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Volume XVIII, Number 2
Summer 2011
RRAANNGGEERR RREEGGIISSTTEERR THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY
RANGER ASSOCIATION, INC. DEDICATED TO THE IDEALS AND
PRICIPLES OF THE AMERICAN MILITARY RANGER
IN THIS ISSUE PAGE
Presidents Message 1
Annual Ranger Muster 2011 Update 1
USARA ARM 2011 Raffle 1
USARA Election 2011 2
USARA Region Realignment 2
USARA Legacy Scholarship Awards 3
Army Ranger Awarded Medal of Honor 4
Medal of Honor Recipient Inducted
into the Pentagon “Hall of Heroes
5
The 19th Annual (2011) Ranger Hall of Fame Inductions
6
75th Ranger Regiment History 7
75th Ranger Regiment Mission 8
United States Army Ranger School 9
Ranger School Graduation Dates 11
The Founder of the Merrill’s Marauders Association Passes
11
USARA Awards a Posthumous Life
Membership
12
75th Ranger Regiment 2011 Soldier
and NCO of the Year and Col. Ralph
Puckett Leadership Award
13
Ranger Training Brigade Soldiers Sweep 2011 Combined Arms Center
Competition
13
USARA Website – Members-only Features
Logging on to the USARA Website 14
USARA Member Survey 14
USARA Membership Status 14
USARA Officers, Directors and
Committees
15
INSERTS
1. USARA Election 2011 Packet with return envelope
2. Raffle Tickets (sheet of eight [8])
3. ARM 2011 Registration Form
4. Ranger Store Order Form
Cover photo courtesy of DOD U.S. Army Ranger aims his M4A1
carbine, fitted with a M203 40mm
grenade launcher. Note the double magazine on the M4, with a spare
magazine taped to the one loaded.
This arrangement allows for rapid re-loading.
Ranger Register Summer 2011
Volume XVIII, Number 2 1
Presidents Message
We are on schedule with our plans for
2011. Our membership continues to grow at a healthy pace. The website
along with our new Facebook and
Twitter pages are enhancing our capability to grow the organization.
With this growth, we plan to increase
activities at the Regional and Ranger Base levels.
We continue to participate at Fort Benning with the
Ranger Assessment and Selection Program, 75th Ranger Regiment; the Ranger School Graduations and Rangers
in Action Demonstration. We have been able to
participate in most if not all the functions.
The 2011 Ranger Hall of Fame selection has been completed with the inductions scheduled during the
Ranger Rendezvous/USARA Homecoming the week of 25
July in Columbus, GA.
We will have a large group of Rangers and guests
attending USARA Homecoming 2011 which will be based
out of the DoubleTree Hotel in Columbus. There will be many new faces at the event. See the details on the
web site.
The first Robert Haywood Scholarship student graduated this year. This award was initiated by our past president,
Linc German. Because of his personal efforts, Anthony
Collazos son of retired CSM Mark Collazos graduated from Georgia Southern University.
In addition, we have presented our first annual USARA
Legacy Scholarship Program awards to four students.
Congratulations to Katherine Helmick, James Donavan, Dorathy-Ann Harris and Jeffry Law (details on page 3).
We have approved several new members to our new
Membership, Activities, Scholarship Selection and Election Nominating Committee. These committees will
become operating groups before the end of this year.
In summary, the Association is doing well. Hope to see many of you at the USARA Homecoming and ARM 2011
in Savannah. Stay tuned to our website for further
announcements.
Rangers Lead the Way!
Butch Nery
Annual Ranger Muster 2011 Update
Registrations and hotel bookings for ARM 2011 in
Savannah are coming along very nicely. USARA has met the minimum contract commitment for hotel rooms at
the ARM hotel, the Hilton DeSoto Savannah Hotel. That
ensures USARA will not have to pay for any unused room nights, which is a good indicator of membership
interest in the ARM. We are working to increase our
room block with the hotel.
There is a very important date coming up in three weeks
that everyone needs to know about. 8 August is the last
day for USARA members, sponsors, and others attending the ARM to book hotel room nights at the very
favorable USARA room rate. If the hotel sells out the
entire block of ARM rooms reserved for USARA, or if you
wait until after 8 August to book your room, you will pay the much higher market rates.
We encourage everyone considering attending ARM
2011 to book your hotel rooms now. Information on how to do so is also on the USARA website at
www.ranger.org. Be sure to use the special USARA rate
code found there.
We also encourage members to register for the ARM on
the USARA website. A mail-in ARM 2011 Registration
Form is included as an insert to this issue. We have more good news - The Friday night Reception at the
Telfair Art Museum is a "go" so be sure to mark that
event on your registration. Pack a blazer to attend this "coat / no tie" special event that you will remember. If
you have already registered for the ARM but did not
select this event, being unsure if it would be held, please
go back and mark this event on your registration. We need accurate attendance information.
If you have any questions about the ARM or if you
experience any problems making hotel reservations contact:
Wade Lnenicka at (770) 432-8406 or email:
Bob Deale at (770) 431-1925 or email:
We look forward to seeing you in September at the ARM 2011 in Savannah!
USARA ARM 2011 Raffle
The following valuable prizes are in this year’s raffle. 1st Prize Mossberg Model 935 12 gauge Shotgun
2nd Prize: Taurus Judge Revolver 410/.45 3rd Prize: Glock pistol [model picked by winner]
4th Prize: Glock pistol [model picked by winner]
5th Prize: ISSC Austria MSR Mk22 Rifle 6th Prize: EK Fairbairn-Sykes MkII Knife
7th Prize: Suunto Core High-Speed Low-Drag Watch
8th Prize: Suunto Core High-Speed Low-Drag Watch
Drawing: Saturday September 10, 2011
Donation: $5.00
Eight (8) Raffle tickets have been included in this Ranger Register issue. Fill out the ticket stubs and
mail with payment along with your Election 2011 Ballot
in the addressed envelope provided. If you have questions contact Wade or Bob.
Ranger Register Summer 2011
Volume XVIII, Number 2 2
USARA Election 2011
USARA election of Association Officers is an Annual
Event, with ½ of the Officer holders being elected each year. The election is held in the month prior to the
Annual Ranger Muster (ARM), with the results of the
election being announced at the ARM and the newly elected officers being installed at that time. This year‟s
ARM will be held in Savannah, Georgia in September
making the election month August.
It is the responsibility of each Association member to
insure that his contact information is up to date, and
that his Association dues are current (members cannot vote if dues are not current).
The following positions are up for election this year:
Executive Vice President
Vice President Personnel
National Secretary
Southern Region Director
Southwest Region Director
Election 2011 Ballot
The ballot and candidate statements are included with
this issue of the Ranger Register. A separate mailing to members will not occur. As the Ranger Register is
mailed to all members in all categories; all members
received the Election 2011 packet.
Voting Instructions:
1. ONLY REGULAR MEMBERS CAN VOTE (If you
are an Affiliate; Associate or Honorary Member you cannot vote; disregard this ballot; do not
return to USARA).
2. Read the candidate statements.
3. Vote for the candidate of your choice by placing a check mark or “X” in the ( ) after the
candidate‟s name on the ballot.
4. You can only vote for the Regional Directors, IF YOU RESIDE IN THOSE REGIONS (States in
those regions are listed on the ballot).
5. Be sure to PRINT AND SIGN your name and provide your MEMBERSHIP NUMBER and REGION
then place your ballot in the self-addressed
envelope provided. If you do not know the USARA Region of which you are a member, you
will find that information provided under your
name on the Ranger Register address label.
