JMHO Loc: Utah

The remaining eight female Ranger School candidates failed the first phase of the U.S. Army’s elite infantry program, the Army said in a statement late Friday.

Of the eight women, five were kicked out of training. Three others will be allowed to start over from the beginning of the first phase of Ranger School. Those three will start class on June 21.

The Army said in a statement that 29 students failed to meet the standards of phase one, also known as the Darby Phase. A vast majority of the students who are being dropped from the course were unable to successfully lead a patrol. All students received multiple opportunities to lead a patrol as a squad or team leader, the Army said.

“Each Ranger student, whether successful or unsuccessful, learned more about themselves, leadership and small unit tactics, and returns to the Army a better trained Soldier and leader,” said Colonel David G. Fivecoat, Commander of the Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade.

This was the first time women were allowed to participate in Ranger School.

The Darby Phase is followed by a mountain phase which is then followed by a swamp or Florida phase. The next phase of Ranger School will start June 25.

A total of 60 women were originally slated to participate in Ranger Assessment Phase (RAP), according to the Pentagon in January. The Army Times reported in February that 100 women went into the pre-training phase, and in April, 19 women qualified for the Darby Phase.

The training for Ranger School is notoriously difficult. The Darby Phase consists of 15 days of intensive squad training and operations in field environment at Fort Benning, Georgia. The students get at least two days where they are counseled on their performance during the phase.

"The key is to ensure we have the right standard for the occupation," a defense official told Fox News earlier this month. "Our goal is to ensure that the mission is carried out by the best qualified and the most capable service members, regardless of gender."

The Rangers also note that 33 percent of the soldiers who graduate Ranger School are typically “recycled,” meaning they have failed the course at least once before.

The Pentagon lifted its ban on women in combat in 2012 and while they would not have been able to become full members of the Rangers, this would have given them their first foray into all-male Special Operations. Typically attached to combat units, at least 130 women were killed and 800 wounded in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Many were “non-combat” in name only and involved in front line operations all the same.

Peer evaluations are held periodically in Ranger School, but a defense official could not confirm if those evaluations contributed to the women not completing the first phase of training.

According to statistics, only 3 percent of the U.S. Army is Ranger-qualified.

Mike ivey

When is the Department of Defense going to stop this kind of nonsense! I wonder how many of those 130 women killed should not have been there in the first place. Women are not now nor will they Ever be warriors. Wake up America. Time to stop this stupidity. All I can say is, no way in hell would I go on a patrol or in a fox hole with a woman. Sorry ladies, but stay in the admin and medical areas.

bmac32 Loc: West Florida

While I do understand your concerns, most women should not be in combat there are a certain group of them that handle themselves well in combat. Of course there's the male/female thing that comes into play.

JMHO Loc: Utah

It'll stop when the Democrats lose control and a conservative C-in-C gets into office, and stops using the military as one big social experiment. Get the women out of combat rolls, off of submarines, and get the queers out.

Mike ivey

I am so glad that I don't have to deal with crap anymore. I spent 22 1/2 years in the Air Force, almost 16 in recruiting. Women were almost always a problem. I heard the term That's discrimination so much, it made me want to puke. As far as getting a so called conservative C in C, the policy won't change! No matter who is elected. Republicans have the brain of jellyfish and the spine of a snake. They and the Muslim in charge are one and the same. Reason it won't change, the president and members of congress do NOT have their precious kids dieing on the battlefield. We need to bring back the Draft and put their kids in uniform, then the wars are more likely to stop! I could go on, but you get the idea. Blowbama is a piece of pig poo poo. Can't stand him and his dyke wife. Put Hitlery I that group too.

Mike ivey

It is the lowering of standards that bothers me also. Now the DOD wil reassess the process and because women cannot qualify, they will lower the requirements and not only put the men at risk but also the women. It will NOT help the missions to put women in combat or combat support roles. No matter if 1 or 2 out of thousands could do it. Not worth the time and effort or money to keep this crap going. Stupid is as Stupid does. You can't fix Stupid!

rolse

Amen to that, and to the previous post too.

lindajoy Loc: right here with you....

I believe woman can serve their country and do a very good job helping by job placement that free men up for the combat field etc...

Sexist remark, maybe, if you believe in that..I do not...

Our soldiers need the highest level of safety when on the front line, and that starts and stops in the confidence of the team...Women are not as strong, and can not function as sufficiently as most men in strength and endurance etc...

Soldiers first in all they do..Women included but out in strategic places where they can be of most value to our Armed forces, not deterrents of hinders!!

GOD BLESS ALL our Military, period~~

rokk

Good post, I totally agree.

rokk

God please our military. They are the only people holding this crazy world together, but no support from POTUS at all. Bummer is an idiot, which is the best I can call him.