The first two women have now passed Ranger School and received their Ranger Tabs. They did it the right way, meeting all requirements just as men do. The Ranger Course is a leadership school; women make good leaders just as men do. This does not mean that women will be allowed into Ranger units–at least not at the moment.
The Army knows now that there will be political pressure to have more women ranger grads, and they recently published this notice:
ALARACT 138/2015 DTG: R 131816Z AUG 15 UNCLAS
SUBJ/ALARACT 138/2015 – RANGER COURSE ATTENDANCE
THIS ALARACT MESSAGE HAS BEEN TRANSMITTED BY USAITA ON BEHALF OF HQDA DCS G-1//MOCE/TRADOC//NARR/ (U)
THE PURPOSE OF THIS ALARACT IS TO NOTIFY COMMANDS AND POTENTIAL RANGER STUDENTS OF THE OPPORTUNITY FOR FEMALE SOLDIERS TO ATTEND THE NOVEMBER 2015 RANGER COURSE.
1. (U) COMMANDS WILL SELECT AND PREPARE RANGER STUDENTS ACCORDING TO THEIR CURRENT UNIT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.
1.A. (U). ALL PREREQUISITES FOR STUDENTS ATTENDING THE RANGER COURSE REMAIN IN EFFECT TO INCLUDE STANDARDS OF MEDICAL FITNESS PRESCRIBED IN AR 40-501 CHAPTERS 2, 5, AND 8. ADDITIONAL STUDENT REQUIREMENTS CAN BE FOUND ON THE AIRBORNE AND RANGER TRAINING BRIGADE WEBSITE AT
HTTP://WWW.BENNING.ARMY.MIL/INFANTRY/RTB/.
1.B. (U) THE COMMANDER, AIRBORNE AND RANGER TRAINING BRIGADE, STRONGLY ENCOURAGES ALL POTENTIAL RANGER STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN RIGOROUS PRE-RANGER TRAINING AND A RANGER TRAINING ASSESSMENT COURSE BEFORE ATTENDING THE RANGER COURSE.
1.C. (U) FEMALE STUDENTS WILL BE ADMINISTERED A PREGNANCY TEST DURING COURSE IN-PROCESSING. POSITIVE TESTS WILL RESULT IN COURSE DISENROLLMENT.
2. (U) FEMALE STUDENTS WHO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THE RANGER COURSE WILL RECEIVE A GRADUATION CERTIFICATE AND BE AWARDED, AND AUTHORIZED TO WEAR, THE RANGER TAB. UNTIL THE REQUIREMENTS UNDER TITLE 10, US CODE, SECTION 652 ARE SATISFIED, FEMALE GRADUATES WILL NOT RECEIVE THE ASSOCIATED RANGER SKILL IDENTIFIERS OR BE ASSIGNED TO RANGER-CODED UNITS OR POSITIONS.
3. (U) EXPIRATION DATE FOR THIS MESSAGE IS 13 AUG 2016.
