It's been called "a laboratory of human endurance," testing the physical, mental and spiritual grit of the officer and enlisted leaders who undertake it. It's the Army Ranger School and the Department of the Air Force is looking for Airmen and Guardians who are ready for the challenge.
Through the Air Force Security Forces Center's Ranger Assessment Course, DAF candidates are taught, coached, tested and evaluated for nomination to the grueling 62-day Ranger School experience.
"The Air Force RAC delivers dynamic leadership evaluation and training, mirroring what a candidate will face at Ranger School, which helps drive increased success rates at Army Ranger School. Attendance to both courses ties directly into the Air Force chief of staff's priority of strengthening joint leaders and teams by directly placing them in joint leadership school and roles which have proven to build military leaders," said Gabriel Rodriguez, readiness training and RAC program manager at the AFSFC.
The next RAC, about a third of the length of Ranger School, is set for early spring at Joint Base San Antonio-Camp Bullis. Anyone from any Air Force or Space Force career field can attend.
"While the majority of Ranger School attendees come from combat arms career fields, individuals from other Air Force specialty codes can also attend if they meet the necessary prerequisites and requirements," Rodriguez said. "Ranger School can provide valuable leadership and tactical skills, regardless of the individual's primary AFSC."
One of the many misconceptions of the RAC and Ranger School is "that you must be 100% ready before you even attend the course - but that's where most people are wrong," said Master Sgt. Keegan Donnelly, RAC instructor with the AFSFC.
The RAC curriculum has undergone an intense review and rewrite to craft a leadership laboratory, he said, designed to teach and coach students before assessing their abilities.
Capt. Daniel Reynolds, assistant director of operations for the 4th Test and Evaluation Squadron, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, is the only Space Force Ranger School graduate to date. In his position, he interacts with tactical joint force warfighters on a daily basis to develop more resilient satellite communications toolkits. That warfighter-centric focus in his day-to-day job is what led him to the RAC and ultimately Ranger School.
"Ranger School, as the world's premiere combat leadership course, expertly teaches resilience, grit and perseverance in the face of overwhelming odds," Reynolds said. "It teaches leaders how to break down complex problems and craft decisive solutions to dynamic combat scenarios. This is incredibly relevant to any career field in any branch of military service."
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