What are the differences between a U.S. Army Infantryman and Ranger?

Question

How long is your service to the U.S. Army in both of them, and what if you want to serve for a long time, what is the max years you can serve on both of them im still unsure which one I want to join, im planning on enlisting as soon as i finish high scool.

Answer 1

I retired in 1992 after 22 years in the Airborne Infantry. Although I went through Ranger School in 1974, I was never in a Ranger Unit.

The Infantry is divided mostly by the means that they enter Combat. You have your Airborne units that, of course, the parachute is their primary (not always) method to enter combat. You have the Mechanized Infantry that use armored personnel carriers, these units are mostly assigned alone with Armored Unit to give the tankers infantry support. Then there are the Air Assault types, they use helicopters as their primary means into combat. Then you have the specialized units like the 10th Mountain. They are highly trained to operate in rough terrain. And of course, the Ranger Units. There were 3 battalions designed as the 75th Rangers. They, along with the 82nd Airborne Division are America's rapid deployment forces.

Ranger school is opened (or it was) to most MOS's. It is primarily a leadership school that will really put you to the test. You learn how to handle yourself and others under extreme conditions. You learn things about yourself you never knew. When you see someone with a "Ranger Tab", you know that that person went the extra mile.

Rules and regulations have changed about the number of years you can stay in. When I was a young soldier, we had what we called professional corporals. They were happy being what they were and didn't want to be a sergeant. Every time they would get promoted, they would go out and get drunk and do something to get busted. In the late 70's that all started to change. It was either move up or get out. Now I believe a Sergeants Major can stay for 30yrs normally and 35yrs with special permission. Some of these guy's that are on active duty can answer that for you better. But, if you progress at a normal rate, you should not have to worry about that, especially if you go Infantry.

Answer 2

When enlisting in the Army, you will sign a contract for minimum 8 yrs of service. You can serve as little as 2 years active duty and the other 6 as inactive ready reserves.

My husband was/is a Ranger. His MOS has always been infantry- 11B infantryman or 11C indirect fire infantryman. He never changed it only added skill identifiers.

Upon enlistment, he went to BASIC, AIT, Airborne, RIP and Ranger school. I know he had other schools to but I don't remember how they all fit in.


The infantryman supervises, leads, or serves as a member of an infantry activity that employs individual or crew served weapons in support of offensive and defensive combat operations.

The 75th Ranger Regiment—also known as the United States Army Rangers—is an elite light infantry special operations force of the United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC); with headquarters in Fort Benning, Georgia. The Regiment is a flexible, highly-trained and rapidly deployable light infantry force with specialized skills that enable them to be employed against a variety of conventional and special operations targets.

The force specializes in airborne, air assault, light infantry and direct action operations, raids, infiltration and exfiltration by air, land or sea, airfield seizure, recovery of personnel and special equipment, and support of general purpose forces (GPF), among other uses. Each Ranger battalion can deploy anywhere in the world within 18 hours' notice.

BTW, Ranger School is not 2 years.

According to ATTRS (The Army Training Requirements and Resources System (ATRRS) is the Department of the Army Management Information System of record for managing student input to training.)
Effective 2006-04-18
Course Scope:
The Ranger Course consists of three phases. The first phase (Benning), is conducted at Fort Benning, Georgia for 20 days. The second phase (Mountain), is conducted near Dahlonega in the mountains of North Georgia for 21 days. The third and final phase (Swamp/Jungle/Urban), is conducted at Eglin Air Force Base in the North Western Florida for 18 days. Two days at the end of the course are used for out o processing and graduation.


How long you stay depends on what you're doing, how good you are, and if that's what you still want. The army gives you many opportunities and you never know what you really want until you do it. You may find that you have a different calling or you discover that being special ops is what you've always wanted.

Good luck to you!!!
RLTW

Answer 3

Ok Infantry is a MOS (Military Operation Specialty) and the Rangers are a volunteer unit. You can be a infantryman or any other selected jobs in a Ranger unit. After you finish you AIT (Advance Individual Training) you can go to airborne school and then to RIP (Ranger Indoctrination Program) After you pass RIP then you will join a Ranger unit.

So you can be a regular infantryman (dirty leg) or airborne (Most likely the 82nd) or become a Ranger. Ranger is not an easy route but it opens up many more doors for you, in terms of adventure and training. If you do become a Ranger you will spend 2 years training for Ranger school (something totally different then RIP) here they will train you to become a full Ranger, after you pass Ranger school you will get your Ranger Tab and be a full Ranger, until then you are in a Ranger unit and get to wear a Ranger scroll, but not a Ranger.

So if you have any more question feel free to ask me. I have had lot of friends gone down that route and I have been really close to doing it my self if I would have not got hurt.

Answer 4

There both Army Infantry just Ranger is a school you can go to , which a lot of people attend but some don't pass. It another way to help you progress in rank faster but attending the school and expand your leadership skills and other important skills.Other mos can go to the school but its harder for them to go its meant for infantry units, you have a much better chance to go to the school when your in a infantry unit or if you have your recruiter include it in your enlistment.

Answer 5

An infantry man is a foot soldier who uses a rifle and bayonet as well as other weapons. Although they often can ride in vehicles like humvees. His speciality is hand to hand combat.

A ranger is a specialised assault soldier who fights in many modes including those of an infantryman. Rangers use many means of transportation including parachutes.

You can serve up to thirty years as either an infantryman or a ranger, depending on rank achieved and Army specialty.

Answer 6

A matter of training, as they are both Army. You can extend your service in either buy re-enlistment, when the time comes and you can go to retirement!

Answer 7

infantry is just a job.however ranger is an additional skill.it is like infantry training on speed.but however the primary reason for ranger training is for the ranger to train fellow soldiers his individual company in advanced infantry skills

Answer 8

A Ranger is almost always an Infantryman.

He has gone through much more training though and tougher training. He is airborne qualified and has a more specialized mission.