Ballot Return Instructions:
Mail the completed Ballot in the envelope provided so as
to have it arrive at the National Headquarters NLT 31
August 2011. Ballots received after that date will not be counted.
We encourage all regular members to vote. Southwest
Region has two candidates running.
Show your support - VOTE!
Refer to the USARA Election 2011 insert.
USARA Region Realignment
The USARA Board of Directors unanimously approved
a Bylaws Resolution on March 23, 2011 to implement a realignment of Ranger Regions to better accommodate
future regional events and schedule changes of the
Annual Ranger Musters (ARM) to better adjust for the poor economy. We will place greater focus on planning
and scheduling activities at the local and regional levels
to adapt to our growing membership; provide more cost-effective options; and to increase member
participation. This change will give us better Command
and Control, providing increased communication with those we serve, but who have been unable to attend
USARA events as our regions were previously aligned.
The realignment became effective April, 1, 2011.
If the interim realignment period is declared successful; changes to Article V, Section 1 of the USARA
Constitution will be required; and USARA bylaws
changes would be made and the three additional Regional Directors will be added to the Elected Officials
List in accordance with the USARA Constitution and
Bylaws; any and all final changes affected by the Ranger Regional realignment will follow the provisions Article IX
including a vote by general membership.
The following shows a map of the new Ranger Regions, and a list of States included in each:
Northeast Region (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont,
Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey)
Mid-Atlantic Region (District of Columbia, Maryland,
Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia)
Southeast Region (Kentucky, Tennessee, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia,
Florida)
Midwest Region (North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana,
Michigan)
South-Central Region (Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas)
Northwest Region (Alaska, Washington, Oregon,
Montana, Idaho, Wyoming)
Southwest Region (California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona,
Hawaii)
International Region (no compositional change)
Ranger Register Summer 2011
Volume XVIII, Number 2 3
USARA Legacy Scholarship Awards
Congratulations to this year’s awardees (each is
shown at the right side of this page).
The USARA Legacy Scholarship Program is a memorial
to selfless service and contributions made to our country
by USARA members. These awards are given in their honor. The program provides an opportunity to provide
financial assistance to qualified dependents of USARA
members in furthering their education. See information at www.ranger.org for program details.
This year‟s applicants were required to submit specific
academic information:
A copy of certification or letter of acceptance and
enrollment in the College, University, or
Vocational School the applicant plans to attend;
or is attending.
A copy of the most recent transcripts (high
school or college/university/vocational school).
A copy of the official SAT/ACT scores.
Two letters of recommendation (one from a
member of the community and one from an
academic source [teacher, advisor, counselor, or other school official].
In addition, each applicant was required to describe:
His/her educational and professional goals and objectives;
His/her membership/involvement in school clubs
or activities (include leadership positions);
Athletic /band/cheerleading/ROTC, etc.
participation; and,
His/her membership/involvement in community,
church, or volunteer activities.
Finally, each applicant was required to write a 500 word
essay to describe how parts/words of the Ranger Creed
have applied or will apply to his/her personal development and future. They were to include how the
values/ideals of the USARA member (their father,
grandfather, or great-grandfather) contributed to his/her personal growth (a copy of the Ranger Creed was
provided).
Final scholarship award selection was based on the final, weighted scores and order of merit of all applicants; and
the amount of funds available this year.
The scholarship program is supported by voluntary
donations from USARA members and public donations. The number of scholarships to be awarded annually will
vary; however, award amounts will be no less than
$1,000.
If you would like to contribute financially to the USARA
Legacy Scholarship Program you may do so securely at
our website online, or send a donation to:
USARA Legacy Scholarship Fund U. S. Army Ranger Association, Inc.
P.O. Box 52126 Fort Benning, GA 31995-2126
www.ranger.org
Katherine Helmick
Burke, Virginia
USARA Legacy Scholarship $2,000
Parents: Mike and Gina Helmick High School: Thomas Jefferson High School for
Science and Technology,
Alexandria, VA College/University: Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, MI
Degree/Major: BA: International Studies in
Business & Foreign Language,
Spanish, and Art USARA Legacy: Mike Helmick (Father)
James Donovan Monongahela, PA
USARA Legacy Scholarship
$1,000
Parents: James and Karen Donovan
High School: Ringgold High School,
Monongahela, PA
College/University: University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Degree/Major: BS: Chemistry / Biology
USARA Legacy: John Donovan (Grandfather)
Dorathy-Ann Harris
Stanwood, WA
USARA Legacy Scholarship $1,000
Parents: James and Brenda Harris High School: Archbishop Thomas J. Murphy
High school
College/University: University of Washington, Seattle,
WA Degree/Major: BS, Biochemistry
USARA Legacy: James Harris (Father)
Jeffrey Law Syracuse, NY
USARA Legacy Scholarship
$1,000
Parents: Peter Law and Mary Law
High School: N/A (second year college) College/University: Union College, Schenectady, NY
Degree/Major: BS, Economics
USARA Legacy: Charles Law (Grandfather)
Ranger Register Summer 2011
Volume XVIII, Number 2 4
Army Ranger Awarded Medal of Honor
U.S. President Barack H. Obama awards the Medal of honor to US Army Sergeant First Class Leroy Arthur Petry, 75th Ranger Regiment, for his
valor in Afghanistan at the White House, Washington D.C. on July 12, 2011. (U.S. Army Photo by Spc. David M. Sharp, AMVID)
WASHINGTON (Army News Service) - Sgt. 1st Class Leroy A. Petry received the Medal of Honor from President Barack Obama during a historic ceremony in the East Room of the White House July 12.
Petry is only the second active-duty service member since Vietnam to live to accept the nation‟s highest military honor. The first Soldier, Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta, was seated in the audience that included Vice President Joe Biden, Army senior leaders, several rows of decorated Army Rangers, and more than 100 of Petry‟s family and friends, including his wife, mother, father, grandparents, brothers and four children.
"This could not be happening to a nicer guy or a more inspiring family," the president said. “Leroy, the Medal of Honor reflects the deepest gratitude of our entire nation.”
Obama took the audience back to May 26, 2008, to Pakyta, Afghanistan. It was the day Petry‟s act of conspicuous gallantry saved the lives of Sgt. Daniel Higgins and Pfc. Lucas Robinson.
The president explained how Petry and members of his Co. D, 2nd Bn., 75th Ranger Regiment, took on a rare daylight raid on an insurgent compound to pursue a top al-Qaida commander sequestered inside, and how the mission left Petry and two of his comrades within feet of a live enemy grenade.
Petry was already shot through both legs, but with no regard for his life, still took action to save comrades Higgins and Robinson from certain death.
"Every human impulse would tell someone to turn away. Every Soldier is trained to seek cover. That‟s what Sergeant Leroy Petry could have done," Obama said. "Instead, this wounded Ranger, this 28-year-old man who had his whole life ahead of him, this husband and father of four did something extraordinary -- he lunged forward toward the live grenade. He picked it up. He cocked his arm to throw
it back. What compels such courage that leads a person to risk everything so that others might live?"
Petry shook hands with the president today using a robotic hand, which replaced the one he lost when the grenade detonated as Petry released it.
The day of the incident even the loss of his hand failed to fluster him, though. Obama marveled that the war hero applied a tourniquet himself and then radioed for help.
"The service of Leroy Petry speaks to the very essence of America -- that spirit that says, no matter how hard the journey, no matter how steep the climb, we don‟t quit," Obama said.
Petry‟s calm handling of a highly dangerous mission allowed other Rangers to kill enemy fighters. Spc. Christopher Gathercole gave his life in the battle. Gathercole‟s brother, sister and grandmother stood as the audience gave them a thunderous round of applause in his honor.
