How many schools can someone attend within a 6-12 month span? What insight can you provide on trying to fit in as many as possible?

2023-10-02T09:43:53-04:00

This might be a dumb question so please bare with me as I'm still learning as I go. So I'm interested in attending a few schools, mainly Air Assault, Airborne, Pathfinder, and Ranger school. I have a few questions that encompass this question:

1. Is there a limit on how many schools we can go to within a 6 month - 1 year span?
2. What would be the best ways to prepare for these schools? (I'm already going to the gym twice a day and doing full comprehensive body workouts and personal rucks on certain days, but what else can I do to help me better prepare?)
3. How difficult is it to get into Pathfinder school?
4. Describe generally what Ranger school is like.
5. Can you go to schools successively one after another (For example: Could I go to Airborne, then immediately to Air Assault, then Pathfinder, then Ranger school in rapid succession, over an 8-month span?)

The reason I'm curious about all of this is I'm currently in process of pursuing the Green to Gold Program and attending school for my Master's degree in Computer Science with a focus in AI and Data analytics (I didn't finish my Master's as a civilian unfortunately) in August of 2024, and I'm curious about if this will inhibit me from going to certain schools, or if there is a limit on the amount we can go to.

Response by LTC Eugene Chu made Oct 2 at 2023 10:07 AM

2023-10-02T10:07:14-04:00

You are ambitious, but may be biting off more than you can chew. My thoughts as a Green to Gold officer with airborne badge…

1. Schools are unit dependent. You need to ask chain of command if they have slots and are willing to let you be away for months on end.
2. There are commercial companies that sell workout plans for specific military schools. Check online or talk to recent graduates for expectations of PT standards.
3. As mentioned, schools are unit dependent based on slots and whether chain of command is okay with you being away for months.
4. Go to Fort Moore website or ask recent Ranger School graduates about their experience.
5. Again…unit and chain of command dependent.

Green-to-Gold: Be careful about trying to apply while going through military schools. You need to find and submit lots of paperwork (e.g. transcript, letter of recommendation, medical exam, etc.). If you are not at computer with files because of field time, you are screwing yourself.

If I were you, I would focus on Green to Gold first. You can compete for airborne school while in ROTC. If you commission in combat arms, attending Ranger school is a near guarantee after completing BOLC.

Response by SFC Ralph E Kelley made Oct 2 at 2023 10:21 AM

2023-10-02T10:21:41-04:00

I do not think there's a limit, especially if you go while enroute. Otherwise your commander will decide how many, how often and if you go. Mission-First.
Physically, based on your description, you should be good.
Airborne - Attention to Details, They teach you how to survive first. All the other stuff, with the exception of the the actual jump's "heavy as all 'ell" loadout equipment, is set to get you "qualified alive".
Ranger - Be tactically and technically proficent at tactics but follow my favorite two rules: 1.Don't Quit. 2.Keep Your Sense Of Humor.
Air Assault - Attention to Detail because it only looks simple and your life is your hands once you're on the ropes. They will teach you everything else. Pay attention.
Pathfinder - Now you're planning and performing setup of Airborne, Air Assault, Waterborne (only did three of these, hundreds of the other two) Operations in the a preliminary survey to gain information, especially in an exploratory military survey of landing zones in enemy territory. Again pay attention.

Response by SSG Carlos Madden made Oct 2 at 2023 1:44 PM

2023-10-02T13:44:23-04:00

I can't answer any of them except #1 - I'm pretty sure you can go to as many as you want as long as there are funds to send you. One summer in college I didn't have a summer job so I literally just found any school I could go to, did some magic with the calendar, and went to like 4 schools back to back over a 3-4 month period.

Response by SFC Kelly Fuerhoff made Oct 2 at 2023 2:06 PM

2023-10-02T14:06:29-04:00

It depends on your unit, its mission, how much funds it has for schools, the type of schools, what you do, unit priorities, etc etc. You are not going to all those schools in one year. That's for sure.

Response by 2LT Brian L. made Oct 2 at 2023 2:28 PM

2023-10-02T14:28:58-04:00

Get it all! I think this is outa control ambitious, but I love it... I wish more Soldiers thought like this. I mean with no impact on the mission.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 2 at 2023 3:35 PM

2023-10-02T15:35:06-04:00

Hosetly it's up to your Unit as to how many you can attend because it is ultimately approved by the Unit. Can't tell you much about Ranger school except it's team driven not individual. If you worry only about yorself you may get Peer'd out (I haven't attended but have friends tha have). Continue to PT and stay sharp. Good Luck!

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 2 at 2023 4:30 PM

2023-10-02T16:30:11-04:00

Airborne will be the hardest to get to to because non airborne units do not get slots to send people. Keep in mind if you go, you will be assigned to an Airborne unit sooner or later.
Pathfinder will be hard as well for you to get to because it is for 11 and 91 series, there is a waiver though.
Other than that, get on atrrs and look up class dates, create a proposed timeline, and go talk to your 1SG about how to execute. Don't put schools over major training exercises and they will be more willing to work with you. Good luck.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 2 at 2023 5:55 PM

2023-10-02T17:55:45-04:00

The limit will be based on seat quota and funding available. So all of these within an 8 month span is highly unlikely.

For Airborne and Air Assault, you can be afforded the opportunity to go when in ROTC (if accepted into G2G).

For Pathfinder, I've never seen a SPC with that badge. Not saying it can't happen, but I've never seen it in all my years.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 2 at 2023 9:11 PM

2023-10-02T21:11:05-04:00

1. Technically there is no specified limit in reg.
2. PT, and read the study material for the school.
3. Very difficult. There is a long wait for seats for Soldiers who are assigned to a Pathfinder duty position to go to the school. And if you don't hold the MOS for those duty positions, you need a waiver approved by the school.
4. Ranger School is 70-ish days of patrol base, OPORD, rehearsing actions on the objective, moving to an ORP, conducting the mission, then repeat. And your chow and sleep is limited by design. Once you complete Ranger School, you are not physically ready to report to another school for at least six weeks.
5. All else aside, the likelihood of getting even 3 schools of any kind in rapid succession is very slim, unless you diligently book all those reservations back to back about 18 months out.

Now for the reality: the Army funds school seats based on what the Army needs, not what the Soldier finds interesting. And that funding gets tighter every year.
Airborne seats primarily go to Soldiers assigned to or en route to an Airborne unit.
Air Assault seats primarily go to anyone in the 101st, then a few here and there who keep trying to get a seat.
Pathfinder seats go to those who need it for their duty position.
Ranger school is easier to get, especially if you want to go right after BOLC.

FYSA, your list of schools is pretty much all the cool badges/tabs. Your career, reputation, experience and job satisfaction in the Army comes from how well you do your job, how well you lead, and how you treat people.
Every day.
And none of that ever came from a badge or a tab.