To the men of RASP Class 07-23: Don't Quit. Don’t Cheat. Don’t Lie. Don’t Chase Ghosts.

All any of us old scrolls can pass on is #truth. You will suffer. You will suffer more than you ever thought you would. Everybody breaks. The ones who meet the standard let go of the false illusion that they will not break and pick one another up when they do. It will all be worth it in the end because you will forever have Ranger Buddies, who will pick you up when you fall.

Don’t quit - tomorrow is a quit day. Today is not. Your mind will tell you, “You cannot go on.” Your body can handle more than your mind will allow you to think it can. Tell your mind, “Shut up and buckle up for the ride,” when you hurt. Your body will take charge. When you’re out on the land nav course, stuck in a draw, remember there are no life epiphanies in the draw, only exit doors. Pass the course, and then you can decide if you want to be a Ranger. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you actually don't want to be a Ranger when you are lost, scared, hungry, and exhausted.

Don’t quit. Persevere. Let the trial transform you.

Don’t cheat - You will get caught. We want men of character to achieve no-fail missions under impossible circumstances; that’s been our business for over 300 years. Shortcuts now will only fool you into thinking you will make it when you get to your unit. You will find that there are no shortcuts in Rangering.

Don’t cheat. Win true. Win ugly if you must, but win true.

Don’t lie - You will be found out. The cadre has seen it all before a thousand times over. You are not unique, nor is your lie. They know what the land nav punch card is supposed to look like, can smell the alcohol on your breath, and will find the contraband. Why? Because we were all in your shoes too. In the unlikely event that you fool the cadre, remember your peers are always watching, and you will all have to reckon for your actions in peer evaluations.

Don’t lie. Be honest.

Don’t Chase Ghosts - There’s a standard because it’s good enough. Meet the standard. Nothing more. Nothing less. There are many ways to fail the course: land nav, PT test, and injury, to name a few. There is only one way to pass: meet the standard. Not a single Ranger you know aced the course. We all held on for dear life and thanked God when we were left standing at the end. Trust me. Good enough is good enough, especially when you recognize that 99% of the force cannot meet the Ranger standard. Trying to ace the course will most likely land you an injury, and you won’t be standing at graduation. Nobody cares if you got 5 out of 5 on the land nav course if you don’t graduate. Ask yourself if you want a story or if you want a scroll. The answer is apparent. The standard is the way.

Gents, I spent nine years in the Ranger Regiment. I was honored to be invited as a guest on the Legends of the 75th podcast. I can assure you that I was merely lucky enough to serve amongst legends. Let’s cut the shit here, I slept on the land nav course in RIP night two after getting my Land Nav GO night one. I’m lucky I didn't get caught. I was a terrible Ranger School student. I would have never passed had my Ranger Buddies not carried me through because I droned so badly! Jeremiah and I held on through the 2006 Best Ranger Competition - never getting too high, never going too low. I don’t even remember the first half of the road march because I was hallucinating so badly. I do, however, remember finishing the competition in 3rd, an honor I will never forget.

Bottom line: Meet. The. Standard. You can worry about exceeding it once you get to Battalion and you have leaders who will guide and mentor you. Just get to Battalion!

Don’t chase ghosts. Be who you are and seize your moment. Together. Now is your time.

As for the “Do’s”…well, that’s easy. Do what your cadre tell you. They are the best the Regiment has to offer. Trust them with your life if you want them to trust you with their own.

Godspeed, Men. My prayers are with you.

RLTW

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#ThisIsTheStandard #RLTW #Selection