Thanks for watching everyone. You can watch the full episode of part 1 with Chris VanSant here th-cam.com/video/RE8SlGYd3A8/w-d-xo.html Additionally if you want to support the Shawn Ryan Show you can join the community. www.patreon.com/VigilanceElite
If Sean wants to get a former active Ranger on the show, he should reach out to the warrior poet channel and John Lovell. I think with Johns former combat experience and his strong convictions, a God fearing, gun loving, red blooded Ranger would be a great interview!
Out of all the dudes you have had on your show, I like this guy the most. He is a regular guy and you would never know he was a bad dude if he didn't tell you. He gives lots of detail and explains things so people who have never served can understand.
I Really enjoy the channel. Can’t wait for part 2. Have you tried to get Jocko, Goggins, and I think Joe Rogan would be great guests. If you ever get to interview Marcus Luttrell I have some great questions
This is the exact conversation I've had hundreds of times! I tell people I graduated Ranger school and they say, "Oh, you're a Ranger!" I then proceed to tell them, no, I'm Ranger qualified and I get the 'deer in the headlight look'. If you're not from Battalion and go to Ranger school, the 'Bat Boys' will explain the difference real quick and for good reason. The infantry taught me you don't claim something you didn't earn; I earned the tab, but I was never a Ranger. This is especially true when you have a first sergeant with a 3rd Bat combat scroll from Panama. This gent explained it perfectly!
@@DefinitelyNotATroLLLL Position on the uniform. Current unit patch is worn on the soldier's left shoulder. The unit that the soldier deployed to a combat zone with is worn on soldier's right shoulder. The coolest combat patch when I was in in the early 90s was the Vietnam era "Airborne Ranger" scroll that was authorized and made in S.Vietnam for copy.
One of my favorite leaders of all time was kicked out of regiment for a dui after multiple deployments and sent down to the regular degular army. Dude was better, faster, stronger, smarter and deadlier than everyone and he knew it. When he talked about tactics or planning everyone regardless of rank shit up and listened. An absolute legend of a man gone too soon.
@@TheInfantry98 Anyone who has spent any time in Regiment knows Ranger's love to drink, break rules and try to get away with it. Drinking, fighting, f****** is a Ranger past time. Just because he got a DUI doesn't mean he was an alcoholic, it just means he made a mistake, that unfortunately got him RFSed.
@@TheInfantry98 I wasn't a Ranger but I'm a combat infantryman with a CIB and I can tell you the majority of us combat arms guys love to drink. I just killed my 15 year addiction to it.... The man made a mistakes. I got an article-15 and the number of higher ups that came up and said they had one as well and to not let it get me down and to keep soldiering on was shocking, I'm talking AMAZING leaders. Point is we all make mistakes.
Many years back thought that RANGER tab was the huge accomplishment, and a license to talk s*** wherever, whenever. And then I met actual Bn Rangers with that scroll. Still respect and appreciate the tab, but being an actual-real-live-assigned-RANGER.........that's different.
For those not tracking, the very beginning portion where he's describing the difference between Ranger school/tab and Ranger Regiment, one of the key differences is that being Ranger tabbed/qualified does not in turn make you a "Ranger", it makes you Ranger qualified. Being selected into and serving in the Ranger Regiment makes you a Ranger. For example, Soldiers in the rank of Private-Specialist can join the RR right out of their advanced individual training by attending Airborne school and RASP-I. Upon successful completion of RASP-I they are entitled to wear the tan beret and be a member of RR, thus becoming a Ranger. On the other hand, an Infantry officer who as part of the normal Infantry officer pipeline who attends Ranger school and gets the tab does not go around saying "I'm a Ranger" (or at least they shouldn't) but rather would be viewed as "Ranger qualified" or "tabbed". If that officer later on attends RASP-II and is selected for service in the 75th, then he or she at that point would be considered a Ranger. Hope that makes sense and helps tie up what Chris was explaining at the beginning.
I disagree , class 2-91, being assigned and serving just one day before getting ousted doesn't make you a Ranger, wth, who the hell is they is the question mark?
Explained perfectly above. When I went through back in '06, it was RIP (instead of RASP I for enlisted/ RASP II for officers), the difference between being considered an actual Ranger was completing Ranger School (tab) AND being selected with RIP (scroll). 3/75/C
@@alankey766 question, I was in 93-99 and to go to Ranger school as enlisted you had to have a feeder MOS to RR such as 11 series, 13F, commo, medic, etc. if your MOS wasn’t in RR MTOE you could not even apply for school. Is it still that way?
@@bpdp379 I think what you mean is you need to have a feeder MOS to get in RR, to go to Ranger Leadership School your unit just needs a slot. You very well could go to Ranger School and not have a MOS that can get you in the 75th. There are very few changes from when I was in in the early 90's to now. My son is in Regiment right now, most changes are terminology RIP/RASP. The beret thing still pisses me off though!! LOL
This guy drilled it. When I was in they had a name for it I can't remember, something like "rolled or scrolled." But I don't think that's it. For my 2009 Afgh tour, my platoon serg, 1st serg, and troop commander, all QUALIFIED but not rangers. Also, nobody wore their tan caps for being qualed, only d o uch bags did that.
That was an excellent interview. I had 3 assignments in the Ranger Regiment that covered early days operating in Central America through GWOT in CENTCOM AOR. Chris, I felt nailed every aspect of serving in the Regiment and also the stark difference between it and the conventional Army. While there are good units in the conventional Army, they just dont get the resources the SOF community gets to train and maintain the high level of proficiency SOF units have to maintain. Its unfortunate he screwed up and was forced to leave, but that was the standard. Believe me, if he was a squared away Ranger, and it seems he was, I am sure the chain of command regretted his mistake also. It happens when you have 18-19 year olds who are still learning personal responsibility. But it sounds like he recovered well. The biggest challenge that the Regiment and all SOF units have is being able to devote the training time needed to stay highly proficient at all your assigned mission essential tasks. Early on, until USSOCOM was established, AOR Commanders would assign inappropriate mission sets to Ranger Battalions, something more appropriate for units like 101st, 82d or 10th Mtn. Ranger units excell in demanding short term direct action combat operations typically no more than 24-72 hours long. Rangers are constantly preparing themselves physically and mentally to conduct those kinds of operations and unit training was always designed to stress the squad, platoon and company Rangers and leadership. Airfield siezures, one of a Ranger Battalion's core missions, are very complex airland operations involving seizing and securing an airfield; parachute and/or air assault landing directly onto the runway, clearing the runway (assume obstacles, we've airdropped bulldozers in some instances that rangers operated), siezing the control tower, base operations bldg, neutralizing resistance, establishing blocking positions, landing follow on assault aircraft, building up helicopters that landed on fixed wing ac after the runway was reopened, holding the airfield while other Ranger or SOF units conduct DA away from the airhead, then, if planned, collapsing the airhead potentially under pressure from enemy forces and egress away from the objective. As Chris said, the Regiment's capabilities improved dramatically over that period of time. McChrystal, BTW, commanded 2d Ranger Battalion, but when he became the RCO he began to implement more of the training, equipment and tactics used in the higher tier SOF units. As JSOC commander he used them operationally like TIER1. Nearly every SOF unit had direct action, kill or capture, on their menu. TIER 1 would certainly be assigned the most complex missions, but Rangers were often included to secure the operating area where TIER 1 units had inserted. Also Rangers stood by for SAR while missions were being conducted. Anyhow, brought back many memories listening to Chris. And yes, it annoys me too when you hear talking heads, or especially politicians, say they were an "Army Ranger", but in reality they were Ranger Course graduates only. Now Ranger school was hard as hell for sure, and I respect anyone who attended it and graduated, but the only true Army Rangers are the ones who served time in the 75th Ranger Regiment.
My dad jumped into Grenada in October 1983 with the 2nd battalion . His friend Mike hotwired a bulldozer that was left on the runway and used it was an armored vehicle. Operation Urgent Fury
Former AFSOC pilot here. You hit a huge truth on the advantages of SOCOM having budgets to maintain that high level of proficiency required to execute complex missions like airfield seizures. As a gunship pilot, our training load out consisted of 2,000 rounds of 20mm HEI SP,, 96 rounds of 40mm HEI Sp and 20 rounds of 105mm HE or WP. That load alone cost around $14,000 just for the ammo and most left seat pilots would do this 3-4 times a month, albeit often splitting the load with another pilot. No blue training rounds for us!
Wow, I remember that dude. As far as I remember, he had some incredible stories to tell. He seemed to be respectful andwell spoken. I wish him good luck!
I was just a regular soldier but I cannot imagine him being kicked out of Ranger Battalion and having to remain there and seeing RANGERS everywhere. Great perseverance and heart on his part.
You could see it in his eyes speaking of the 40 mile infiltration. That's concentration and disciple of all sections. Bigger the unit the harder to control so you didn't get slammed and people dead. I'm guessing that was company level, that's a lot of people to keep alive. Whole freaking battalion we'd have to fan out then come together. We could do more damage that way 😂Always a plan that doesn't survive contact, still all on the same page.
We had a couple of guys that got kicked out of the 82nd because they were problems and wound up in our mechanized unit, they were always miserable to be anywhere around and had attitudes like they were better than everyone else and didn't deserve to be where they were at. And I don't believe his story that the DUI thing was all there was behind his getting booted out of the Ranger battalion, I saw plenty of guy's like him in the Army, we called them Billy Bad Asses, especially if you threw a couple drinks into the mix, I'd lay odds the DUI was more like the final alcohol related incident that broke the camels back, chances are there was a string of them involving fights with other members of the battalion when drinking, and or incidents off post that involved drinking and brawling with locals, his command probably just had enough of him at one point and wanted him out of their hair. If you look into Clint Eastwoods' military history it's the same thing, constantly out of ranks and various other issues, when he almost got killed because he hitched a ride in a military aircraft he talked the pilot into giving him up the coast so he could visit a girl he'd met that wound up ditching in the ocean, he was out of ranks at the time of the incident and they'd had enough of his hijinks and just completely got him out of the military all together and solved everyone's problems when it came to him, I'm glad he survived an aircraft ditching in the ocean because he's turned out to be one of America's greatest entertainers and a true icon for several generations but when it comes to him being in the military he was what was known as a gold brick and a sorry excuse for a soldier, he was proof some people just don't belong in the military.
@@bballstarcrazy8 It's true, people don't understand how tight you have to keep your shit. Buddy and I were talking, he was using CBD oil to sleep while he was doing chemo, yea dude any THC may get you booted. USAF MSGT doing shit he never told me about. Not even around the bonfire, bastard!!! 🤣 I vouched for him on clearance background stuff. It's not an absurd comment dude. In case you don't understand, even the USAF has special ops to deliver special ops, get it.
@@bballstarcrazy8 Yea, ok, so that's what all those elite units are SUPPOSED to be like yet there's more and more stories surfacing about things far worse than drinking incidents coming to light that've been swept under the rug by higher up's, The Team House, who one of the hosts was a Ranger, did a podcast with Matthew Cole author of the book Code Before Country about Seal Team 6 and the culture problems they're having because for years things got swept under the rug and it's led to an environment that has incidents far worse than DUI's being swept under the rug like murder, that incident with Eddie Gallagher killing some half dead Taliban fighter is nothing compared to what's being found out about him, thrill killing civilians with a borrowed sniper rifle in Afghanistan like some guy that was just walking his kids to get some water, or the incident that everyone knows about where those Seals got drunk and killed that Green Beret in Africa during a drunken hazing incident, the point they were making in that podcast was how it's all gotten started because those standards you think are upheld aren't and it leads to things like those, the one host of the podcast is an ex Ranger and he mentioned it happens too much. And like you the comments section has guy's calling them liars and traitors and how there's no way those kinds of things are true, Cole is just someone who wrote a bunch of untrue BS in his book and those two guy's that host the show, an ex Green Beret and an ex Ranger were only agreeing with him for sensationalism to get clicks on their video. If you don't like hearing what I said and don't think it's true you certainly won't like what really happened at Roberts Ridge, or the fact that the ex Seal O'Neil whose been going around for some years now claiming he's the guy that shot and killed Bin Laden and in all reality has been making money on that claim really wasn't who shot him, or Kris Kyle claiming that he beat up Jessie Ventura in a bar west coast Seals hang out in, and claiming in his book that he shot and killed two guys in Texas who attempted to rob him after he got out of the Navy yet people fact checking his book couldn't find any record of it in that county's records. Murder that higher up's try sweeping under the rug, higher up's trying to cover up incidents of cowardice while at the same time trying to block the MOH for a serviceman from another branch because the story of his heroic acts that led to his death include him being left by the servicemen of the branch trying to block his MOH, stories in books written by ex "elite" special operators that turn out aren't true and many more that drinking incidents pale in comparison are all from units and teams that you say wouldn't put up with a single drinking incident. Well unless you've been in the Rangers and can lay claim to knowing first hand that a single DUI Incident would 100% for sure eject someone from the Rangers I'm gonna have to go with what others in the special operations world including one that actually was a Ranger have to say on the matter, the reality is the commander's of troops like that believe that because they're "elite" they deserve more lee way than regular troops, which is the point behind Cole's book that the two hosts of the podcast agreed with. Here on TH-cam enter "The Team House Code Before Country", I doubt you'll believe what you're saying after listening to it.