Obama shared that in an earlier meeting in the Oval Office, Petry displayed a plaque he has mounted on his mechanical hand that bears the names of Gathercole and other Soldiers the regiment has lost.
Higgins and Robinson were able to celebrate with Petry at the White House.
"This is the stuff of which heroes are made," Obama said. "This is the strength, the devotion that makes our troops the pride of every American. And this is the reason that - like a Soldier named Leroy Petry - America doesn‟t simply endure, we emerge from our trials stronger, more confident, with our eyes fixed on the future."
Petry continues his work to help wounded warriors. After re-enlisting, he even returned to Afghanistan for an eighth combat tour last year.
"Today we honor a singular act of gallantry," Obama said in closing, "yet as we near the 10th anniversary of the attacks that thrust our nation into war, this is also an occasion to pay tribute to a Soldier and a generation that has borne the burden of our security during a hard decade of sacrifice."
Ranger Register Summer 2011
Volume XVIII, Number 2 5
Medal of Honor Recipient Inducted into
the Pentagon “Hall of Heroes
Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. 1st Class Leroy A. Petry receives a plaque inducting him into the Hall of Heroes from Secretary of the Army John
McHugh as Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Sgt. Petry's wife, Ashley, applaud during a ceremony at the Pentagon, July 13, 2011. Defense .
(DoD photo by Tech. Sgt. Jacob N. Bailey, U.S. Air Force)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Courtesy of Army News Service, July 14, 2011) - The second living recipient of the Medal of Honor from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan was inducted into the Hall of Heroes at the Pentagon July 13.
Sgt. 1st Class Leroy A. Petry, who was awarded the Medal of Honor yesterday by President Barack Obama, was inducted into the Hall of Heroes during a ceremony hosted by Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta.
“This is really a great privilege for me, as one of my first acts as Secretary of Defense, to be able to honor a great American hero,” Panetta said. “I've had a long career in this town. I've worked in a number of capacities, but I can't tell you what a great honor it is for me personally to honor someone like Sergeant Petry, an Army Ranger, whose historic actions saved the lives of other Soldiers.”
“I often say that the greatest test of life is whether you make a difference,” he continued. “Someone who saves the lives of others makes a difference, and that's what you did.”
The defense secretary talked about Petry‟s heroic efforts and commended Navy Adm. Eric T. Olson, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, for the ongoing efforts of his troops.
“Most Americans can't imagine the kind of life [and] death decisions Sergeant Petry had to face that day in Paktika [province]. These are the burdens that confront the men and women in uniform serving in harm's way every day,” Panetta said.
“A member of the U.S. Army's storied 75th Ranger Regiment, Sergeant Petry's actions speak to the extraordinary accomplishments of the special operations forces that have been at the center of the fight this past decade,” Panetta continued.
“Admiral Olson I can't tell you how important they've been to our ability to take on the mission that we've been assigned, particularly to dismantle, disrupt, and ultimately defeat al-Qaida. It was a special forces team that we employed on that attack on the compound that held [Osama] bin Laden,” he said.
Panetta led the group of senior military officials in welcoming Petry into the Hall of Heroes during a the unveiling of his name on a plaque.
“Today, Leroy Petry's name joins the hallowed ranks of other Medal of Honor recipients listed on this wall. He is truly a representative of a new generation of Americans who have answered the call during almost a decade of war,” Panetta said.
“In paying tribute to him,” Panetta said, “we also celebrate a generation that is fighting for a better life, a better America, and a better world.”
Petry expressed his gratitude as he stood before some of his fellow Rangers, four other Medal of Honor recipients and a slew of senior military leadership.
“I‟m humbled by this ceremony, your words, and your presence. I particularly want to thank my wife, Ashley, [and] our children; it was their love and support that kept me going on this journey,” Petry said.
“And I would like to thank my fellow Rangers. The 75th Ranger Regiment has been continuously deployed over 3,500 days since the start of the war on terrorism. During that time, 55 of my fellow Ranger brothers have been killed in both Afghanistan and Iraq,” he said.
Petry passionately implored the nation to remember his fellow service members who gave their lives for their country.
“As you have recognized me today, I ask that you continue to pay tribute and never forget those Rangers and all other men and women of the armed services that have made the ultimate sacrifice,” he said.
“Please keep their families in your thoughts and prayers. It has been my honor to serve shoulder-to-shoulder with all service members, defending our nation for almost 12 years. And I look forward to my continued service with you,” Petry said. “Thank you and Rangers lead the way.”
Other senior military leaders spoke during the induction, praising Petry for his selfless actions.
“Sergeant Petry joins a small, elite group of American warriors who hold our nation‟s highest military honor. Thank you so much for being here and your continued service as well,” Army Secretary John McHugh said.
Army Chief of Staff General Martin E. Dempsey described the Petry family as “all-Americans” as he spoke of Petry‟s service.
Ranger Register Summer 2011
Volume XVIII, Number 2 6
“This is an all-American family. They are tight. They love each other. They are supportive of each other, [and] they could not be more polite and courteous,” he said.
“When I think about the Hall of Heroes, I‟m struck by how fortunate we are as a country to have generation after generation [of] men and women like Sergeant First Class Petry,” Dempsey said. “He represents the best of our nation and today we honor his valor, unbending.”
Olson, the SOCOM commander, spoke directly to Petry, on behalf of the Special Forces community to which they both belong.
“Leroy, you epitomize the spirit and ethos of our nation‟s most intrepid warriors,” he said. “On behalf of a grateful and respectful special operations community, I salute you.”
The 19th Annual (2011) Ranger Hall of
Fame (RHOF) Inductions
The Ranger Hall of Fame was formed to honor and preserve the
spirit and contributions of
America's most extraordinary Rangers. The members of the
Ranger Hall of Fame Selection
Board take particular care to
ensure that only the most extraordinary Rangers are inducted, a difficult mission
given the high caliber of all nominees. Their precepts are
impartiality, fairness, and scrutiny. Inductees were selected impartially from Ranger units and associations
representing each era or Ranger history. Each nominee
was subjected to the scrutiny of the Selection Board to ensure the most extraordinary contributions are
acknowledged.
The selection criterion is as unique as our Ranger history. To be eligible for selection to the Hall of Fame, a
person must be deceased or have been separated, or
retired from active military service for at least three years at the time of nomination. He must have served in
a Ranger unit in combat or be a successful graduate of
the U.S. Army Ranger School. A Ranger unit is defined
as those Army units recognized in Ranger lineage or history. Achievement or service may be considered for
individuals in a position in state or national government
after the Ranger has departed the Armed Forces.
Honorary induction may be conferred on individuals who
have made extraordinary contributions to Ranger units,
the Ranger foundation, or the Ranger community in general, but who do not meet the normal criteria of
combat service with a Ranger unit or graduation from
the U.S. Army Ranger School.
Each inductee is presented with an engraved, specially
cast bronze Ranger Hall of Fame medallion (shown
above), suspended from a red, white and blue ribbon.
The medal signifies selfless service, excellence and remarkable accomplishment in the defense of the nation
and to the highest ideals of service.
The 19th Annual (2011) Ranger Hall of Fame (RHOF) Ceremony was held July 27, 2011 at the Bill Heard
Theatre in Columbus, Georgia. The 2011 inductees:
MG(R) Eldon A. Bargewell LTC (R) Donald C. Bowman
LTC (R) Gary E. Dolan
CSM(R) Steven R. England 1SG (R) Sean T. Kelly
COL(R) Paul R. Longgrear
COL(R) Keith M. Nightingale CSM(R) Luis C. Palacios
CSM(R) Jim R. Pickering
1SG(R) Bonifacio M. Romo
SGM(R) Robert E. Spencer LTC(R) Stanley Wawrzyniak
Go to www.ranger.org to read a complete list of RHOF
members in alphabetical order.
