To Be A U.S. Army Ranger

My sons will enter separate universities this Autumn. Each will enter as an Army ROTC cadet and--by plan at least--emerge four years later as a college graduate and a commissioned officer in the United States Army. I don't fully understand what makes these strong-sensitive lads of mine yearn to enter the ranks of Americ'a warriors, particularly since their growing-up years were spent almost exclusively in Costa Rica and England. Yet knowing these two strapping third-culture kids the way I do, one or both is likely to end up in Ranger School. I thought I'd better study up. And what a way to begin my education! Russ Bryant's TO BE A US ARMY RANGER is not full of the agonized ethical self-doubts suffered by many of my peers. It takes the mission for granted and tells the story of how the Army's version of special operations trains an excellent soldier to be a Ranger. Clearly, they know how to create an elite force with the highest level of skill and a devout adherence to the Ranger Creed (yes, it's called that). I believe many families of Ranger candidates will find this book very useful in bridging the gap between what their sons experience as they earn the Ranger tab and what those of us on the outside can only begin to imagine. I'm already proud of my two sons, who have overcome adversity, seized opportunity, and kept themselves in the game through twenty and eighteen years of life, respectively. Respect is not on the table. But when I see them in uniform for the first time, the heart will swell. And, if ever, I have a son who is a US Army Ranger, I'll remember this book and the first glimpse I had of a corps of warriors that--out there somewhere and in the mix of an ethically confused world, does unwanted tasks that by and large serve the cause of justice--keeps the Creed.

I thought this book was amazing, lots of pictures, and lots of information. Although there are downsides to the book. They only talked about being a ranger from an enlisted point of view and not of an officer, and there were some other things that i wanted to learn more about but couldn't because they didn't go into complete detail, however i understand, and still recommend this book to anyone interested in the military, and most definitely recommend it to those who want to become a ranger.

The picture quality in this book is excellent. The book also does an excellent job of keeping the pictures and information relevant and in good chronological order. Having gone through Basic and Airborne School down in Fort Benning it was great to look back and recognize so much of what was being covered. So you can be assured that these are pics of the actual places being talked about and not just replicas or places with a likeness. The book does not go into great depth on any single topic but does a great job of giving a brief synopsis of a vast majority of the events. I would highly recommend this book for anyone interested in reliving some experiences or in learning what can be expected from a trip to Fort Benning.

This book is great, better than I expected. Great and large pictures, and is a exactly and well explained "manual" for who want to be a us army ranger, or want to know how a elite team select their soldiers. I recived the book in record time, maybe one week (or less than two weeks) after the book shipping. I recomend this book for thos who love military stuf, or want to join the army. *Sorry my bad inglish, I'm from Brazil. Lucas Nunes

I loved this book. If I was an Army recruiter, I'd have a copy of it on hand 24 hours a day. It would seal the deal with any prospective Ranger. The photos make this book, and each one is worth at least a thousand words in telling you about the blood, sweat and tears that go into becoming a Ranger. I showed this book to my dad, who passed up the opportunity to become a Ranger while in the Army in the 1950s, and the glorious photos of Ranger paratroopers made him relive the heartbreak and the "What If?" feelings. This book is a combination adrenaline rush and memorial to the sacrifice of these elite soldiers.