Well done to the both of you. You deserve the respect of this nation and all its people and military services. God bless. Former solider, Regular Army (RA).
As a “qualified” guy he explained it perfectly. I never told anyone I was a ranger because I was never in regiment. I was attached to a scout platoon from 2nd battalion for a deployment but never assigned. Big difference.
Truth 👆Dad and both uncles dealt with tabs. One was a jumpmaster teaching them to jump, dad ran through the jungle with one with an academy ring, other was a tank commander saying NO to a superior officer tabbed. A platoon of his tanks being ordered around by a "ranger", 😂Screw that shit talk to the CPT I've got a radio for you CPT 🤣That happened during the Tet offensive 1LT telling off a CPT. Don't change the game plan in the middle of the game unless you're the quarterback.
@@ScrappyXFL I was in 82nd. There’s a lot of tabbed guys who go to the school and come back. But you have to be careful bc you never know who was in regiment and who wasn’t so you can’t go around claiming it.
@@jlee6146 Truth. Yea, dad's 2LT with the tab and the academy ring may have gone through the training, no way assigned. Do damn young, like you said never in the regiment. Same with my uncle in leading a tank platoon, they don't assign rangers to tanks, CPT just took some time stateside to go to school. My other uncle (I think he was 82nd too) taking supposed rangers up for training scenario had to walk down the line to double check them make sure they don't just jump out. Again so green, no way any time in a regiment. They should have already learned how to jump at least basically and know what to do. He was always pissed about the kids who thought they were better than him. I just looked at the patches, yea 82nd. He always jumped every time, last one out so he could watch them hit, didn't matter who was jumping or why, rain or shine, day or night. Ended up with one leg 1/2" shorter than the other, moved to be work on helos with a wedge in his boot. Became a crew chief. I am so glad people warned me about people who overstate what they've done/are. I'm sure you've got a bunch of stories of your own. All my family does 😂
A person who graduates Ranger School is 'Ranger Qualified'. They are NOT a Ranger. A Ranger is someone who serves as a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment. It's the difference between a tab and a scroll.
Thanks. That was a great interview. I was a MSG in the Army and served in Airborne and leg units and you will find great soldiers in both. Left as a Master Paratrooper also (went to jumpmaster school right there on Benning).
Chris is an amazing guy. He strikes me as the sort of guy that however much time you spent with him you’d never know he was Delta unless he told you. Funny, cool, charming, suave, thoughtful and subtle there is nothing about him that shouts SF but clearly he is a man of steel behind that Hollywood smile.
I was honored to be attached to 3rd and 5th group as infantry ODA uplift in 2013, while assigned to 1sit ID and then again with 2017 while assigned to 82ND ABN. Had a blast blast for sure! Deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria!!
This is a high quality production in every single aspect. Great video editing and production, excellent interviewer, and Mr. VanSant's experience and storytelling are top notch. I'm highly impressed with this entire video. Thanks for your service gents.
I enjoyed this a lot as I've been out quite a while now. I was a Ranger-qualified 11B E-5 in a Ranger LRRP Co, when the 1st Bn formed in 1974. Went through cadre training at Benning the jumped into Ft. Stewart to report for duty. We had a couple hard-charging combat guys during cadre training that got bounced for alcohol-related incidents. Gen. Abrams, when he made the decision to bring back the Ranger Bns from when they were disbanded after WWII, he knew that Rangers and Airborne had somewhat of a hard reputation. He stated that: "The battalion will contain no “hoodlums or brigands” and if the battalion is formed from such persons, it will be disbanded. Wherever the battalion goes, it must be apparent that it is the best." He was a died-in-the-wool Armor officer from WWII so I applaud him for seeing the need for SpecOps units when many other Commanders were jealous. So LTC Leuer and CSM Gentry were not going to let anything slide for fear we would start to get a bad rep, and it appears that has continued at least somewhat. All NCO's and Officers had to be Ranger-qualified to get into the Bn. When a junior enlisted showed he could be a good leader and you wanted him to be promoted, he had to get to Ranger School and get tabbed first before being an NCO. We went from square one in growth steps of 1-roll over, 2-crawl, 3-stand up, 4-walk, 5-run, 6-sprint. It first was all infantry work to pass a standard ARTEP. Then later more special operations began after 1974. Also originally you could not stay in the Bn; you had to rotate out as other commanders wanted strong leaders and complained they could not be hoarded in the Bn. Later that changed, but in 1977 I hit my 3 years and had to leave for Legland. Later was an RI, then went to 2nd Bn in mid-80's and by then SpecOps was primary work. I enjoyed the difference between start-up of the BN and where we were by the mid-80's. Once Rangers in the Bn could stay until too tired or used up, that was another good thing.
I showed up to the 700 block bldg,s on Stewart straight from jump school , 3 days later I was humping in the woods around Camp Oliver in RIP, I remember the move from Stewart to Hunter in Savannah , RLTW !!!!
2/75th Ranger Battalion was the greatest time of my Army career. As a cook I got to train and do things I would never had the opportunity to do in reg army. Got there a month before 9/11 and then it was balls to the walls till being promoted out of a job. Loved it and glad I had the opportunity to be and Army Ranger. RLTW!!
Ranger Qual’d guy here, I’ve always regretted not going to RIP/RASP after graduating the school but honestly when I went to that school it was literally the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my whole life, I weighed 155lbs when I went graduated at 127lbs, I’ve got a high metabolism lmfao it got me through but wow I’d rather get deployed again than go through that school, I went back in 01 I got out in 09 and he’s right it is considered a leadership and combat school, it’s tough as fuck I’d rank it among SF Q course seeing how the regiment is special operations capable, Ranger school literally made me into who I am to this day they picked up where my father let off and kept running with it I literally owe my mentality of looking at quitting as weak and never giving up and going till death and no one gets left behind mentality to them and my dad. It taught me how to deal with stress, adversity, hunger, pain, remaining calm and clear headed and making the best decisions possible under the most challenging circumstances military or civilian life, here’s the draw back to this. Now that I’m out the adrenaline of having that mentality and having a organization that gives you levels on how and where to use that point of view is gone!!! I find life out here in the civilian sector very boring and mundane, it’s lame, slow and uneventful. That’s been my hardest time getting adjusted, high speed getting shit done everyone falling in line and working together is what I miss, out here it’s a bunch of back stabbing whiny little fucks living too cush of a life and spoiled lazy
My Uncle was a I believe 3rd battalion ranger. Or second. But got medically discharged after his chute line wrapped under his arm during training and yanked it out of place. He might see this as I know he watches a lot of military stuff still. You’re a real one Uncle Chris!
You’re spot on Van (I’m also a Van (Sgt Van)). My brother did 21 years as a Ranger between 3rd Bat and Regiment. It was great working with you guys at Haditha in 2003. 😎 Shawn, keep doing what you’re doing brother. Love it. 🤙🏼
What unit? I was with 3/4 Cav on Conn Bks. 90-93. I was an armor officer; graduated Ranger School in February ‘90. Great training. I still have nightmares! 😂
@@bon3y4rd did you know LT Butter or Rosenfeld? They may have been 1/15. We had M1s and M3A2s. Two Troops were Air Cav, scouts and killer birds. It was a fun unit. I missed the border camp tours. You may have done them? Did you guard the QRS site?
@@seanmccarthy1135 Those names don't ring a bell but I honestly can't remember who our platoon leader was. He was young. We all liked him because he would train with us instead of just observe like some of the other officers did. I was there when the wall came down. I have two pretty large pieces of it still. I'm not sure about border camp tours? We pulled guard pretty much everywhere at one time or another.
@@DavidLLambertmobile they are both great, but a I feel like Shawn tries to get more unknown guys on here. Rob O’Neil was really the only veteran that I can think of that was really well known before Shawn’s show.
I have some friends that were in Ranger batt that had to work with John Lovell... they all said he was just annoying. I'll pass that interview. I'd listen to John "Shrek" Mcfee
I too got an alcohol related incident while in SF got sent to regular army felt like such a shitbag. Then got sent to Iraq with them ended up getting hit by an IED that ended my career. Now I have a great job and beautiful family so everything happens for a reason
The services seem to think that kicking people out of a vital mos pipeline is only punishing the miscreant. This is not the way to run a railroad.@roachfan243
Wow, he really brought back some memories. I was there about 8 years before him just after the 3rd got activated and through the move from sand hill to harmony church. Same experience. Very structured and you were just given enough info to get your job done. Also got in trouble and had to leave the battalion to a mech unit that sucked.
Sean, a great Ranger to have on would be CSM Greg Birch. He was the 3rd Battalion CSM, Regiment CSM, and CSM with the Unit. He is also the Father of the “Modern Ranger Regiment”.
If you met this guy at the supermarket you would have no idea what an absolute stud he is. I’ve noticed alot of these Tier one guys can be very unassuming, but are total badasses.
The nail that stands out gets whacked. A friend of mine was a SEAL who did a few tours in Vietnam.... Yeah you'd think he's a dumb farmer from his looks. He's actually a Genius Level IQ individual who considers himself a "Warrior". I will never forget the time he pulled out 4 different handguns and set them on the coffee table while we smoked pot and drank beer. That was his way (Disarming) of saying he Loved Us and felt Comfortable in our presence
I'm pretty sure I know the guy that I went camping with and taught me Kung Fu. Not to mention all the partying. His traumas are something else. One of those guns he TOOK off a guy who tried to rob him. His exact words, "If he would have been white, I would have caught him. @@jenniturtleburger3708
The 40 mile story is great. People forget Rangers are known for being the best on foot for long distances, running, etc. Fools are in outstanding long distance cardio shape. And full pack.
What? Don’t the other US forces do long range foot movements? They ought to start training for that considering how difficult it is to concentrate vehicles nowadays without getting spotted
To be clear, a "Delta Force Operator" didn't get kicked out of Ranger Regiment. A young soldier who made a mistake with silly repercussions got kicked out.
@ArmyVet82ndABN Hey airborne, you might need to actually listen to the interview then reread what I said. Won't be in need of an MTOE breakdown either.
I was a 2nd Battalion. I went to RIP then Ranger School. My job was long-distance Recon. I started out a TOW Gunner then Scout Recon on the back of a jeep with a mounted 60. I went to PNOC and found out what a "RANGER" was and was sold on the idea of being a Ranger. I regret getting out after 8 yrs active duty
@@DarkObfuscation No. You will be living off of a ration a day and the right build for the job is "wiry." Slender, but muscular. Get a rucksack and start walking (a lot) Your leg strength is far more important than your arms.
@@DarkObfuscation Look at the French Foreign Legion. Those guys are skinny, but strong with long-term stamina. You want lean muscle like a marathoner, not bulk, which will just weigh you down and make it harder on your joints and performance. You want to be able to go the distance, not a one rep max.