RHOF Inductees biographical information and citations
can be seen at the RTB Ranger Hall of Fame site.
Ranger Register Summer 2011
Volume XVIII, Number 2 7
75th Ranger Regiment History
Ranger history predates the Revolutionary War. In the mid 1700‟s, Capt. Benjamin Church and Maj. Robert
Rogers both formed Ranger units to fight during the
King Phillips War and the French and Indian War. Maj. Robert Rogers wrote the 19 standing orders that are still
in use today.
The Continental Congress formed eight companies of expert riflemen in 1775 to fight in the Revolutionary
War. In 1777, this force of hardy frontiersmen
commanded by Dan Morgan was known as The Corps of Rangers. Francis Marion, “The Swamp Fox”, organized
another famous Revolutionary War Ranger element
known as Marion‟s Partisans.
During the War of 1812, companies of United States Rangers were raised from among the frontier settlers as
part of the regular army. Throughout the war, they
patrolled the frontier from Ohio to Western Ill. on horseback and by boat. They participated in many
skirmishes and battles with the British and their Indian
allies. Many famous men belonged to Ranger units during the 18th and 19th centuries to include Daniel
Boone and Abraham Lincoln.
The Civil War included Rangers such as John Singleton Mosby who was the most famous Confederate Ranger
during the Civil War. His raids on Union camps and
bases were so effective; part of North-Central Virginia
soon became known as Mosby‟s Confederacy. The Union had such notable Rangers as CPT Samuel C. Means; the
first Captain of the Loudoun County Rangers. In one
instance, CPT Means Rangers captured Confederate General Longstreet's ammunition train and engaged and
captured a portion of COL Mosby's Force.
After the Civil War, more than half a century passed without military Ranger units in America. However,
during World War II (1941-1945), the United States,
using British Commando standards, activated six Ranger infantry battalions.
Major (later Brigadier General) William O. Darby
organized and activated the 1st Ranger Battalion on
June 19, 1942, at Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland. The 1st Ranger Battalion participated in the North African
landing at Arzew, Algeria, the Tunisian Battles, and the
critical Battle of El Guettar.
The 3rd and 4th Ranger Battalions were activated and
trained by Col. Darby in Africa near the end of the
Tunisian Campaign. The 1st, 3rd, and 4th Battalions
formed the Ranger Force. They began the tradition of wearing the scroll shoulder sleeve insignia, which has
been officially adopted for today‟s Ranger battalions.
The 2nd and 5th Ranger Battalions participated in the June 6, 1944, D-Day landings at Omaha Beach,
Normandy. It was during the bitter fighting along the
beaches that the Rangers gained their motto, “Rangers,
lead the way!” They conducted daring missions to include scaling the cliffs of Pointe Du Hoc, overlooking
Omaha Beach, to destroy German gun emplacements
trained on the beachhead.
The 6th Ranger Battalion operated in the Philippines and
formed the rescue force that liberated American
Prisoners Of War from a Japanese POW camp at Cabanatuan in Jan. 1945. The 6th Battalion destroyed
the Japanese POW camp and evacuated more than 500
prisoners.
The 5307th Composite Unit, which would later contribute
to the lineage of the 75th Infantry Regiment, was first
organized in the China-Burma-India Theater on Oct. 3, 1943 as Task Force Galahad. It was during the
campaigns in the China-Burma-India Theater that the
regiment became known as Merrill‟s Marauders after its
commander, Maj. Gen. Frank D. Merrill. The Ranger Battalions were deactivated at the close of WWII.
The outbreak of hostilities in Korea in June 1950 again
signaled the need for Rangers. Fifteen Ranger Companies were formed during the Korean War. The
Rangers went to battle throughout the winter of 1950
and the spring of 1951. They were nomadic warriors, attached first to one regiment and then to another. They
performed “out front” work – scouting, patrolling, raids,
ambushes, spearheading assaults, and as counterattack forces to regain lost positions.
Rangers were again called to serve their country during
the Vietnam War. The 75th Infantry was reorganized
once more on Jan. 1, 1969, as a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System. Fifteen separate
Ranger companies were formed from this
reorganization. Thirteen served proudly in Vietnam until inactivation on Aug. 15, 1972.
In Jan. 1974, Gen. Creighton Abrams, Army Chief of
Staff, directed the formation of a Ranger battalion. The 1st Battalion (Ranger), 75th Infantry, was activated and
parachuted into Fort Stewart, Ga. on July 1, 1974. The
2nd Battalion (Ranger), 75th Infantry followed with activation on Oct. 1, 1974. The 3rd Battalion, 75th
Infantry (Ranger), and Headquarters and Headquarters
Company, 75th Infantry (Ranger), received their colors on Oct. 3, 1984, at Fort Benning, Ga. The 75th Ranger
Regiment was designated in Feb. 1986.
The modern Ranger battalions were first called upon in
1980. Elements of 1st Battalion, 75th Infantry (Ranger) participated in the Iranian hostage rescue attempts.
In Oct. 1983, 1st and 2nd Ranger Battalions
spearheaded Operation Urgent Fury by conducting a daring low-level parachute assault to seize Point Salines
Airfield and rescue American citizens at True Blue
Medical Campus.
The entire 75th Ranger Regiment participated in
Ranger Register Summer 2011
Volume XVIII, Number 2 8
Operation Just Cause. Rangers spearheaded the action
by conducting two important operations. Simultaneous parachute assaults were conducted onto
Torrijos/Tocumen International Airport and Rio Hato
Airfield, with a subsequent assault of General Manuel Noriega‟s beach house to neutralize Panamanian
Defense Forces. The Rangers captured 1,014 Enemy
Prisoners of War (EPW), and over 18,000 arms of
various types.
Elements of Company B, and 1st Platoon Company A,
1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment deployed to Saudi
Arabia from February 12, 1991 to April 15, 1991, in support of Operation Desert Storm.
In August 1993, elements of 3rd Battalion, and 75th
Ranger Regiment, deployed to Somalia to assist United Nations forces in bringing order to a desperately chaotic
and starving nation. On October 3, 1993, the Rangers
conducted a daring daylight raid. For nearly 18 hours, the Rangers were engaged in the fiercest ground combat
since Vietnam.
On 24 November 2000, the 75th Ranger Regiment deployed Regimental Reconnaissance Detachment (RRD)
Team 2 and a command and control element to Kosovo
in support of TF Falcon.
After the events of September 11, 2001, Rangers were called upon to lead the way in the Global War on
Terrorism. On 19 October 2001, 75th Ranger Regiment
spearheaded ground forces by conducting an airborne assault to seize Objective Rhino in Afghanistan in
support of Operation Enduring Freedom and in March of
2002, elements of the 75th Ranger Regiment participated in Operation Anaconda at the Battle of Robert's Ridge on
Takur Ghar Mountain in the Paktia Province of
Afghanistan.
On 28 March 2003, 75th Ranger Regiment executed the
first airborne assault in Iraq to seize Objective Serpent
in order to spearhead the initial invasion in support of
Operation Iraqi Freedom. In April 2003, elements of the 75th Ranger Regiment were among the first coalition
forces to enter Baghdad, Iraq.
On 16 October 2007, The Regimental Special Troops Battalion was officially activated as a response to the
demands of the Global War on Terrorism and the
changing nature of Ranger Operations. RSTB provides the Ranger Regiment and Special Operations Forces with
increased operational capabilities to sustained combat
operations. RSTB conducts communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance functions in
support of the Regiment and other special operations
task forces to enable the execution of joint special operations anywhere in the world. RSTB also provides
qualified, trained and ready Rangers in order to sustain
the Ranger Force. Along with the stand up of the RSTB,
the Regiment stood up a fourth Ranger Rifle Company in each Ranger Battalion in order to provide the nation with
additional Ranger combat power.
