The next best thing to staying out of “Harms Way” is knowledge of what to do
when you get there. As the United States military is being called upon to
carry the fight for America’s safety to an ever-hostile world there is a
small group of young men that are taking out a little extra “Combat Life
Insurance.”
Click on
picture to see larger view
Entrance to the
Admin Compound at Camp Rudder. Students parachute in and
never see this until they finish.
|
Spc Travis Higgins
of Spring Hill, FL is re-enlisted by Col. K.K. Chinn while in the
middle of training. Col Brewer and MSGT Spangle hold the flag behind
them. |
Col K.K. Chinn and
Spc Travis Higgins are all smiles after a cool dip in the river.
It was a hot day, but a good day for America.
|
Col. K. K. Chinn coined the term “Combat Life Insurance” when he was
describing what the Army Ranger School is all about. You cannot purchase a
policy with dollars. There is only way to obtain this insurance and that is
to complete “Ranger” training at Camp James E. Rudder, in Northwest Florida.
United States Army Ranger training consists of three distinct yet connected
stages. The first stage is at Ft Benning Georgia, followed by mountain
training in North Georgia. Camp Rudder on the vast Eglin Air Force
reservation is the final stage of “Ranger” training. Those that make it
trough the weeks of training earn the right to wear the coveted “Ranger Tab”
on their uniform.
Click on
picture to see larger view
|
Col Brewer, the
Commanding Officer, keeps a close eye on everything that happens
at Camp Rudder. |
A young Ranger
Instructor displays some of the weapons that Rangers are training
with.
|
An Army Ranger is expected to move farther, faster and fight harder than
anyone else on the battlefield. He is expected to use his brain equally to
his muscle power. He is taught over and over how to improvise while learning
the basic techniques to overcome the objective. This is what Col. Chinn
meant when he said Ranger training was a combat life insurance policy. A
Ranger is ever observant to his surroundings. It is a
Ranger's mission to be the one delivering any surprises on the
battlefield.
This past week Brigadier General Mike Ferguson provided two local and very
influential groups a greater understanding of what it meant to be an Army
Ranger and how terribly important Camp Rudder is to the training mission.
The two groups were several top management officials from Gulf Power and the
Northwest Florida elected delegation. Every individual was very impressed
with what these young men have to endure to win their designation as a
United States Army Ranger.
Camp Rudder is probably one of the best-kept secrets in Northwest Florida.
Isolated on part of the massive Eglin Air Force Base reservation thousands
drive past it everyday and never know that it is there. The camp has been on
the Eglin reservation for over fifty years. They occasionally hold public
open house and Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Escambia residents should make every
effort to visit and see the great work being done by a very small group of
instructors.
If you would like more information about the United States Army Ranger
School at Camp Rudder send an Email to Gen. Ferguson and we will be glad to
answer all your questions. |