I'm interested in the culture as well and have met several operators who's personal stories I would always listen to with open ears and astonishment. These are always an interesting listen, thanks guys
After arriving at my second unit, a guy who arrived a year later from my first unit let me know that we had lost a guy I was good buddies with to a single vehicle accident while he was under the influence. After getting out, I was told by one of the guys I had kept in contact with that another buddy had died in a single vehicle accident while under the influence after also getting out. I do not know the circumstances in either case, I specifically didn't ask. Life is funny sometimes in that people who you know to be outstanding in other aspects of their lives can fail so badly in other areas. Each of them helped me along the way, especially so with the second fellow. I will never forget either of them while I curse them for their stupidity yet I'm immensely thankful that nobody else was physically hurt by their actions. Please call an Uber if you've had a few but think you're still good. Also, please don't let your friends and loved ones get behind the wheel. Even if they're angry in the moment and later, I'm sure they'll eventually thank you for caring about them. I'm very glad that the gentleman interviewed here didn't hurt anybody and was able to go on to further serve his country.
I was in 2d Batt in the early 1980's. At that time, A DUI was survivable for an enlisted guy or junior NCO, depending on circumstances. If there was no serious accident you could probably get by with it. It wasn't a good thing but it wasn't fatal. I remember one guy had one as a buck sergeant. He got so drunk he stopped his car and fell asleep in the middle of a rural highway out towards Mount Ranier. He got put on Anabuse, a drug that makes you wretch uncontrolably if you ingest alcohol. He was not DXed and ultimately became a Sergeant Major. There were a lot of NCOs who were alcoholics. The one thing that was a lot less tolerated was anything drug related. DUI would kill off an officer's career. When I first arrived at Battalion from RIP, they were on deployment to Alaska so I was on rear detachment with a few guys who were either new guys like me or were returning from schools. We were supposed to get a new platoon leader who had come over from the 82nd. I met him briefly. A few days later he got a DUI. That was it. The black chinook came for him. He was gone before the company got back from Alaska. I guess he went to 9th ID. DUI would be a career ender for an officer. I think he was a West Pointer and had a successful stint as a platoon leader in the 82nd. Officer assignments in a Ranger Battalion were coveted but I imagine he got out after he did his required five years. A DUI was basically career poison. In 1980, the public attitude toward drunk driving was a lot more permissive than it would be even a decade later. So the army was the same. The same was true of adultery. Having a relationship with another Ranger's wife might get you shot, and would very likely get you kicked out of Battalion, but it would not get you kicked out of the army. I understand that changed a few years later. The army became much less tolerant of such things.
I earned my Tab in 1991. The best leadership course I have ever been thru. When I was in, I was Ranger Qualified as a 13F stationed at FORT BRAGG in the 82nd. RLTW AATW!
I was in 25th Light Infantry and tried to transfer to Rangers pleading with my CO about year before Mogadishu incident. I was surprised I was turned down, but I was sooo naive when I went in the military. I shouldve just chosen Rangers for my contract but was talked out of it by recruiter. I still regret it to this day. That and not winning state championship wrestling still my biggest regrets of my first 20 years.
Don't dwell on that shit, I had Airborne school in My contract and went through the entire school, then busted My ankle on the 2nd jump. I finally wound up in 101st Airborne Infantry. I got My Air Assault wings and a Arcomm for a gunner. Don't let it get to you, you did your time and protected our great country!
Yeah...we got all those RANGER REJECTS from 1/75th. I was in 24 ID in late 80's. Ft. Stewart, GA. Damn...I never learned more as a young private...all those DUI Rejects...we were glad to have them. Good times, humping the Pig. Seriously, for all those out there that suffered that humiliation, you were welcome, taught us all a lot of sh*te, and as far as I can recall... no one thought any less of you. Thank you.
True! I was on Kelley Hill ‘92-‘94. My squad leader was a Ranger kicked out of 3/75 for a Dewey (DUI). Deployed to Desert Storm with us and trained the ever living shyte out of us. Our Battalion Physicians Assistant had a 3/75 scroll on his right shoulder from Granada. Couple of scattered E-4 Dewey’s too. They made us all better. 🇺🇸
I got to work with the army marksmanship team for a week. It was full of a bunch of rangers man. Those guys were cool as hell and that was the best week of training of my life. 🇺🇸
I’m glad he mentioned that the regular army isn’t the same. It’s true, it was frustrating being in a combat arms unit and seeing fat bodies and unmotivated troops perform poorly
Difference being quantity over quality, appealing to enough individuals willing to do the job even conceptually; also the resources necessary to train at either respective level.
Not saying what you said is untrue or regular army isn't important or respected, but not wanting to be around those fat bodies should motivate you or others to chase something elevated so you are surrounded by higher achievers and standards.
Yeah it’s definitely true. One thing that didn’t get touched on though, and it may be unit dependent so it wasn’t his experience; is that those fat bodies are shamed into oblivion in competent units. 2/325 82nd was stellar, weaklings got identified quick and either made not so weak or weeded (chaptered) out. But yeah the baseline in SOF is so much higher. We loved getting guys from Ranger Batt, hell even just motivated guys that didn’t make it through RASP or SFAS were typically well ahead of AIT/jump school guys.
Dude seriously best on the planet?? I work with your guys in 2006 and you are out standing but you were always be hind c company third battalion parachute regiment 🇬🇧!! Big love !!
I agree with him about life in RGR Bat! If you were not tabbed you’re hated. Especially if you made E4 no tab. It was understood if you can’t get the tab by E4 you are shipped to a line airborne unit. I spent time at first enlisted later after 5 years as an officer. I loved it. It’s an understanding of your mind vs what the regiment wants. What is expected of you. I never served in a line unit.
Great interview. It added detail to something my dad told me many years ago; he went through Ranger training back in 1942 and was in the best shape of his life, but made it clear he wasn’t a Ranger, they just needed that level of training for attacking German pillboxes at Normandy. Also, it should be pointed out that, while Navy Seals are pretty bad-ass, when they get in trouble, it’s Army Rangers that rescue them.
I has 2 DS who were ranger one also served as a Pathfinder as well. They, to this day, are some of the most high speed people I've ever met. One went off to be a Jump Master and the other went to be a instructor for SF.
In the mid '80s I was in the 172nd Light Infantry Brigade. Alaska (4/327). My Battalion Commander was William Ohl. The Army tapped him in '84 to resurrect 3/75 Rangers. That was the hardest-charging "old man" I ever served with. LIB was by no means "light", we regularly humped 80+ lb rucks, in the snow. We loved that old man. We were a damn strong unit. He did a lot of unique things. Once a month he took all the officers and ran "Omega" missions. Lieutenant=Private, Captain=NCO, Major=SNCO, and he worked the shit out of them. I recall a 12-mile roadmarch the battaion completed where a new LT fell back and came in with the stragglers (we never had many stragglers, that old man trained us well). Colonel Ohl was waiting for him and simply pointed down the road and told him "Do it again". He never took a day off. If we had a "comp" day Colonel Ohl would be there all day, and even run pt by himself. Delta often came up there to recruit from our battalion (usually during our monthly "payday meetings").
I was a private in the 3/75th starting in Oct 1984 only days after it was re-commissioned. I remember Bill Ohl. Joe Heckard was 1st Sgt of C Co. at that time.
First thank you both for all you did and do! I served in the 82nd from 96-2000 in an Airborne Infantry Unit. What you described the Ranger Regiment to be like. The mission objectives and training sounds like my experience in the 82nd. Makes me feel pretty good about what I was doing since I regret not going to the Regiment.
I’m just a retired Army 11BB4, served from 1983-2009 and earned 2 CIB’s in my career and we had a few Ranger qualified NCO’s as well as nearly all our Officers. It’s not easy in any way to pass Ranger school and I saw buddies that dropped out for physical injuries that cut their careers short. I knew I just wasn’t hard enough to be a Ranger and didn’t want to screw myself and the Army so I stayed in the Air Assault lane and did pretty well. We used to joke that being in a Ranger battalion is basically joining the Star Trek “Borg”, lol. Ranger units are extremely wired tight but that’s their strength and we respect that fact. I’ve worked around Delta Force once in December 1989 on Camp Shelby that I’ll never forget, it was insane, their reputation is an under estimated perception about their skills and abilities.
@@QuitYoJibby-JabbinFool just being honest and I’m sure my peers have a similar view. One of my friends who’s Ranger tabbed told me a story of how he saw Fred Flintstone walk across the path his patrol was on one night. He hadn’t gotten any sleep in nearly 3 days and it was around 0100 and they came to a security halt for a map check and he said “I’d swear on a stack of Bibles that I saw Fred Flintstone cross the path a few feet in front of me!”. So that should explain a little about how taxing that school is and it’s not for everyone, just our best. When the Army made us all wear black berets in 2000 we all protested that berets are to be earned, not given.
@@echohunter4199 You sir are very correct, lack of sleep will make you hallucinate that is part of the training to make you understand you will see things.
@@ripperwrestling6587 as I mentioned, all Grunts respect the Ranger Batts for a damn good reason. I still remember the story about the time when the gang took on a few Rangers in Washington State in 1989 that were terrorizing a neighborhood where one of the Rangers lived, it didn’t end well for the gang members, lol. As Infantry, we do work in packs, far more effective that way. I won’t go into a time when my buddies helped me out back in 1989 while I was stationed at Ft. Campbell (2.502 INF).
It wasn't just SOF guys who changed...I was with 2-14 Cav 1st Brigade 25th ID in Mosul, Tal Afar and Rawa in 04-05...we did a lot of direct actions and I spent the majority of that tour training, planning and running missions with Iraqi personnel in an 8 man detachment.
Me, I was just a green-clad jungle killer in the Australian army. No parachuting, no helicopters, no CQB just sneaking through the jungle living like an animal. Training to fight a war in south east Asia, we are an Asian country as a former Prime Minister once said. The likely enemy was Indonesia but we weren't supposed to say that. It was fun.
listening to him reminds me of my time in a sniper PLT with the USMC. I spent 15 months with the SS PLT during the latter part of my 4 yr contract. Consequently, once one is under a year (less than 12 months) on their contract that red flags one for schools. Nearing the end of the contract the Chief offered me school, but the career counselor said you can go after you sign for three years. I requested to extend and expressed my interest to go on a float (MED). Denied, three years or thank you for your service. I chose to leave. To this day, that decision haunts me bc of my career decision, SWAT, and LEO Sniper Instructor and later working in Ramadi as Sniper Team leader (05-06).
It’s the same with Airborne School. I went and qualified, but never served in the 82nd, therefore, I am not a paratrooper and never claim to be. People really get puzzled when I refer to myself as a “5 jump chump”. Other Army vets understand though. I was armored CAV and damned proud of it.
@@gustavono8251it’s open for debate. Generally, however, a paratrooper has been on “jump status” (received hazardous duty pay) for a period of time, usually at least 3 years. There is definitely a difference between a 5-jump chump and a guy who has been on jump status.
This is great! I was booted from RIP in May/June 2001 and ended up on Kelly Hill with several rangers from BN. Every one of those guys that ended up in my unit were revered and set a standard that 99% of the mech infantry always tried to get to. I miss those days.
Having served in the Berlin Brigade 82-84 got to serve with and meet a lot of former SF, Rangers, and god only knows what else (DET A and I am sure others). Some of the SF guys spent a ton of time in country Vietnam. They were pretty mellow and more about skills knowledge and unconventional warfare. They had combat stripes all the way up to their elbows. We also got a decent sized batch of Grenada Rangers in. Everyone one of them was in honor to serve with and learn from. When you got to humping is when you could separate the Rangers from the regular legs. They were like quiet machines and kept going and going and never so much as a grumble out of them. One of them failed a weigh in. He was a hardass from hell and had ran the Rip PT program. Little guy from Guam. This guy religiously did PT. He was a hello dolly machine and would run off hours with a pack full of equipment. CO puts him on remedial PT and sends him off for a pinch test. Mean time the First Sgt is laughing his ass off at him. First SGT ends up on remedial PT also. The pinch test results come back and he has less than 3% bodyfat and has to gain twenty five pounds. He ends up in charge of remedial PT and dogs the First Sgt. Hilarious stuff but points to how dedicated some were to their physical fitness and being the person you didn't want to meet on the other side in combat.
Joined as 11 H in 1981. Wish I would have had access to this kind of information when I joined. Got to sit through a recruiting seminar for delta in 1982. Wish I would have qualified.