The 75th Ranger Regiment has been in continuous combat since 19 October 2001. With over one-third of
the 75th Ranger Regiment deployed at any given time,
the 75th Ranger Regiment has dismantled and destroyed countless terrorist networks through the execution of
thousands of special operations raids to capture or kill
enemy insurgents throughout Iraq and Afghanistan. The 75th Ranger Regiment has contributed greatly to the
Global War on Terrorism, helping to bring stability to the
countries of Afghanistan and Iraq.
Today, the 75th Ranger Regiment is a lethal, agile and
flexible force, capable of conducting many complex, joint
special operations missions. Today's Ranger Regiment is
the Army's premier direct-action raid force. Each of the four geographically dispersed Ranger battalions is
always combat ready, mentally and physically tough,
and prepared to fight our country's adversaries. Their capabilities include conducting airborne and air assault
operations, seizing key terrain such as airfields,
destroying strategic facilities, and capturing or killing enemies of the nation. Rangers are capable of
conducting squad through regimental size operations
and are resourced to maintain exceptional proficiency, experience and readiness. The 75th Ranger Regiment
remains an all-volunteer force with an intensive
screening and selection process followed by combat-focused training.
From the arduous training to the continuous and
demanding worldwide deployments, the Ranger of the
75th Ranger Regiment continues to demonstrate their motto, "Rangers Lead the Way!"
75th Ranger Regiment Mission
A lethal, Highly Trained, Experienced Force
Our national defense requires the 75th Ranger Regiment
to execute any special operations or light infantry mission requiring a mature, competent, highly
disciplined, and lethal force to ensure the precise
application of combat power in politically sensitive environments. To achieve this, the Regiment must be
extremely proficient in complex operations during both
day and night, in all weather conditions and across all
terrain. The Ranger Regiment is also the world‟s premier light infantry fighting force, specializing in raids and
assault missions deep inside enemy held territory. An
expert in short-notice combat deployments, the Ranger Regiment is a rapidly deployable strike force and is the
largest special operations combat element in the U.S.
Army. The Regiment uses specialized equipment, operational techniques, and multiple modes of
infiltration to capture or destroy hostile forces
History (July 2011) and photos provided courtesy of the 75th Ranger Regiment. –Ed
Ranger Register Summer 2011
Volume XVIII, Number 2 9
United States Army Ranger School
The United States Army Ranger School is an extremely
intense, 61+ days, combat leadership course, oriented to small-unit tactics at Fort Benning, Georgia, U.S.A.,
(the woodland terrain, 'Benning Phase'), at Camp Rogers
and Camp Darby, Georgia; 'the Mountain Phase' at Camp Merrill, near Dahlonega, Georgia and the Florida
Phase at Camp Rudder, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.
Ranger School was formed in 1950, during the Korean War, in order to train soldiers in Ranger tactics. Ranger
training at Fort Benning, Georgia began in September
1950 during the Korean War with the formation and training of 17 Airborne Ranger companies by the Ranger
Training Command. In October 1951 the Commandant
of the US Army Infantry School established the Ranger
Department and extended Ranger training to all combat units in the Army. The first Ranger Class for individual
candidates graduated on 1 March 1952. On 1 November
1987, the Ranger Department expanded into the Ranger Training Brigade, and established four Ranger Training
Battalions.
The purpose of the course is learning to soldier as a combat leader while enduring the great mental and
psychological stresses and physical fatigue of combat;
the Ranger Instructors (RI) create and cultivate such a physical and mental environment. Field craft instruction
comprises most of the coursework; students plan and
execute daily patrolling, perform reconnaissance, ambushes, and raids against dispersed targets, followed
by stealthy movement to a new patrol base to plan the
next mission. Ranger students conduct about 20 hours
of training per day, while consuming two or fewer meals daily totaling about 2,200, with an average of 3.5 hours
of sleep a day. Students sleep more before a parachute
jump for safety considerations. Ranger students typically wear and carry some 65–90 pounds (29–41 kg) of
weapons, equipment, and training ammunition while
patrolling more than 200 miles (320 km) throughout the course.
Ranger School is recognized as the Army's premier
leadership course and it is impossible to attain a leadership position in the 75th Ranger Regiment without
it. Lower enlisted soldiers (E1 - E5) with the goal of
becoming a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment will
first complete the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program, Phase I (RASP I) and then be assigned to the
Ranger Regiment. Once the Chain of Command feels
confident the soldier will pass Ranger School, usually within 6 months, the soldier is sent to the Ranger
Regiment's Pre-Ranger Course. Only after successful
completion of the Pre-Ranger Course is the soldier sent to Ranger School. If a member of the Ranger Regiment
fails to complete Ranger School he will oftentimes be
dismissed from the Ranger Regiment, at the discretion of his chain of command. If he is fortunate he will be
afforded the opportunity to go back at a later date, case
by case dependent. It is expected mid-and-senior grade
NCOs and all officers will become Ranger Qualified if not already once they are assigned to the 75th Ranger
Regiment, and if they fail to do so, their tour at the unit
may be shortened.
A significant portion of Ranger students come from the
75th Ranger Regiment, where completing and passing Ranger School is required for any leadership position
and continued assignment to the Ranger Regiment. The
Army also allocates a select number of training slots each year to other US Military Service Branches,
including their Reserve Components, as well as Foreign
Military Services. These highly valued school slots are
often competed for and used to augment the training of specialized combat career fields that directly support US
Army units. Upon completion of the course, all soldiers
return to the units that sent them and are referred to as being "Ranger Qualified". Since the 1950s, students
have received a copy of Rangers Standing Orders, a
version of the guidance Major Robert Rogers composed for his unit, Rogers' Rangers.
Benning Phase (4th Ranger Training Battalion)
The Benning Phase of Ranger School is designed to
assess a Soldier‟s physical stamina, mental toughness, leadership abilities, and establishes the tactical
fundamentals required for follow-on phases of Ranger
School. During this twenty-one day phase, Ranger Instructors coach, teach, and mentor each student to
sustain himself, his subordinates, maintain his mission
essential equipment, and accomplish the mission under
difficult field training conditions. Each soldier that volunteers for Ranger training has proven themselves as
a leader in their sending unit and arrives in top physical
condition. However, only fifty percent of Ranger students will complete this first phase.
The Benning Phase is conducted in two parts: The
Ranger Assessment Phase commonly referred to as “RAP week”, and the Patrolling Phase commonly referred to as
“Darby Phase.” Conducted at Camp Rogers in the
Harmony Church area of Fort Benning, RAP week begins with the Ranger Physical Fitness Test (RPFT) requiring
49 push-ups, 59 sit-ups, 5-mile run in 40:00 minutes or
better, and six chin-ups. Following the RPFT students conduct the Combat Water Survival Assessment at
Victory Pond, land navigation refresher training, and
finish the day with hands on instruction in Modern Army
Combatives. Day two begins at 0330 hours with the night and day land navigation test. Following land
navigation, Rangers are tested on common Soldier skills
such as weapons and communication training. Day two finishes with a three mile two-man buddy run in ACUs,
Ranger Register Summer 2011
Volume XVIII, Number 2 10
combat boots, FLC, and weapon. The buddy run
culminates on Malvesti Confidence Course which contains the infamous “worm pit”. The third and final
day of RAP week consists of instruction on proper
assembly and security of equipment, and culminates with the 15.03 mile foot march to Camp Darby with each
student carrying an average load of 60 pounds.
