First female troopers to grow to be Army Rangers

The women have not been identified by the Army, but both are officers and graduates of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., Army officials said. Two separate sources told Military.com that they will receive the highly coveted Ranger tab on Friday – barring any unforeseen circumstances. “Each Ranger School graduate has shown the physical and mental toughness to successfully lead organizations at any level”.

McHugh added: “We owe soldiers the opportunity to serve successfully in any position where they are qualified and capable, and we continue to look for ways to select, train, and retain the best soldiers to meet our nation’s needs”.

The women will receive the Ranger Tab alongside dozens of male service members in a ceremony at Fort Benning, Ga., the home of Ranger School’s headquarters, a senior Army official said Monday night.

The course includes three phases: The Darby Phase at Fort Benning, the Mountain Phase in northern Georgia’s Chattahoochee National Forest and the Florida Phase on and around Eglin Air Force Base on the Florida Panhandle. Nineteen women and 380 men were pre-screened for the program. Under a 2013 directive from then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, the military services must open all combat jobs to women by next year or explain why any must stay closed.

Tom describes the two-month Ranger training as grueling. Eight women made it through the first week, called Ranger Assessment Phase, but didn’t pass the subsequent Benning Phase.

These women should ascend as high and as far as their skills will take them. After the second Darby Phase attempt, five were dropped from the course and three were given a Day one recycle into Ranger Class 08-15, starting the course again on June 21, 2015.