I deeply respect his candor! Ranger School Class 14-80. I look at that life then caused to to go SF where I felt my brain was as big of a weapon as my equipment. It was almost a prerequisite to have conventional time prior to SF so we knew how to deal with knuckleheads, shirkers, malingerers, addicts and such….a very different work world. All that said, Audie Murphy was a “leg” and highly trained soldiers must never become too arrogant. I am so glad our guest stayed in the Army for 20 years.
His last comment of (in my interpretation) was one person can positively influence a career is so true. We simply don't know what is going on in most people's lives - think about how one bit of positive feedback or encouragement can change a career.
At 17, I was in the 82nd Airborne just after Vietnam, and I'm convinced they thought they were equals to Ranger BN. As a private, the NCOs all came from Nam from the 173rd Airborne, and they were hard as nails. I admit, they were good, and we did train in unconventional warfare often. The eighty duce was not soft. When I wanted to leave for Ranger School en route to 1st Ranger Batt in 82, they treated me like crap until I left an E-6. I have no idea what was up with that.
Chris looks like a young Joe Bonamassa..........................and gives of no operator tough-guy vibes. I love listening to these no-nonsense genuine article guests. Keep up the great channel Shawn.
Great video and unfortunately a DUI in Regiment is an automatic DX. Really enjoyed hearing his story and knowing he didn’t let that incident end a incredible career.
The Tab is a school, the Scroll is a way of life. I was 3/75 from 88-90, Ranger Class 10-89, and Regt was a work hard play hard environment. Regt was way more strict and disciplined than my experience in the conventional Army or my experience in Group. My experience in 10th Group was way more relaxed e.g. calling superiors by first name, doing PT on my own, discouraged from standing at parade rest etc., but I was held to a higher standard. In Group I was babysat a lot less and was individually responsible for keeping myself up to standards.
Hey man, im looking into attempting to go to ranger school, and I've been running 5 miles a day, 100 pushups, 50 situps, and a 1 minute plank each day, as well as tennis practice and cross country next season, is this enough to get prepared for it?
GWOT had units doing missions outside the norm indeed. In 2003 we were a Field Artillery Platoon that had to deploy to Afghanistan with an ODA to do security at their FOB. We were stationed at Bragg so prior to deployment we went to the JFK Special Warfare Center's 18B course building, which at that time was located at Smoke Bomb Hill on post, and sat in with SF students training on foreign and American weapons. We went to the range with them and fired some very exotic weapons prior to zeroing and qualifying our own M-4s with them. One of the 18B Instructors was Master Sergeant Anthony Yost, who was later killed in Iraq on November 19, 2005. He was a great trainer and a total professional. Once we got to Afghanistan we went on missions with the ODA and Afghan National Army troops. That was my first combat experience. In 2005-2006 we went to Iraq as convoy security driving armored gun trucks, then in 2010-2011 another unit I was in reflagged to an Infantry Platoon and deployed to FOB Salerno, Afghanistan as the maneuver and Quick Reaction Force. So 3 GWOT deployments as a Artillery Soldier and I never took an Artillery piece on any of them.
Great video. Intelligent discussion about the trade offs of fighting the GWOT for 20 years. This highlights a huge problem in the military. We are now much better at fighting unconventional wars, but much less capable at fighting near-peer conventional armies.
Awesome! A lot of my colleagues that served in the Army. Told me that the Rangers had their own unit and own “section”. Badasses in there definitely tests their skills
@@thenotoriousvlog5986 no problem the Ranger Regiment is smart to keep their Recon teams. The conventional Army disbanded LRSD teams at the division and Corps level which I think was a mistake.
I was dropped for standards after a yr and half and letting an injury I didn’t disclose cause my pt standards to drop so far. Biggest regret of my life. Got one deployment in with them got back and my pt standards fell so low I was kicked to the regular army.
Same thing happened to me...after Bat....went to 3rd ID in 98 as a 12b SAPPER..Rock of the Marne Dog Face Soldier......know the feeling...Gr8 true 👍 content....
His story is so familiar to me , I spent 2 tours in the 1st Bn from 75 to 80 and again from 82 to 84 and went to Grenada, I saw a lot of my friends get the boot for all kinds of crap, This guy explained the difference in being a " Batt Ranger" and a " Tab Bunny " best way I have ever seen, I made E-5 and was PCS'd to Ft Cambell , there I was assigned to a LRRP team in the Div HQ , then I went to an Infantry Bn , In the company was a Lt that was tabbed and he was always bragging about being a Ranger until I arrived, with a combat scroll , CIB, and a Purple Heart, he never bragged about being a Ranger again LOL " REAL " RLTW !!!!
First duty station was at Ft. Stewart when the 24thID was so new it took longer marching to the motor pool than conducting PMCS on vehicle’s. Again with inspecting weapons. We all became professional spade players. Then from 77’-84 was with 1/10 FA/ Division Band 3rd ID. Oh my what a difference in command and atmosphere in general. Still miss the 3RD.
I was in 3rd batt and was a Panama Ranger … I don’t remember this guy but I was probably out before he got there .. had a cpl friends that left for dui so that’s true … glad he went on and did well..RLTW ..I was out in 92 so missed this guy … and everything he is saying is quite true especially about regular army guys I thought the same about them ..
Shawn, you should read "Warfighter: The Story of An American Fighting Man" - memoir of Colonel Jesse Johnson, just buried at Arlington and highly decorated. 40 years of combat service covering 40 years of warfare from Vietnam through the Iraq War (contractor), in-between serving as Delta Force deputy commander. Commanded Generals Schoomaker and Petraeus who endorsed the book, which won a gold medal from the MWSA. You could interview his co-author, who is very knowledgeable and articulate on the topic.
my exs moms husband was a ranger, the dude was a fucking beast. I remember some of his stories. I was just graduating highschool at the time and I had no clue someone could have that kind of drive...... I hope hes doing well
I made SSG in 5 years but Kelly Hill was the duty station that made me want out so bad that I saved up 85 days of terminal leave to get out, as fast as possible. August 10, 1997 I left on terminal leave and never looked back.
It's so funny seeing the differences when Shawn has on the DEVGRU guys and even Army Special Forces, versus when he has on the CAG guys. They look NOTHING like you would imagine them looking like. The DEVGRU and other SEALs look exactly how you'd imagine a SEAL in DEVGRU to look. All the guys he's had from Delta look like guys that came walking out of a Baptist Church potluck, with the general public being completely unaware that they're absolutely laser-focused killing machines.
I’m pretty sure I met Chris at an Army/Navy game in Philly. I was enlisted, got back from deployment and got into West Point. Fast forward I graduated and when to conventional combat arms unit in 2015. The Army was radically different from what I knew during the GWOT years. I got dinged as an LT for smelling like booze at PT. In retrospect, it was a big mistake and derailed my career with a GMOR. But u remember thinking ‘I’m in a freaking combat arms unit and I got in trouble for smelling like booze at 530am? That’s when I knew this Army was much different from the one I remembered.
Great interview! - I was 3ID, discharging in 93, so I just missed this time frame. I'd love to know who his quality leaders were in the 3ID...a chance I knew some of them! So true about the turds, and quality. Some really outstanding leaders, and some complete duds. Anybody else serve in Scheinfurt from 89 to 93? Ledward, 1/30th and 2/15 - 'BATTLE BOAR,' or 'Rock of the Marne.'
I had a buddy who was kicked out of the Rangers because his run time slowed down. He missed the run by 5 seconds. Then, he got a job in JSOC HQ. And many years ago, I got to deploy in support of the Rangers in Bosnia. Before we left, we did a lot of running, a lot. And we did light-weight calestenics. They were very run oriented. That's my impression of the Rangers, because they ran faster and more than anyone. But in combat, they were more to support others. They're specialized in taking airfields.
I interacted as a police sergeant with Air Force security people. This was in the early nineties. A DUI was a career ender. The younger enlisted guys E3 and E4, would not be allowed to reenlist. The more senior NCOs might be allowed to reenlist, but more promotion was probably out the window..
Thanks for watching everyone. You can watch the full episode of part 1 with Chris VanSant here th-cam.com/video/RE8SlGYd3A8/w-d-xo.html Additionally if you want to support the Shawn Ryan Show you can join the community. www.patreon.com/VigilanceElite
If Sean wants to get a former active Ranger on the show, he should reach out to the warrior poet channel and John Lovell. I think with Johns former combat experience and his strong convictions, a God fearing, gun loving, red blooded Ranger would be a great interview!
Out of all the dudes you have had on your show, I like this guy the most. He is a regular guy and you would never know he was a bad dude if he didn't tell you. He gives lots of detail and explains things so people who have never served can understand.
Hey buddy, we really don't need a teaser at the start of the video. We know what we clicked on.
I Really enjoy the channel. Can’t wait for part 2. Have you tried to get Jocko, Goggins, and I think Joe Rogan would be great guests. If you ever get to interview Marcus Luttrell I have some great questions
@@timb8814 hell yes!
This is the exact conversation I've had hundreds of times! I tell people I graduated Ranger school and they say, "Oh, you're a Ranger!" I then proceed to tell them, no, I'm Ranger qualified and I get the 'deer in the headlight look'. If you're not from Battalion and go to Ranger school, the 'Bat Boys' will explain the difference real quick and for good reason. The infantry taught me you don't claim something you didn't earn; I earned the tab, but I was never a Ranger. This is especially true when you have a first sergeant with a 3rd Bat combat scroll from Panama. This gent explained it perfectly!
So 101st are uhnnn rangers too right..
*runs away*
My first BC and CSM both had combat scrolls. Tough as nails even in the latter stages of their careers.
What’s the difference between a combat scroll and a regular one? How can you tell the difference?
I worked and lived near benning. Would surprise a lot of the guys when I asked which they were and knew the difference
@@DefinitelyNotATroLLLL Position on the uniform. Current unit patch is worn on the soldier's left shoulder. The unit that the soldier deployed to a combat zone with is worn on soldier's right shoulder. The coolest combat patch when I was in in the early 90s was the Vietnam era "Airborne Ranger" scroll that was authorized and made in S.Vietnam for copy.
No ego. Amazing guy. Teaches the value of overcoming obstacles and moving forward. Thanks for this.
One of my favorite leaders of all time was kicked out of regiment for a dui after multiple deployments and sent down to the regular degular army. Dude was better, faster, stronger, smarter and deadlier than everyone and he knew it. When he talked about tactics or planning everyone regardless of rank shit up and listened. An absolute legend of a man gone too soon.
Can’t have alcoholics doing that job man. Especially since he could have killed someone such as a child or at least paralyzed another human being.
@@TheInfantry98 hate to break it to you but combat arms is literally just all alcoholics.
@@TheInfantry98 Anyone who has spent any time in Regiment knows Ranger's love to drink, break rules and try to get away with it. Drinking, fighting, f****** is a Ranger past time. Just because he got a DUI doesn't mean he was an alcoholic, it just means he made a mistake, that unfortunately got him RFSed.
@@Lycurgus47 So much so that every Army post has that special building called a Class Six.
@@TheInfantry98 I wasn't a Ranger but I'm a combat infantryman with a CIB and I can tell you the majority of us combat arms guys love to drink. I just killed my 15 year addiction to it.... The man made a mistakes. I got an article-15 and the number of higher ups that came up and said they had one as well and to not let it get me down and to keep soldiering on was shocking, I'm talking AMAZING leaders. Point is we all make mistakes.
"The Tab is an award, the Scroll is a way of life." ..SGT Bradley, RIP Instructor, '94
I went through RIP in January of 94. Ended up in Aco 1/75
Same in RIP 8/89. A 3/75
What a similar fate - Kelly Hill C 1/29 across from 3rd ID... Wow
Many years back thought that RANGER tab was the huge accomplishment, and a license to talk s*** wherever, whenever. And then I met actual Bn Rangers with that scroll. Still respect and appreciate the tab, but being an actual-real-live-assigned-RANGER.........that's different.