After RAP week only two-thirds of the class will continue
to the patrol phase. This phase begins with fast paced instruction on troop leading procedures, principles of
patrolling, demolitions, field craft, and basic battle drills
focused towards squad ambush and reconnaissance missions. Before students begin practical application on
what they have learned, they will negotiate the Darby
Queen Obstacle course consisting of 20 obstacles stretched over one mile of uneven hilly terrain. Upon
completion of the Darby Queen, students conduct three
days of non-graded squad level patrols, one of which is entirely cadre led. After the last non-graded patrol day,
students conduct two days of graded patrols, one
airborne operation, and four more days of graded patrols before moving on to the Mountain Phase of
Ranger School. Not all will continue forward to the
Mountain Phase. In order to move forward each student
must demonstrate their ability to plan, prepare for, resource, and execute a combat patrol as a squad leader
or team leader. Students must prove this to the Ranger
Instructors and more importantly to their peers as the final hurdle to moving forward is the peer evaluation.
Only Soldiers who give 100% of themselves to their
peers and squad will be likely candidates to continue forward to the Mountain Phase, and ultimately earn their
Ranger Tab.
Mountain Phase (5th Ranger Training Battalion)
During the Mountain Phase at Camp Frank D. Merrill in the North Georgia Mountains near Dahlonega, students
receive instruction on military mountaineering tasks,
mobility training, as well as techniques for employing a
platoon for continuous combat patrol operations in a mountainous environment. They further develop their
ability to command and control platoon size patrols
through planning, preparing, and executing a variety of combat patrol missions. The Ranger student continues
to learn how to sustain himself and his subordinates in
the adverse conditions of the mountains. The rugged terrain, severe weather, hunger, mental and physical
fatigue, and the emotional stress that the student
encounters afford him the opportunity to gauge his own
capabilities and limitations as well as that of his "Ranger Buddies".
Ranger students receive four days of training on military
mountaineering. During the first two days at the Lower Mountaineering Area on Camp Merrill, Ranger students
learn about knots, belays, anchor points, rope
management and the basic fundamentals of climbing
and rappelling. Mountaineering training culminates with a two day exercise at Yonah Mountain applying the skills
learned during Lower Mountaineering. Students conduct
one day of climbing and rappelling over exposed high angle terrain. The second day squads perform mobility
training to move their personnel, equipment, and
simulated casualties through severely restrictive terrain using fixed ropes and hauling systems. Following
mountaineering, students conduct four days of combat
techniques training. During this training students receive classes and perform practical exercises on Movement to
Contact, Patrol Base, Troop Leading Procedures,
Operations Orders, Combatives, Ambush, and Raid.
Students then perform ten days of patrolling during two
field training exercises. Combat patrol missions are
directed against a conventionally equipped threat force
in a low intensity conflict scenario. These patrol missions are conducted both day and night and include Air
Assault Operations and extensive cross country
movements through mountainous terrain. The Ranger students execute patrol missions requiring the use of
their mountaineering skills. Platoon missions include
movements to contact, vehicle and personnel ambushes, and raids on communication and mortar sites. Students
also conduct river crossings and scale steeply sloped
mountain. The stamina and commitment of the Ranger student is stressed to the maximum. At any time, he
may be selected to lead tired, hungry, physically
expended students to accomplish yet another combat
patrol mission.
At the conclusion of the Mountain Phase, students move
by bus or parachute assault into the third and final
Phase of Ranger training, conducted at Camp Rudder, near Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.
Florida Phase (6th Ranger Training Battalion)
Camp James E. Rudder, located on Eglin Air Force Base
Ranger Register Summer 2011
Volume XVIII, Number 2 11
in northwest Florida, serves as the home of the third and
final phase of Ranger School. This phase focuses on the continued development of the Ranger Student's combat
arms functional skills. Students receive instruction on
waterborne operations, small boat movements, and stream crossings upon arrival. Practical exercises in
extended platoon level operations executed in a coastal
swamp environment test the Students‟ ability to operate
effectively under conditions of extreme mental and physical stress. This training further develops the
Students' ability to plan and lead small units during
independent and coordinated airborne, air assault, small boat, and dismounted combat patrol operations in a low
intensity combat environment against a well trained,
sophisticated enemy.
The Florida Phase continues small unit leadership
training through a progressive, realistic contemporary
operating environment. Students conduct ten days of patrolling during two field training exercises. The FTXs
are fast paced, highly stressful, challenging exercises in
which the Students are evaluated on their ability to apply small unit tactics and techniques during the
execution of raids, ambushes, movements to contact,
and urban assaults to accomplish their assigned
missions.
Information and photos provided courtesy of the Ranger
Training Brigade. The next issue of the Ranger Register
will include up-to-date requirements for joining the 75th Ranger Regiment. -Ed
Ranger School Graduation Dates
Ranger Course graduations are conducted at the Hurley
Hill Training Area (map/directions below); the ceremony begins at 1100 and lasts approximately 45 minutes.
Family members are invited to the Rangers in Action
demonstration that starts at 1000 on the day of graduation; seating begins at 0930.
Spectator seating for both the graduation and
demonstration are aluminum stadium bleachers open to the elements, so please dress appropriately for the
expected weather conditions!
Remaining Graduation dates for this Fiscal Year:
CLASS # GRAD DATE
07-11 05 AUG 2011
08-11 26 AUG 2011
09-11 23 SEP 2011
10-11 21 OCT 2011
11-11 11 NOV 2011
Information concerning the status of a Ranger Student
will only be released to Brigade level Operations
Sergeants Major, Brigade Command Teams, and Division
level Schools NCO‟s. This policy will be strictly enforced to alleviate the amount of phone calls and email
received during a typical RAP Week concerning Ranger
Student Status. Status can be obtained by emailing RTB SR TAC at [email protected] .
Requests from individuals other than those previously
mentioned will not be answered.
The Founder of the Merrill's Marauders
Association Passes.
Phil Piazza died Sunday May 29, 2011 at 4:30 pm at the age of 94. As
member of the famed Merrill's
Marauders he was one of the three hundred or so survivors of the original
3,000 members of that elite volunteer
unit. He founded the Merrill's
Marauders Association and served as its President for several years.
On Thursday, June 2, 2011 he was buries with full
military honors at the M. J. "Dolly" Cooper Veterans Cemetery in Anderson, SC. An Honor Guard from
various Special Operations Units was on hand to Honor
this respected veteran, including the 75th Ranger Regiment; the Ranger Training Brigade; and many
representatives from the 101st Airborne and 82nd
Airborne Divisions, and Special Forces. Several of his fellow Ranger Hall of Fame members were also present.
President Butch Nery and Thomas Unger represented
the U.S. Army Ranger Association in paying its respects.
Born in Bridgeport, CT, he graduated from Bridgeport
High School in 1935 and in March 1941 enlisted in the
U.S. Army. In 1942 Philip entered Officer‟s Candidate
School and upon completion was commissioned a 2nd Lt and was sent to Trinidad, British West Indies where he
taught at the Jungle Warfare School.
In 1943 he volunteered for “A Dangerous and Hazardous Mission,” which would
become the famed Merrill‟s Marauders
(5307th Composite Unit Provisional). He saw continuous combat in the China-
Burma-India Theater as the heavy
weapons commander of the Second Battalion Blue Combat Team. He was
wounded in action at Inkangahtawng, Burma. He
suffered a wound that required he be evacuated from
the field, a risky maneuver in the dense jungle. His mother received three telegrams about his status; in the
first, he was reported killed in action, in the second he
was only missing, and the third got it right. He was awarded two purple hearts, a Bronze Star and a Unit
Citation. He spent 18 months in the hospital and
returned to active duty as an Instructor at Camp Blanding in Stark, FL, where he was told to “find the
highest mountain in Florida and build a Japanese
Village” to teach the soldiers infiltration techniques. In 1945 he separated from with the rank of Captain.
