Sounds easy right? Not really, if you go there only being able to do 50-60 pushups, then you're probably not making it. Sit-ups are easy enough. The run is a pain, as the route isn't easy. The harder you make it on yourself at home, the better chance you'll have at school. That's just my opinion though. I have the utmost respect for those women even making it this far. If they can make it then there is no reason why it shouldn't be open to women. My only concern is if none of them make it all the way through, and the Army caves into lowering the standards later. The Army seems to have knee-jerk reactions like that.
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This isn't news and the article is much more sexist than it intended to be. The entire point of this exercise is to promote equality between male and female soldiers. Claiming 16 of 19 female soldiers made it past day one is like patting a driver on the back for doing one lap of the Indy 500: that's the bare minimum and is expected. I'm actually surprised even 3 failed. Not sure why you would show up if you couldn't pass. Newsflash, 302 male soldiers pass the PT test. And...so what? Save the congratulations for those who actually complete the course and don't blow one thing on the first day out of proportion. You're basically saying to them, "Hey, that's pretty good...for a girl." Anyone can pass a PT test on any given day but if any of the 16 remaining can meet the challenges and exceed the standards for the next 60 days, then you'll have your story.
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PO1 Rexford Dundon
ok, what standard are they using, is it the Ranger standard, or are they using the US Army's female PFT standards? If they are using the Ranger standard, the minimum standards are higher than almost all the perfect scores for women age 17-19..
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MAJ (Join to see)
1SG Michael Bonnett PO1 Rexford Dundon Can't we move past the "standards" questions? Read a little bit on this topic: all Ranger candidates are being evaluated against the same standards. @SGT Jason Miller Just note the Ranger PT test isn't a real APFT. One's ability to pass the APFT is essentially meaningless for the Ranger PT test.
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1SG Michael Bonnett
The only test that matters is the one ISIS and the Taliban will provide.
Failure does not allow retest and will affect more than just the one who fails to measure up...
Play politics somewhere else.
I do not want some good troops dying trying to take care of a weak link forced on a team and that is where this is leading...
Failure does not allow retest and will affect more than just the one who fails to measure up...
Play politics somewhere else.
I do not want some good troops dying trying to take care of a weak link forced on a team and that is where this is leading...
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Respond to original question…I really dont have a dog in this race, BUT heres my take on it.
WHO CARES? As far as Im concerned there are 300+ Soldiers(maybe some Marines, AirForce, Navy in this class) thats all I see no gender.
I am an 11B. Ive never gone to Ranger School , but I am a Soldier. This "social experiment" or whatever else they want to call this is getting rather silly. If a SOLDIER can make the prescribed standards so be it.
WHO CARES? As far as Im concerned there are 300+ Soldiers(maybe some Marines, AirForce, Navy in this class) thats all I see no gender.
I am an 11B. Ive never gone to Ranger School , but I am a Soldier. This "social experiment" or whatever else they want to call this is getting rather silly. If a SOLDIER can make the prescribed standards so be it.
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SSG (Join to see)
Pretty much my sentiment. Good for them to get past the first test, but this doesn't mean we should have a parade.
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SFC James Barnes
That's the problem 1SG. The " Us verses them" is kind of demeaning this process. I could give two shakes if its a male or female. If and when they pass as long as they are held to the same standards they will be rangers otherwise this is an exercise in who can get pretty Tabs. This is one of the main problems I have run into in many facets of our army that gender plays a role in being a soldier. If you want to be a combat MOS soldier here is the standard meet it or find another thing to do.
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