For those not tracking, the very beginning portion where he's describing the difference between Ranger school/tab and Ranger Regiment, one of the key differences is that being Ranger tabbed/qualified does not in turn make you a "Ranger", it makes you Ranger qualified. Being selected into and serving in the Ranger Regiment makes you a Ranger. For example, Soldiers in the rank of Private-Specialist can join the RR right out of their advanced individual training by attending Airborne school and RASP-I. Upon successful completion of RASP-I they are entitled to wear the tan beret and be a member of RR, thus becoming a Ranger. On the other hand, an Infantry officer who as part of the normal Infantry officer pipeline who attends Ranger school and gets the tab does not go around saying "I'm a Ranger" (or at least they shouldn't) but rather would be viewed as "Ranger qualified" or "tabbed". If that officer later on attends RASP-II and is selected for service in the 75th, then he or she at that point would be considered a Ranger. Hope that makes sense and helps tie up what Chris was explaining at the beginning.
I disagree , class 2-91, being assigned and serving just one day before getting ousted doesn't make you a Ranger, wth, who the hell is they is the question mark?
Explained perfectly above. When I went through back in '06, it was RIP (instead of RASP I for enlisted/ RASP II for officers), the difference between being considered an actual Ranger was completing Ranger School (tab) AND being selected with RIP (scroll).
3/75/C
@@alankey766 question, I was in 93-99 and to go to Ranger school as enlisted you had to have a feeder MOS to RR such as 11 series, 13F, commo, medic, etc. if your MOS wasn’t in RR MTOE you could not even apply for school. Is it still that way?
@@bpdp379 I think what you mean is you need to have a feeder MOS to get in RR, to go to Ranger Leadership School your unit just needs a slot. You very well could go to Ranger School and not have a MOS that can get you in the 75th.
There are very few changes from when I was in in the early 90's to now. My son is in Regiment right now, most changes are terminology RIP/RASP. The beret thing still pisses me off though!! LOL
This guy drilled it. When I was in they had a name for it I can't remember, something like "rolled or scrolled." But I don't think that's it. For my 2009 Afgh tour, my platoon serg, 1st serg, and troop commander, all QUALIFIED but not rangers. Also, nobody wore their tan caps for being qualed, only d o uch bags did that.
That was an excellent interview. I had 3 assignments in the Ranger Regiment that covered early days operating in Central America through GWOT in CENTCOM AOR. Chris, I felt nailed every aspect of serving in the Regiment and also the stark difference between it and the conventional Army. While there are good units in the conventional Army, they just dont get the resources the SOF community gets to train and maintain the high level of proficiency SOF units have to maintain. Its unfortunate he screwed up and was forced to leave, but that was the standard. Believe me, if he was a squared away Ranger, and it seems he was, I am sure the chain of command regretted his mistake also. It happens when you have 18-19 year olds who are still learning personal responsibility. But it sounds like he recovered well. The biggest challenge that the Regiment and all SOF units have is being able to devote the training time needed to stay highly proficient at all your assigned mission essential tasks. Early on, until USSOCOM was established, AOR Commanders would assign inappropriate mission sets to Ranger Battalions, something more appropriate for units like 101st, 82d or 10th Mtn. Ranger units excell in demanding short term direct action combat operations typically no more than 24-72 hours long. Rangers are constantly preparing themselves physically and mentally to conduct those kinds of operations and unit training was always designed to stress the squad, platoon and company Rangers and leadership. Airfield siezures, one of a Ranger Battalion's core missions, are very complex airland operations involving seizing and securing an airfield; parachute and/or air assault landing directly onto the runway, clearing the runway (assume obstacles, we've airdropped bulldozers in some instances that rangers operated), siezing the control tower, base operations bldg, neutralizing resistance, establishing blocking positions, landing follow on assault aircraft, building up helicopters that landed on fixed wing ac after the runway was reopened, holding the airfield while other Ranger or SOF units conduct DA away from the airhead, then, if planned, collapsing the airhead potentially under pressure from enemy forces and egress away from the objective. As Chris said, the Regiment's capabilities improved dramatically over that period of time. McChrystal, BTW, commanded 2d Ranger Battalion, but when he became the RCO he began to implement more of the training, equipment and tactics used in the higher tier SOF units. As JSOC commander he used them operationally like TIER1. Nearly every SOF unit had direct action, kill or capture, on their menu. TIER 1 would certainly be assigned the most complex missions, but Rangers were often included to secure the operating area where TIER 1 units had inserted. Also Rangers stood by for SAR while missions were being conducted. Anyhow, brought back many memories listening to Chris. And yes, it annoys me too when you hear talking heads, or especially politicians, say they were an "Army Ranger", but in reality they were Ranger Course graduates only. Now Ranger school was hard as hell for sure, and I respect anyone who attended it and graduated, but the only true Army Rangers are the ones who served time in the 75th Ranger Regiment.
My dad jumped into Grenada in October 1983 with the 2nd battalion . His friend Mike hotwired a bulldozer that was left on the runway and used it was an armored vehicle. Operation Urgent Fury
I was in the 82nd abn during Grenada. Good times. Seems like yesterday. All the best. @@BSCTrainerRob
Former AFSOC pilot here. You hit a huge truth on the advantages of SOCOM having budgets to maintain that high level of proficiency required to execute complex missions like airfield seizures. As a gunship pilot, our training load out consisted of 2,000 rounds of 20mm HEI SP,, 96 rounds of 40mm HEI Sp and 20 rounds of 105mm HE or WP. That load alone cost around $14,000 just for the ammo and most left seat pilots would do this 3-4 times a month, albeit often splitting the load with another pilot. No blue training rounds for us!
Wow, I remember that dude. As far as I remember, he had some incredible stories to tell. He seemed to be respectful andwell spoken. I wish him good luck!
I was just a regular soldier but I cannot imagine him being kicked out of Ranger Battalion and having to remain there and seeing RANGERS everywhere. Great perseverance and heart on his part.
You could see it in his eyes speaking of the 40 mile infiltration. That's concentration and disciple of all sections. Bigger the unit the harder to control so you didn't get slammed and people dead. I'm guessing that was company level, that's a lot of people to keep alive. Whole freaking battalion we'd have to fan out then come together. We could do more damage that way 😂Always a plan that doesn't survive contact, still all on the same page.
We had a couple of guys that got kicked out of the 82nd because they were problems and wound up in our mechanized unit, they were always miserable to be anywhere around and had attitudes like they were better than everyone else and didn't deserve to be where they were at.
And I don't believe his story that the DUI thing was all there was behind his getting booted out of the Ranger battalion, I saw plenty of guy's like him in the Army, we called them Billy Bad Asses, especially if you threw a couple drinks into the mix, I'd lay odds the DUI was more like the final alcohol related incident that broke the camels back, chances are there was a string of them involving fights with other members of the battalion when drinking, and or incidents off post that involved drinking and brawling with locals, his command probably just had enough of him at one point and wanted him out of their hair.
If you look into Clint Eastwoods' military history it's the same thing, constantly out of ranks and various other issues, when he almost got killed because he hitched a ride in a military aircraft he talked the pilot into giving him up the coast so he could visit a girl he'd met that wound up ditching in the ocean, he was out of ranks at the time of the incident and they'd had enough of his hijinks and just completely got him out of the military all together and solved everyone's problems when it came to him, I'm glad he survived an aircraft ditching in the ocean because he's turned out to be one of America's greatest entertainers and a true icon for several generations but when it comes to him being in the military he was what was known as a gold brick and a sorry excuse for a soldier, he was proof some people just don't belong in the military.
@@dukecraig2402 nice wall of text, Did Read. 👍
@@bballstarcrazy8 It's true, people don't understand how tight you have to keep your shit. Buddy and I were talking, he was using CBD oil to sleep while he was doing chemo, yea dude any THC may get you booted. USAF MSGT doing shit he never told me about. Not even around the bonfire, bastard!!! 🤣 I vouched for him on clearance background stuff. It's not an absurd comment dude. In case you don't understand, even the USAF has special ops to deliver special ops, get it.
@@bballstarcrazy8
Yea, ok, so that's what all those elite units are SUPPOSED to be like yet there's more and more stories surfacing about things far worse than drinking incidents coming to light that've been swept under the rug by higher up's, The Team House, who one of the hosts was a Ranger, did a podcast with Matthew Cole author of the book Code Before Country about Seal Team 6 and the culture problems they're having because for years things got swept under the rug and it's led to an environment that has incidents far worse than DUI's being swept under the rug like murder, that incident with Eddie Gallagher killing some half dead Taliban fighter is nothing compared to what's being found out about him, thrill killing civilians with a borrowed sniper rifle in Afghanistan like some guy that was just walking his kids to get some water, or the incident that everyone knows about where those Seals got drunk and killed that Green Beret in Africa during a drunken hazing incident, the point they were making in that podcast was how it's all gotten started because those standards you think are upheld aren't and it leads to things like those, the one host of the podcast is an ex Ranger and he mentioned it happens too much.
And like you the comments section has guy's calling them liars and traitors and how there's no way those kinds of things are true, Cole is just someone who wrote a bunch of untrue BS in his book and those two guy's that host the show, an ex Green Beret and an ex Ranger were only agreeing with him for sensationalism to get clicks on their video.
If you don't like hearing what I said and don't think it's true you certainly won't like what really happened at Roberts Ridge, or the fact that the ex Seal O'Neil whose been going around for some years now claiming he's the guy that shot and killed Bin Laden and in all reality has been making money on that claim really wasn't who shot him, or Kris Kyle claiming that he beat up Jessie Ventura in a bar west coast Seals hang out in, and claiming in his book that he shot and killed two guys in Texas who attempted to rob him after he got out of the Navy yet people fact checking his book couldn't find any record of it in that county's records.
Murder that higher up's try sweeping under the rug, higher up's trying to cover up incidents of cowardice while at the same time trying to block the MOH for a serviceman from another branch because the story of his heroic acts that led to his death include him being left by the servicemen of the branch trying to block his MOH, stories in books written by ex "elite" special operators that turn out aren't true and many more that drinking incidents pale in comparison are all from units and teams that you say wouldn't put up with a single drinking incident.
Well unless you've been in the Rangers and can lay claim to knowing first hand that a single DUI Incident would 100% for sure eject someone from the Rangers I'm gonna have to go with what others in the special operations world including one that actually was a Ranger have to say on the matter, the reality is the commander's of troops like that believe that because they're "elite" they deserve more lee way than regular troops, which is the point behind Cole's book that the two hosts of the podcast agreed with.
Here on TH-cam enter "The Team House Code Before Country", I doubt you'll believe what you're saying after listening to it.
Well done to the both of you. You deserve the respect of this nation and all its people and military services. God bless. Former solider, Regular Army (RA).
As a “qualified” guy he explained it perfectly. I never told anyone I was a ranger because I was never in regiment. I was attached to a scout platoon from 2nd battalion for a deployment but never assigned. Big difference.
Truth 👆Dad and both uncles dealt with tabs. One was a jumpmaster teaching them to jump, dad ran through the jungle with one with an academy ring, other was a tank commander saying NO to a superior officer tabbed. A platoon of his tanks being ordered around by a "ranger", 😂Screw that shit talk to the CPT I've got a radio for you CPT 🤣That happened during the Tet offensive 1LT telling off a CPT. Don't change the game plan in the middle of the game unless you're the quarterback.
@@ScrappyXFL I was in 82nd. There’s a lot of tabbed guys who go to the school and come back. But you have to be careful bc you never know who was in regiment and who wasn’t so you can’t go around claiming it.
@@jlee6146 Truth. Yea, dad's 2LT with the tab and the academy ring may have gone through the training, no way assigned. Do damn young, like you said never in the regiment.
Same with my uncle in leading a tank platoon, they don't assign rangers to tanks, CPT just took some time stateside to go to school.
My other uncle (I think he was 82nd too) taking supposed rangers up for training scenario had to walk down the line to double check them make sure they don't just jump out. Again so green, no way any time in a regiment.
They should have already learned how to jump at least basically and know what to do. He was always pissed about the kids who thought they were better than him.
I just looked at the patches, yea 82nd. He always jumped every time, last one out so he could watch them hit, didn't matter who was jumping or why, rain or shine, day or night. Ended up with one leg 1/2" shorter than the other, moved to be work on helos with a wedge in his boot. Became a crew chief.
I am so glad people warned me about people who overstate what they've done/are.
I'm sure you've got a bunch of stories of your own. All my family does 😂
A person who graduates Ranger School is 'Ranger Qualified'. They are NOT a Ranger. A Ranger is someone who serves as a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment. It's the difference between a tab and a scroll.