He married his wife of 63 years, Emma Jane Aitcheson
Fraser, in 1948 and lived in Devon, CT where he opened his own retail/wholesale business. In 1956 he moved his
home and business to Stratford, CT. He was active in
the YMCA, American Legion, Disabled American
Veterans, Barnum Festival Committee and Stratford Rotary Club. He retired to Clemson in 1981 and became
an active member of the US Army Ranger Hall of Fame
Committee (inducted in 1995), the US Army Ranger Monument Committee, Patriots Hall, Retired Military
Officers Association, Clemson Corps, Oconee County
Veterans Council, DAV, American Legion and Clemson Rotary Club. See funeral photos on www.ranger.org.
Ranger Register Summer 2011
Volume XVIII, Number 2 12
USARA Awards a Posthumous Life
Membership
After being passed through several individuals, January 14, 2011 USARA President Butch Nery was forwarded an
email message originally addressed to MG Robert B.
Brown, Commanding General, U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence, Fort Benning, GA. The message
originated from Mr. Allen Hoe, the father of U.S. Army
1st Lt. Nainoa K. Hoe who was killed in action January
22, 2005 in Mosul, Iraq. Mr. Hoe‟s message to MG Brown included:
…in looking through Nainoa's ranger school
documents, I came across his filled out application for life membership in the Ranger Assn., which he
never had an opportunity to submit, (I am sure it
was lost in the shuffle of his getting out to 1/25 asap in April of 04), I would love to have that
application approved and have his name as a "life"
member as he did live it to the highest Ranger Creed.
After contacting Mr. Hoe for additional information, the
following was received by Butch Nery:
…thank you for your kind efforts in this special
matter. I have attached the forms in jpeg format.
I will mail the originals to you today. when I
attended the [Ranger] graduation ceremony on March 14, 2004; I was never so proud in my
whole life to see my son accomplish something so
important to him and our family, his standing so tall and so proud as I pinned on his Tab, that was
simply awesome. As an ole combat medic who
served with the one of the original 196th INF Battalion LRRP Teams in 1967/68, he knew what
it meant for me to be there with him.
The original USARA Application for Life Membership was received; it clearly showed that it had been
filled-in by 1st Lt. Hoe (he was given the application
the day he graduated from Ranger School). With
that evidence and based on other information, The USARA Board of Directors approved award of a
posthumous Life Membership to 1st Lt. Hoe. The
membership packet was ultimately sent to his father.
There is much written about the short life of Nainoa K.
Hoe and the tributes and memorials that followed his
death.
We recommend readers „Google‟ his name to read more
in depth information. The following is a summary.
Nainoa Keali'ihokuhelelani Hoe was born on August 28, 1977 in Hawaii. Upon graduation from Kamehameha
School with the class of 1995, he enrolled at the
University of Hawaii from where he earned a BBA Degree. While in school, he entered the U.S. Army
Reserves at Ft. Shafter, serving with the 9th Regional
Support Command and United States Forces Korea as an
enlisted man. When asked by his father why he chose to start as an enlisted man as opposed to seeking a
commission, his response was “because you did dad.
When I become an officer I want my record to show that I was once an enlisted man and that I had the stuff it
takes to do the job”.
He earned the US Army 9th Regional Support Command,
Soldier of the Year award in 2001; the US Army Pacific Command, Reserve Component Soldier of the Year
award, and was runner up in the US Army Reserve
Component Soldier of the Year, nationally.
He earned his MBA Degree from
the University of Hawaii and his
commission in May 2003. After
completion of IOBC and Jump School, he started and graduated
from Ranger School with class
04-04) on March 11, 2004.
He reported for duty to Ft. Lewis that same month and
was assigned as 2nd Platoon Leader for Charlie
Company 3/21.
He married Emily Mai Vo, on June 24, 2004 in a private
ceremony at the “Bayer Estate” with his dad conducting
the ceremony at sunset.
Hoe was killed at age 27 of wounds received when he
was attacked by enemy forces using small-arms fire.
He is buried at Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery in Kaneohe, Hawaii – Sec 199-A Site
The greatest tribute an infantry platoon leader can
receive is that that comes from his soldiers or NCOs;
such a tribute was provided to USARA specifically for this article.
Lt. Hoe was and still is one
of the best combat leaders I have worked with in my
18 years of service. He
always set the example of what a Ranger Platoon
Leader should be. Lt. Hoe
lived the Ranger Creed, he just didn’t know the
words, and he understood
what they meant and how
to use them to make him a great Ranger Leader.
Nainoa had to show he
was up to the Ranger Challenge as soon as he walked in the door of the platoon CP. He had 3 Ranger qualified
NCO’s all from 2nd Bn 75th Ranger Regt (1SG Corey
Myers, SFC Steve Siglock and SFC Vic Birdseye) then SFC and 2 SSG’s, now assigned to 3rd Bn 21st IN (SBCT).
These NCO’s were ready to eat him up at the first
chance, but Lt. Hoe showed he was up to the challenge of what it takes to be a Ranger Leader. Nianoa always
led from the front weather it was PT, training or combat,
Nainoa was in the front in harm’s way the day he was taken from us. Nainoa had what it takes to be a Ranger,
the energy, the smarts and understanding of what his
men could do. He was a great listener, when it came to
training and combat. Lt. Hoe is a great example for future Ranger Leaders to look up to.
Submitted by:
1sg Corey G. Myers 2nd Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment Nov 93 – Oct 02
Ranger Instructor 4th RTB Jan06-Jul 09
Ranger Class 8-95
Ranger Register Summer 2011
Volume XVIII, Number 2 13
75th Ranger Regiment 2011 Soldier and
NCO of the Year and Col. Ralph Puckett
Leadership Award
The 2011 75th Ranger Regiment Soldier and NCO of the
Year and Col. Ralph Puckett Leadership Awards Ceremony was held July at the Ranger Memorial. Spc.
Zachary Liermann (left) received the regiment‟s Soldier
of the Year Award while Sgt. Christian Henry (middle) took home the top NCO honor. USARA presented Ek
Knives to each winner. Cpt. Todd Elrod (right) was
presented the Ralph Puckett Leadership Award.
The 2011 NCO of the Year is Sgt. Christian Henry, a unit
supply specialist, and the Soldier of the Year is Spc.
Zachary Liermann, an Infantryman. Henry is assigned to the Regimental Special Troops Battalion at Fort
Benning and Liermann is assigned to 2nd Battalion at
Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. The NCO and Soldier of the Year Competition is designed to select the Soldier
and NCO who represents the best of the best, based on
performance, potential and professional knowledge.
“Conducting these types of competitions keeps our Rangers competitive and represents their men,” said the
regimental command sergeant major Command Sgt.
Maj. Rick Merritt, the guest speaker for the ceremony. “We use these competitions to maintain our
professionalism, tradition and legacy.”
The Soldiers competed in Army Physical Fitness Test, M-4 qualification, stress shoot, common task testing, land
navigation, a five mile run, combatives, leaders reaction
course, urban orienteering, written exam, essay, and a board.
Each event had a points value assigned and the NCO
and Soldier with the most points at the end of the
competition earned the respective titles.
“The best part of the competition was the learning
experience,” Henry said. “The leaders reaction course
was a good tool to assess leaders on new situations that are not only stressful but physically and mentally
challenging.”