Thanks. That was a great interview. I was a MSG in the Army and served in Airborne and leg units and you will find great soldiers in both. Left as a Master Paratrooper also (went to jumpmaster school right there on Benning).
Nice that Chris is honest and direct about his case. Still showed he was there to help whichever job they sent him to. Good man.
Agree.
Chris is an amazing guy. He strikes me as the sort of guy that however much time you spent with him you’d never know he was Delta unless he told you. Funny, cool, charming, suave, thoughtful and subtle there is nothing about him that shouts SF but clearly he is a man of steel behind that Hollywood smile.
I was honored to be attached to 3rd and 5th group as infantry ODA uplift in 2013, while assigned to 1sit ID and then again with 2017 while assigned to 82ND ABN. Had a blast blast for sure! Deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria!!
This is a high quality production in every single aspect. Great video editing and production, excellent interviewer, and Mr. VanSant's experience and storytelling are top notch.
I'm highly impressed with this entire video.
Thanks for your service gents.
I enjoyed this a lot as I've been out quite a while now. I was a Ranger-qualified 11B E-5 in a Ranger LRRP Co, when the 1st Bn formed in 1974. Went through cadre training at Benning the jumped into Ft. Stewart to report for duty. We had a couple hard-charging combat guys during cadre training that got bounced for alcohol-related incidents. Gen. Abrams, when he made the decision to bring back the Ranger Bns from when they were disbanded after WWII, he knew that Rangers and Airborne had somewhat of a hard reputation. He stated that: "The battalion will contain no “hoodlums or brigands” and if the battalion is formed from such persons, it will be disbanded. Wherever the battalion goes, it must be apparent that it is the best." He was a died-in-the-wool Armor officer from WWII so I applaud him for seeing the need for SpecOps units when many other Commanders were jealous.
So LTC Leuer and CSM Gentry were not going to let anything slide for fear we would start to get a bad rep, and it appears that has continued at least somewhat. All NCO's and Officers had to be Ranger-qualified to get into the Bn. When a junior enlisted showed he could be a good leader and you wanted him to be promoted, he had to get to Ranger School and get tabbed first before being an NCO.
We went from square one in growth steps of 1-roll over, 2-crawl, 3-stand up, 4-walk, 5-run, 6-sprint. It first was all infantry work to pass a standard ARTEP. Then later more special operations began after 1974. Also originally you could not stay in the Bn; you had to rotate out as other commanders wanted strong leaders and complained they could not be hoarded in the Bn. Later that changed, but in 1977 I hit my 3 years and had to leave for Legland. Later was an RI, then went to 2nd Bn in mid-80's and by then SpecOps was primary work. I enjoyed the difference between start-up of the BN and where we were by the mid-80's. Once Rangers in the Bn could stay until too tired or used up, that was another good thing.
So you peaked early in life, huh?
Great read and insight, thank you.
I showed up to the 700 block bldg,s on Stewart straight from jump school , 3 days later I was humping in the woods around Camp Oliver in RIP, I remember the move from Stewart to Hunter in Savannah , RLTW !!!!
2/75th Ranger Battalion was the greatest time of my Army career. As a cook I got to train and do things I would never had the opportunity to do in reg army. Got there a month before 9/11 and then it was balls to the walls till being promoted out of a job. Loved it and glad I had the opportunity to be and Army Ranger. RLTW!!
2nd Batt had the best DFAC on Ft Lewis in the 80's.
Ranger Qual’d guy here, I’ve always regretted not going to RIP/RASP after graduating the school but honestly when I went to that school it was literally the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my whole life, I weighed 155lbs when I went graduated at 127lbs, I’ve got a high metabolism lmfao it got me through but wow I’d rather get deployed again than go through that school, I went back in 01 I got out in 09 and he’s right it is considered a leadership and combat school, it’s tough as fuck I’d rank it among SF Q course seeing how the regiment is special operations capable, Ranger school literally made me into who I am to this day they picked up where my father let off and kept running with it I literally owe my mentality of looking at quitting as weak and never giving up and going till death and no one gets left behind mentality to them and my dad. It taught me how to deal with stress, adversity, hunger, pain, remaining calm and clear headed and making the best decisions possible under the most challenging circumstances military or civilian life, here’s the draw back to this. Now that I’m out the adrenaline of having that mentality and having a organization that gives you levels on how and where to use that point of view is gone!!! I find life out here in the civilian sector very boring and mundane, it’s lame, slow and uneventful. That’s been my hardest time getting adjusted, high speed getting shit done everyone falling in line and working together is what I miss, out here it’s a bunch of back stabbing whiny little fucks living too cush of a life and spoiled lazy
EXCELLENT COMMENT.SPOT ON. Your take on society is COMPLETLY VALID.JAFO
I can imagine. Hell even in just a regular Infantry unit people are so much less shitty than people in the public today.
Good stuff man!
My Uncle was a I believe 3rd battalion ranger. Or second. But got medically discharged after his chute line wrapped under his arm during training and yanked it out of place. He might see this as I know he watches a lot of military stuff still. You’re a real one Uncle Chris!
Thanks nephew
@K.M.V S hahaha
You’re spot on Van (I’m also a Van (Sgt Van)).
My brother did 21 years as a Ranger between 3rd Bat and Regiment.
It was great working with you guys at Haditha in 2003. 😎
Shawn, keep doing what you’re doing brother. Love it. 🤙🏼
All for nothing man and an absolute waste
@@TheInfantry98
Yah no kidding. 2015 was a rough year watch isis fill the vacuum and destroy everything we accomplished in NW Iraq.
I was 3rd ID. ,87-92 Bradley gunner. I don't see many videos where the veteran was 3rd ID. Nice to see that!
What unit? I was with 3/4 Cav on Conn Bks. 90-93. I was an armor officer; graduated Ranger School in February ‘90. Great training. I still have nightmares! 😂
@@seanmccarthy1135 2/15 Ledward barracks. Our unit was 1/30 when I got there but then changed to 2/15 inf which I never understood.
@@bon3y4rd did you know LT Butter or Rosenfeld?
They may have been 1/15.
We had M1s and M3A2s. Two Troops were Air Cav, scouts and killer birds. It was a fun unit.
I missed the border camp tours. You may have done them?
Did you guard the QRS site?
@@seanmccarthy1135 Those names don't ring a bell but I honestly can't remember who our platoon leader was. He was young. We all liked him because he would train with us instead of just observe like some of the other officers did. I was there when the wall came down. I have two pretty large pieces of it still. I'm not sure about border camp tours? We pulled guard pretty much everywhere at one time or another.
2-69 Scout Platoon, 3rd Brigade 3rd ID 2000'-04'
The 1st part of this interview started slowly imo and we got to watch this dude adapt in real time, got better and better, can't wait for part 2.
John Lovell for Ranger guest!
Nick Irving of US Army SOF, Rangers. The Reaper 💀.
@@DavidLLambertmobile they are both great, but a I feel like Shawn tries to get more unknown guys on here. Rob O’Neil was really the only veteran that I can think of that was really well known before Shawn’s show.
John lovell loves himself too much, I rather have someone more like this guy.
I have some friends that were in Ranger batt that had to work with John Lovell... they all said he was just annoying. I'll pass that interview. I'd listen to John "Shrek" Mcfee
As long as he doesn’t harp on Christianity too much, would love the listen
I too got an alcohol related incident while in SF got sent to regular army felt like such a shitbag. Then got sent to Iraq with them ended up getting hit by an IED that ended my career. Now I have a great job and beautiful family so everything happens for a reason
Amazing outlook, man.
That seems like a rough road to a family
The services seem to think that kicking people out of a vital mos pipeline is only punishing the miscreant. This is not the way to run a railroad.@roachfan243
@roachfan243are you alright ish bro?
Wow, he really brought back some memories. I was there about 8 years before him just after the 3rd got activated and through the move from sand hill to harmony church. Same experience. Very structured and you were just given enough info to get your job done. Also got in trouble and had to leave the battalion to a mech unit that sucked.
What company at 3/75 were you at?
Sean, a great Ranger to have on would be CSM Greg Birch. He was the 3rd Battalion CSM, Regiment CSM, and CSM with the Unit. He is also the Father of the “Modern Ranger Regiment”.
That is a solid choice.
Got rid of the high & tight. I didn't show up til 06 after his time there, but I'll be forever grateful.
Interesting. I remember him as an E-5 over in A 2/75 in the early 1980's. I remember him as a good soldier even back then.
If you met this guy at the supermarket you would have no idea what an absolute stud he is. I’ve noticed alot of these Tier one guys can be very unassuming, but are total badasses.
Grey men,don't stand out,be the guy that gets overlooked then kill everyone in the room,was how it was described in a book about the SAS.
Genuine high speeds are just normal dudes with a warrior mindset.
The nail that stands out gets whacked. A friend of mine was a SEAL who did a few tours in Vietnam.... Yeah you'd think he's a dumb farmer from his looks. He's actually a Genius Level IQ individual who considers himself a "Warrior". I will never forget the time he pulled out 4 different handguns and set them on the coffee table while we smoked pot and drank beer. That was his way (Disarming) of saying he Loved Us and felt Comfortable in our presence
@@eyefreely9682 You sure he was actually a SEAL? The handgun thing is SUS.
I'm pretty sure I know the guy that I went camping with and taught me Kung Fu. Not to mention all the partying. His traumas are something else.
One of those guns he TOOK off a guy who tried to rob him. His exact words, "If he would have been white, I would have caught him. @@jenniturtleburger3708
The 40 mile story is great. People forget Rangers are known for being the best on foot for long distances, running, etc. Fools are in outstanding long distance cardio shape. And full pack.
What? Don’t the other US forces do long range foot movements? They ought to start training for that considering how difficult it is to concentrate vehicles nowadays without getting spotted
To be clear, a "Delta Force Operator" didn't get kicked out of Ranger Regiment. A young soldier who made a mistake with silly repercussions got kicked out.
Delta Force is US Army Special Forces, green berets, the Ranger Regiment is an entirely different unit.
@ArmyVet82ndABN Hey airborne, you might need to actually listen to the interview then reread what I said. Won't be in need of an MTOE breakdown either.
@@jwbures I listened to it nowhere in it does it say he was in Delta Force. Being a Ranger is one thing but he wasnt in Special Forces I looked it up.
@armyvet82ndabn15 the title says “Why a Delta Force Operator was kicked out of the Ranger Regiment”
He deserved it, should have been discharged
I was a 2nd Battalion. I went to RIP then Ranger School. My job was long-distance Recon. I started out a TOW Gunner then Scout Recon on the back of a jeep with a mounted 60. I went to PNOC and found out what a "RANGER" was and was sold on the idea of being a Ranger.
I regret getting out after 8 yrs active duty
blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah...🐂💩
Do u recommend high rep bodyweight calisthenics or weightlifting?
@@DarkObfuscation No. You will be living off of a ration a day and the right build for the job is "wiry." Slender, but muscular. Get a rucksack and start walking (a lot) Your leg strength is far more important than your arms.
@@DarkObfuscation
Look at the French Foreign Legion. Those guys are skinny, but strong with long-term stamina. You want lean muscle like a marathoner, not bulk, which will just weigh you down and make it harder on your joints and performance. You want to be able to go the distance, not a one rep max.
Thank you for our 8 years, though. Still above and beyond what many are willing to give.
I'm interested in the culture as well and have met several operators who's personal stories I would always listen to with open ears and astonishment.
These are always an interesting listen, thanks guys
After arriving at my second unit, a guy who arrived a year later from my first unit let me know that we had lost a guy I was good buddies with to a single vehicle accident while he was under the influence.
After getting out, I was told by one of the guys I had kept in contact with that another buddy had died in a single vehicle accident while under the influence after also getting out.
I do not know the circumstances in either case, I specifically didn't ask.
Life is funny sometimes in that people who you know to be outstanding in other aspects of their lives can fail so badly in other areas. Each of them helped me along the way, especially so with the second fellow. I will never forget either of them while I curse them for their stupidity yet I'm immensely thankful that nobody else was physically hurt by their actions.