For Liermann, the competition meant honoring his team leader, who died on March 16, 2010, as a result of
wounds received three days earlier during a fierce
direct-fire combat engagement in Farah Province,
Afghanistan.
“I dedicated my performance to Sgt. Joel Clarkson and
competed in his honor,” Liermann said. “I‟m excited
about representing Regiment at the U.S. Army Special Operations Command competition.”
Liermann also took first place in the 2011 U.S. Army
Special Operations Command Soldier of the Year
Competition at Fort Bragg, N.C., and will compete in the All Army competition in the fall.
The recipient of the fourth annual 75th Ranger Regiment
2011 Colonel Ralph Puckett Leadership Award is Capt. Todd Elrod from 2nd Battalion.
Five junior officers, representing three of the regiment‟s
four battalions, participated in the competition. Tasks included the Army Physical Fitness Test, qualify on an M-
4, stress shoot, common task testing, land navigation,
five mile run, combatives, leaders reaction course, urban orienteering, written exam, essay and board.
Ranger Training Brigade Soldiers Sweep
2011 Combined Arms Center Competition
Fort Benning‟s top warriors turned in
another stellar performance at the
2011 Combined Arms Center (CAC)
event.
Spc. Blaise Corbin captured the
Soldier of the Year title, while the
NCO honor went to Staff Sgt. Raymond Santiago. Both are
assigned to the Ranger Training
Brigade‟s 4th Ranger Training Battalion. The competition was held
June 13-17 at Fort Leavenworth, KS. Corbin and
Santiago now advance to the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command stage, set for Aug. 13-18 at Fort
Eustis, Va. At stake there are spots in the Army‟s Best
Warrior Competition Oct. 2-8 on Fort Lee, Va.
“They both are outstanding Soldiers and Rangers, as are all the Rangers
and leaders in the RTB,” said Ranger
Training Brigade Command Sgt. Maj. Dennis Smith. “They live the Ranger
Creed every day by setting the
example for others to follow, and they are quiet professionals who
demonstrate their expertise with
actions, not words.
“I am extremely proud that we at the RTB have won the
CAC NCO and Soldier of the Year, and I think they have
a great shot at getting to the Army board and winning it.”At Fort Leavenworth, Santiago and Corbin competed
against Soldiers from 10 installations, schools and
support activities within CAC.
They were put through physical and mental tests of their Army aptitude, warrior skills, fitness and ability to
conduct battle drills relevant to today‟s operating
environment.
Ranger Register Summer 2011
Volume XVIII, Number 2 14
USARA Website- Members-Only
Features
If you are USARA member and have not yet logged in to the site you are missing the
following features. USARA Members-Only area
provides exclusive access to valuable information not available to the general public.
The Member-Only page currently includes the
following (more to come):
Member Profile Self-Service
Edit you profile information including email address;
contact information and service information. This helps
us ensure your information is current.
You can upgrade your membership; pay dues; and
register for scheduled events. You can pay securely by
credit card.
Member Directory
Find/search for a group of members or a single member.
From there you can view a member's profile and send messages to members with registered email addresses.
This information cannot be seen by the public; it is for
members only. In addition; you can limit data viewable to members by editing your personal profile.
Member Photo Albums
Members can add photos for all other members to see.
Member Forums
A set of forums has been established to provide a
method by which information can be exchanged among
members. Members can create new topics/threads in each forum; and can enter comment to a specific topic;
or reply to another member‟s comment. You can
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may unsubscribe anytime.
Ranger Register
The most recent version of the Ranger Register will be
posted here; only past issues will be made available for
public viewing.
Document Library
To better inform membership, relevant documents
related to USARA operations are being made available to
members. We will continue to add new items; and update information on a regular basis. You will see
individual web pages for Legal/Policy/Procedures; Board
Meeting Minutes; Financial Information; and Other Information.
Logging on to the USARA Website
Logging on is simple. Enter your email address;
and enter a password. If you have not setup a
password; click on “Forgot password”. An email message will be sent with instructions.
Contact the Administrator if you need help.
USARA Member Survey
It has been delayed; but it is still coming…
Over the years we have speculated as to what members think or want; but really have had no way of knowing. To resolved that we have purchased use of a professional survey application, and are currently preparing a member survey.
Very soon all members will be sent an invitation to participate in our survey which will ask specific and direct questions about USARA, our direction and our future. For the first time, you will have the opportunity to tell us how you feel; what we need to do differently.
There will be multiple questions with answer selections; we will collect some demographic pieces of information we have not been able in the past; there will be “ranking” type questions; and a couple of fill-in where you can contribute your ideas.
The goal is to have 100% participation. After the survey is complete, we will compile reports and graphs for all to see. And. The President and Board of Directors will use the results to make changes with our association where needed, and to shape our future.
You will be notified by email when the survey is ready; and be provided with a link to the survey. The application allows a member to complete the survey only once. All answers are confidential; no one knows who answered “what” or “how”. We only know if you completed a survey or opted-out (did not want to take the survey).
We hope you all take advantage of the opportunity to be counted!
USARA Membership Status
Ranger Register Summer 2011
Volume XVIII, Number 2 15
US Army Ranger Association
Officers, Directors and Committees
NATIONAL OFFICERS PRESIDENT Butch Nery (706) 580-8489 [email protected] EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Mike Ranger (660) 563-5591 [email protected] VICE PRESIDENT, PERSONNEL Art Silsby (478) 628-2406 [email protected] VICE PRESIDENT, LOGISTICS Craig Vanek (253) 964-8436 [email protected] SECRETARY Mark Pelphrey (614) 499-4089 [email protected] TREASURER Bob Kvederas (860) 537-1998 [email protected] CHAPLAIN David Brock (303) 997-9704 [email protected] SERGEANT-AT-ARMS Joe Casteel (412) 262-2986 [email protected] LEGAL ADVISOR Earle Lasseter (706) 323-2831 [email protected] INSPECTOR GENERAL Steve Jaeger (601) 255-7109 [email protected] HISTORIAN Under consideration
MEMBER ASSISTANCE OFFICER New (Vacant)
REGIONAL DIRECTORS NORTHEAST REGION Joe Mattison (585) 593-4107 [email protected] MID-ATLANTIC REGION Rick Yost (703) 261-9678 [email protected] SOUTHEAST REGION Wade Lnenicka (770) 432-8406 [email protected] MIDWEST REGION Travis West (608) 469-8915 [email protected] SOUTH-CENTRAL REGION Karl Monger (316) 633-4599 [email protected] NORTHWEST REGION Vacant (XXX) XXX-XXX No email address SOUTHWEST REGION Rafe Delli-Bovi (310) 397-1720 [email protected] INTERNATIONAL REGION Bob Copeland (780) 962-0114 [email protected]
COMMITTEES/SPECIAL MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE New (Vacant) ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE Frank Casey, Chairman (706) 565-8199 [email protected] FINANCE COMMITTEE Bill Biser, Chairman (603) 472-3399 [email protected] SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE (Vacant) , Chairman AWARDS COMMITTEE Frank Casey, Chairman (706) 565-8199 [email protected] SYSTEMS ADMINSTRATOR Mike Ranger (660) 563-5591 [email protected] ALT SYSTEMS ADMIN Hal Marshall (479) 571-4041 hmarshall@hmarshall .net MARKETING MANAGER Craig Vanek (253) 964-8436 [email protected] RANGER REGISTER EDITOR Sherry Klein (612) 578-8673 [email protected]
FROM:
U.S. ARMY RANGER ASSOCIATION, INC. PO BOX 52126 FORT BENNING, GA 31995-2126
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