Please call an Uber if you've had a few but think you're still good. Also, please don't let your friends and loved ones get behind the wheel. Even if they're angry in the moment and later, I'm sure they'll eventually thank you for caring about them.
I'm very glad that the gentleman interviewed here didn't hurt anybody and was able to go on to further serve his country.
I was in 2d Batt in the early 1980's. At that time, A DUI was survivable for an enlisted guy or junior NCO, depending on circumstances. If there was no serious accident you could probably get by with it. It wasn't a good thing but it wasn't fatal. I remember one guy had one as a buck sergeant. He got so drunk he stopped his car and fell asleep in the middle of a rural highway out towards Mount Ranier. He got put on Anabuse, a drug that makes you wretch uncontrolably if you ingest alcohol. He was not DXed and ultimately became a Sergeant Major. There were a lot of NCOs who were alcoholics. The one thing that was a lot less tolerated was anything drug related.
DUI would kill off an officer's career. When I first arrived at Battalion from RIP, they were on deployment to Alaska so I was on rear detachment with a few guys who were either new guys like me or were returning from schools. We were supposed to get a new platoon leader who had come over from the 82nd. I met him briefly. A few days later he got a DUI. That was it. The black chinook came for him. He was gone before the company got back from Alaska. I guess he went to 9th ID. DUI would be a career ender for an officer. I think he was a West Pointer and had a successful stint as a platoon leader in the 82nd. Officer assignments in a Ranger Battalion were coveted but I imagine he got out after he did his required five years. A DUI was basically career poison.
In 1980, the public attitude toward drunk driving was a lot more permissive than it would be even a decade later. So the army was the same. The same was true of adultery. Having a relationship with another Ranger's wife might get you shot, and would very likely get you kicked out of Battalion, but it would not get you kicked out of the army. I understand that changed a few years later. The army became much less tolerant of such things.
I earned my Tab in 1991. The best leadership course I have ever been thru. When I was in, I was Ranger Qualified as a 13F stationed at FORT BRAGG in the 82nd. RLTW AATW!
Thanks for your service Chris. No doubt a tough lesson to learn, but your resilience made for a resounding comeback. Kudos to you. Great video.
I was in 25th Light Infantry and tried to transfer to Rangers pleading with my CO about year before Mogadishu incident. I was surprised I was turned down, but I was sooo naive when I went in the military. I shouldve just chosen Rangers for my contract but was talked out of it by recruiter. I still regret it to this day. That and not winning state championship wrestling still my biggest regrets of my first 20 years.
Don't dwell on that shit, I had Airborne school in My contract and went through the entire school, then busted My ankle on the 2nd jump. I finally wound up in 101st Airborne Infantry. I got My Air Assault wings and a Arcomm for a gunner. Don't let it get to you, you did your time and protected our great country!
@@unclecreepy8343 whatever helps you get to sleep at night loser🤣
Don't live with regret. You served. You were a grunt. There is absolutely no shame in that
Hey man, if it means anything to you, nobody watches wrestling anyway.
@@brandonbell900 dawg😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Yeah...we got all those RANGER REJECTS from 1/75th. I was in 24 ID in late 80's. Ft. Stewart, GA. Damn...I never learned more as a young private...all those DUI Rejects...we were glad to have them. Good times, humping the Pig. Seriously, for all those out there that suffered that humiliation, you were welcome, taught us all a lot of sh*te, and as far as I can recall... no one thought any less of you. Thank you.
24th ID in early 90’s we had three ranger rejects in my platoon. All dui crap. They were awesome dudes and helped me prep for SFAS.
True! I was on Kelley Hill ‘92-‘94. My squad leader was a Ranger kicked out of 3/75 for a Dewey (DUI). Deployed to Desert Storm with us and trained the ever living shyte out of us. Our Battalion Physicians Assistant had a 3/75 scroll on his right shoulder from Granada. Couple of scattered E-4 Dewey’s too.
They made us all better. 🇺🇸
Me too ,3/19 inf Stewart 80-83
I got to work with the army marksmanship team for a week. It was full of a bunch of rangers man. Those guys were cool as hell and that was the best week of training of my life. 🇺🇸
i gOt tWO wUrK wiT dA aRMiE mArKsMAnsHit tEeM.. fOuR A weAk🤡
🐂💩
@@dudedog884 lol, didn't know youtube translates eboniks
@@gcam7103 LaUGh oUT LoUd DiDeNt nO U tUBe tRaInsLAtes *eBOnICks
Likewise! Great organization!
I’m glad he mentioned that the regular army isn’t the same. It’s true, it was frustrating being in a combat arms unit and seeing fat bodies and unmotivated troops perform poorly
Difference being quantity over quality, appealing to enough individuals willing to do the job even conceptually; also the resources necessary to train at either respective level.
Not saying what you said is untrue or regular army isn't important or respected, but not wanting to be around those fat bodies should motivate you or others to chase something elevated so you are surrounded by higher achievers and standards.
Yeah it’s definitely true. One thing that didn’t get touched on though, and it may be unit dependent so it wasn’t his experience; is that those fat bodies are shamed into oblivion in competent units. 2/325 82nd was stellar, weaklings got identified quick and either made not so weak or weeded (chaptered) out.
But yeah the baseline in SOF is so much higher. We loved getting guys from Ranger Batt, hell even just motivated guys that didn’t make it through RASP or SFAS were typically well ahead of AIT/jump school guys.
Dude seriously best on the planet?? I work with your guys in 2006 and you are out standing but you were always be hind c company third battalion parachute regiment 🇬🇧!! Big love !!
I was in 3/75 from 2008 to 2012. I started as a 92G, but after I got tabbed, I made the switch to an 11B.
Slop jocky!! That was one of the best dfacs in the army tho
I agree with him about life in RGR Bat! If you were not tabbed you’re hated. Especially if you made E4 no tab. It was understood if you can’t get the tab by E4 you are shipped to a line airborne unit. I spent time at first enlisted later after 5 years as an officer. I loved it. It’s an understanding of your mind vs what the regiment wants. What is expected of you. I never served in a line unit.
Shawn is really a good interviewer on the low. Love how he leads guys to their story, and let's them tell it.
On the low doesn't work when u use it in this context. It's too obviously an attempt to sound cool or something
@@doesntmatter4477☝️🤓 lmao resident expert on “cool”
Great interview. It added detail to something my dad told me many years ago; he went through Ranger training back in 1942 and was in the best shape of his life, but made it clear he wasn’t a Ranger, they just needed that level of training for attacking German pillboxes at Normandy.
Also, it should be pointed out that, while Navy Seals are pretty bad-ass, when they get in trouble, it’s Army Rangers that rescue them.
Loved this so much, I love hearing from these guys’ experiences in the old Army.
Much respect to our people who do this type of work.
I has 2 DS who were ranger one also served as a Pathfinder as well. They, to this day, are some of the most high speed people I've ever met. One went off to be a Jump Master and the other went to be a instructor for SF.
Great interview. Love the down to earth honesty. No bravado or arrogance. Great job.
Crap
In the mid '80s I was in the 172nd Light Infantry Brigade. Alaska (4/327). My Battalion Commander was William Ohl. The Army tapped him in '84 to resurrect 3/75 Rangers. That was the hardest-charging "old man" I ever served with. LIB was by no means "light", we regularly humped 80+ lb rucks, in the snow. We loved that old man. We were a damn strong unit. He did a lot of unique things. Once a month he took all the officers and ran "Omega" missions. Lieutenant=Private, Captain=NCO, Major=SNCO, and he worked the shit out of them. I recall a 12-mile roadmarch the battaion completed where a new LT fell back and came in with the stragglers (we never had many stragglers, that old man trained us well). Colonel Ohl was waiting for him and simply pointed down the road and told him "Do it again". He never took a day off. If we had a "comp" day Colonel Ohl would be there all day, and even run pt by himself. Delta often came up there to recruit from our battalion (usually during our monthly "payday meetings").
I was a private in the 3/75th starting in Oct 1984 only days after it was re-commissioned. I remember Bill Ohl. Joe Heckard was 1st Sgt of C Co. at that time.
thank you for your service.
First thank you both for all you did and do! I served in the 82nd from 96-2000 in an Airborne Infantry Unit. What you described the Ranger Regiment to be like. The mission objectives and training sounds like my experience in the 82nd. Makes me feel pretty good about what I was doing since I regret not going to the Regiment.
Hooah brother AATW! B co 307th Combat Engrs 82nd.
I’m just a retired Army 11BB4, served from 1983-2009 and earned 2 CIB’s in my career and we had a few Ranger qualified NCO’s as well as nearly all our Officers. It’s not easy in any way to pass Ranger school and I saw buddies that dropped out for physical injuries that cut their careers short. I knew I just wasn’t hard enough to be a Ranger and didn’t want to screw myself and the Army so I stayed in the Air Assault lane and did pretty well. We used to joke that being in a Ranger battalion is basically joining the Star Trek “Borg”, lol. Ranger units are extremely wired tight but that’s their strength and we respect that fact. I’ve worked around Delta Force once in December 1989 on Camp Shelby that I’ll never forget, it was insane, their reputation is an under estimated perception about their skills and abilities.
AMAZING COMMENT 👏
@@QuitYoJibby-JabbinFool just being honest and I’m sure my peers have a similar view. One of my friends who’s Ranger tabbed told me a story of how he saw Fred Flintstone walk across the path his patrol was on one night. He hadn’t gotten any sleep in nearly 3 days and it was around 0100 and they came to a security halt for a map check and he said “I’d swear on a stack of Bibles that I saw Fred Flintstone cross the path a few feet in front of me!”. So that should explain a little about how taxing that school is and it’s not for everyone, just our best. When the Army made us all wear black berets in 2000 we all protested that berets are to be earned, not given.
@@echohunter4199 You sir are very correct, lack of sleep will make you hallucinate that is part of the training to make you understand you will see things.
@@ripperwrestling6587 as I mentioned, all Grunts respect the Ranger Batts for a damn good reason. I still remember the story about the time when the gang took on a few Rangers in Washington State in 1989 that were terrorizing a neighborhood where one of the Rangers lived, it didn’t end well for the gang members, lol. As Infantry, we do work in packs, far more effective that way. I won’t go into a time when my buddies helped me out back in 1989 while I was stationed at Ft. Campbell (2.502 INF).
Damn dude, that's a long haul to be a ground pounder.
Just started watching Shawn Ryan and Vansant is the first Special ops guy who is very articulate and has still has an intact mind .
It wasn't just SOF guys who changed...I was with 2-14 Cav 1st Brigade 25th ID in Mosul, Tal Afar and Rawa in 04-05...we did a lot of direct actions and I spent the majority of that tour training, planning and running missions with Iraqi personnel in an 8 man detachment.
Sean does an excellent show.
Mr Vansant looks very healthy and sharp for having done a hard 20. God Bless him.
Me, I was just a green-clad jungle killer in the Australian army. No parachuting, no helicopters, no CQB just sneaking through the jungle living like an animal. Training to fight a war in south east Asia, we are an Asian country as a former Prime Minister once said. The likely enemy was Indonesia but we weren't supposed to say that. It was fun.
You can just tell Chris is a very intelligent guy, super well spoken and knowledgeable. TYFYS.
listening to him reminds me of my time in a sniper PLT with the USMC. I spent 15 months with the SS PLT during the latter part of my 4 yr contract. Consequently, once one is under a year (less than 12 months) on their contract that red flags one for schools. Nearing the end of the contract the Chief offered me school, but the career counselor said you can go after you sign for three years. I requested to extend and expressed my interest to go on a float (MED). Denied, three years or thank you for your service. I chose to leave.
To this day, that decision haunts me bc of my career decision, SWAT, and LEO Sniper Instructor and later working in Ramadi as Sniper Team leader (05-06).
It’s the same with Airborne School. I went and qualified, but never served in the 82nd, therefore, I am not a paratrooper and never claim to be. People really get puzzled when I refer to myself as a “5 jump chump”. Other Army vets understand though. I was armored CAV and damned proud of it.
As you should be
Bro, you're paratrooper!
@@gustavono8251 thank you brother
Every paratrooper is a grunt once they land.
@@gustavono8251it’s open for debate. Generally, however, a paratrooper has been on “jump status” (received hazardous duty pay) for a period of time, usually at least 3 years. There is definitely a difference between a 5-jump chump and a guy who has been on jump status.
'Should say; "Infantry soldier that was once kicked out of Ranger regiment became a Delta Force operator."
But it wouldn't get as much clickbait.
Who cares…
@@justinschulze4975 I care, you care.
Thanks!
You're welcome!
As master Oogway would say, there are no accidents. Outstanding show of perseverance.
Everything he said about the units and the description was on point.This dude hit it right on it, That's exactly how the Army is!
This is great! I was booted from RIP in May/June 2001 and ended up on Kelly Hill with several rangers from BN. Every one of those guys that ended up in my unit were revered and set a standard that 99% of the mech infantry always tried to get to. I miss those days.
Bullshit. They all couldn't stand you.
Having served in the Berlin Brigade 82-84 got to serve with and meet a lot of former SF, Rangers, and god only knows what else (DET A and I am sure others). Some of the SF guys spent a ton of time in country Vietnam. They were pretty mellow and more about skills knowledge and unconventional warfare. They had combat stripes all the way up to their elbows. We also got a decent sized batch of Grenada Rangers in. Everyone one of them was in honor to serve with and learn from.
When you got to humping is when you could separate the Rangers from the regular legs. They were like quiet machines and kept going and going and never so much as a grumble out of them.
One of them failed a weigh in. He was a hardass from hell and had ran the Rip PT program. Little guy from Guam. This guy religiously did PT. He was a hello dolly machine and would run off hours with a pack full of equipment.
CO puts him on remedial PT and sends him off for a pinch test. Mean time the First Sgt is laughing his ass off at him. First SGT ends up on remedial PT also.
The pinch test results come back and he has less than 3% bodyfat and has to gain twenty five pounds. He ends up in charge of remedial PT and dogs the First Sgt. Hilarious stuff but points to how dedicated some were to their physical fitness and being the person you didn't want to meet on the other side in combat.
Joined as 11 H in 1981. Wish I would have had access to this kind of information when I joined. Got to sit through a recruiting seminar for delta in 1982. Wish I would have qualified.
I deeply respect his candor! Ranger School Class 14-80. I look at that life then caused to to go SF where I felt my brain was as big of a weapon as my equipment. It was almost a prerequisite to have conventional time prior to SF so we knew how to deal with knuckleheads, shirkers, malingerers, addicts and such….a very different work world. All that said, Audie Murphy was a “leg” and highly trained soldiers must never become too arrogant. I am so glad our guest stayed in the Army for 20 years.
07-83!!
His last comment of (in my interpretation) was one person can positively influence a career is so true. We simply don't know what is going on in most people's lives - think about how one bit of positive feedback or encouragement can change a career.
At 17, I was in the 82nd Airborne just after Vietnam, and I'm convinced they thought they were equals to Ranger BN. As a private, the NCOs all came from Nam from the 173rd Airborne, and they were hard as nails. I admit, they were good, and we did train in unconventional warfare often. The eighty duce was not soft.
When I wanted to leave for Ranger School en route to 1st Ranger Batt in 82, they treated me like crap until I left an E-6. I have no idea what was up with that.
Chris looks like a young Joe Bonamassa..........................and gives of no operator tough-guy vibes. I love listening to these no-nonsense genuine article guests. Keep up the great channel Shawn.
Keep up the great work !!! Best podcast/show going, much love from Chattanooga
Chattavegas Baby
Great video and unfortunately a DUI in Regiment is an automatic DX. Really enjoyed hearing his story and knowing he didn’t let that incident end a incredible career.
But hunter biden can do coke in the White House 😂
The Tab is a school, the Scroll is a way of life. I was 3/75 from 88-90, Ranger Class 10-89, and Regt was a work hard play hard environment. Regt was way more strict and disciplined than my experience in the conventional Army or my experience in Group. My experience in 10th Group was way more relaxed e.g. calling superiors by first name, doing PT on my own, discouraged from standing at parade rest etc., but I was held to a higher standard. In Group I was babysat a lot less and was individually responsible for keeping myself up to standards.
It’s weird he didn’t say this. Anyone in the know says tabbed vs scrolled.
Hey man, im looking into attempting to go to ranger school, and I've been running 5 miles a day, 100 pushups, 50 situps, and a 1 minute plank each day, as well as tennis practice and cross country next season, is this enough to get prepared for it?
@@monkeeatsbanana7397 are you going for an 11X?
@@robertwolters I want to try to secure an 11x contract but I also maybe want to be a 12b if I even pass selection which is highly unlikely
@@monkeeatsbanana7397 Are you talking about RASP?
GWOT had units doing missions outside the norm indeed. In 2003 we were a Field Artillery Platoon that had to deploy to Afghanistan with an ODA to do security at their FOB. We were stationed at Bragg so prior to deployment we went to the JFK Special Warfare Center's 18B course building, which at that time was located at Smoke Bomb Hill on post, and sat in with SF students training on foreign and American weapons. We went to the range with them and fired some very exotic weapons prior to zeroing and qualifying our own M-4s with them. One of the 18B Instructors was Master Sergeant Anthony Yost, who was later killed in Iraq on November 19, 2005. He was a great trainer and a total professional. Once we got to Afghanistan we went on missions with the ODA and Afghan National Army troops. That was my first combat experience. In 2005-2006 we went to Iraq as convoy security driving armored gun trucks, then in 2010-2011 another unit I was in reflagged to an Infantry Platoon and deployed to FOB Salerno, Afghanistan as the maneuver and Quick Reaction Force. So 3 GWOT deployments as a Artillery Soldier and I never took an Artillery piece on any of them.
Great video. Intelligent discussion about the trade offs of fighting the GWOT for 20 years. This highlights a huge problem in the military. We are now much better at fighting unconventional wars, but much less capable at fighting near-peer conventional armies.
I agree. I was a 13 bravo in 3ID 4Th BCT running missions everyday deployed. Mounted and dismounted
Awesome! A lot of my colleagues that served in the Army. Told me that the Rangers had their own unit and own “section”. Badasses in there definitely tests their skills
Ranger Recon
@@ssgus3682 Yup thanks
@@thenotoriousvlog5986 no problem the Ranger Regiment is smart to keep their Recon teams.
The conventional Army disbanded LRSD teams at the division and Corps level which I think was a mistake.
I was dropped for standards after a yr and half and letting an injury I didn’t disclose cause my pt standards to drop so far. Biggest regret of my life. Got one deployment in with them got back and my pt standards fell so low I was kicked to the regular army.
Some of the best guys I knew got dropped for one reason. Or another eventually. Hard community to join, but much harder to stay in. Injuries happen.
Same thing happened to me...after Bat....went to 3rd ID in 98 as a 12b SAPPER..Rock of the Marne Dog Face Soldier......know the feeling...Gr8 true 👍 content....
His story is so familiar to me , I spent 2 tours in the 1st Bn from 75 to 80 and again from 82 to 84 and went to Grenada, I saw a lot of my friends get the boot for all kinds of crap, This guy explained the difference in being a " Batt Ranger" and a " Tab Bunny " best way I have ever seen, I made E-5 and was PCS'd to Ft Cambell , there I was assigned to a LRRP team in the Div HQ , then I went to an Infantry Bn , In the company was a Lt that was tabbed and he was always bragging about being a Ranger until I arrived, with a combat scroll , CIB, and a Purple Heart, he never bragged about being a Ranger again LOL " REAL " RLTW !!!!
First duty station was at Ft. Stewart when the 24thID was so new it took longer marching to the motor pool than conducting PMCS on vehicle’s. Again with inspecting weapons. We all became professional spade players. Then from 77’-84 was with 1/10 FA/ Division Band 3rd ID. Oh my what a difference in command and atmosphere in general.
Still miss the 3RD.
A truly genuine person.
A story about overcoming the odds. Never give up, keep grinding, don't let ANYONE tell you no.
I was in 3rd batt and was a Panama Ranger … I don’t remember this guy but I was probably out before he got there .. had a cpl friends that left for dui so that’s true … glad he went on and did well..RLTW ..I was out in 92 so missed this guy … and everything he is saying is quite true especially about regular army guys I thought the same about them ..
Awesome interview and great insight on how and why the Army Ranger prepares. Love the story of the 40 mile walk through Germany.
Wow. I've seen DUIs stop infantry NCOs advancement in their career. It's on your record forever. To make delta with a DUI is a huge surprise to me.
Bro how have I been missing this podcast. I've been binge watching now.
Shawn, you should read "Warfighter: The Story of An American Fighting Man" - memoir of Colonel Jesse Johnson, just buried at Arlington and highly decorated. 40 years of combat service covering 40 years of warfare from Vietnam through the Iraq War (contractor), in-between serving as Delta Force deputy commander. Commanded Generals Schoomaker and Petraeus who endorsed the book, which won a gold medal from the MWSA. You could interview his co-author, who is very knowledgeable and articulate on the topic.
@@Peppermint988 Great book. He and Billy Waugh are now knocking back a couple of cold ones in Valhalla.
my exs moms husband was a ranger, the dude was a fucking beast. I remember some of his stories. I was just graduating highschool at the time and I had no clue someone could have that kind of drive...... I hope hes doing well
I made SSG in 5 years but Kelly Hill was the duty station that made me want out so bad that I saved up 85 days of terminal leave to get out, as fast as possible. August 10, 1997 I left on terminal leave and never looked back.
Garand thumb would be good. He's a SERE instructor I believe. Gotta have some good stories
TACP.
@@Danlovestrivium im sure hes a PJ
Talking about SERE school and being an influencer for two hours sounds dumb as hell
@@terrycrews2281 I'm sure you're wrong. He's TACP.
@@Danlovestrivium you're right
im sorry for the confusion
I appreciate his transparency
It's so funny seeing the differences when Shawn has on the DEVGRU guys and even Army Special Forces, versus when he has on the CAG guys. They look NOTHING like you would imagine them looking like. The DEVGRU and other SEALs look exactly how you'd imagine a SEAL in DEVGRU to look. All the guys he's had from Delta look like guys that came walking out of a Baptist Church potluck, with the general public being completely unaware that they're absolutely laser-focused killing machines.
GBs werent made for killing. they were made for insurgencies.
I guess the Delta guys blend in better? If I met this guy I would have no idea who he was.
"laser focused killing machines" they haven't fought an equally geared enemy like russia/china
@@Palefeast those aren't equally geared enemy. They're a joke. The Russians can't even handle Ukraine.
I’m pretty sure I met Chris at an Army/Navy game in Philly. I was enlisted, got back from deployment and got into West Point. Fast forward I graduated and when to conventional combat arms unit in 2015. The Army was radically different from what I knew during the GWOT years. I got dinged as an LT for smelling like booze at PT. In retrospect, it was a big mistake and derailed my career with a GMOR. But u remember thinking ‘I’m in a freaking combat arms unit and I got in trouble for smelling like booze at 530am? That’s when I knew this Army was much different from the one I remembered.
Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can come together. Trust and pray.
Good candid speaker. Seems like a good guy to serve and work with.
After deployment I saw a lot of good guys get kicked out of the army for DUI’s. Great dudes under fire but made bad decisions back in garrison…
Great interview! - I was 3ID, discharging in 93, so I just missed this time frame. I'd love to know who his quality leaders were in the 3ID...a chance I knew some of them! So true about the turds, and quality. Some really outstanding leaders, and some complete duds. Anybody else serve in Scheinfurt from 89 to 93? Ledward, 1/30th and 2/15 - 'BATTLE BOAR,' or 'Rock of the Marne.'
I had a buddy who was kicked out of the Rangers because his run time slowed down. He missed the run by 5 seconds. Then, he got a job in JSOC HQ. And many years ago, I got to deploy in support of the Rangers in Bosnia. Before we left, we did a lot of running, a lot. And we did light-weight calestenics. They were very run oriented. That's my impression of the Rangers, because they ran faster and more than anyone. But in combat, they were more to support others. They're specialized in taking airfields.
I interacted as a police sergeant with Air Force security people. This was in the early nineties. A DUI was a career ender. The younger enlisted guys E3 and E4, would not be allowed to reenlist. The more senior NCOs might be allowed to reenlist, but more promotion was probably out the window..