Rangers have front-line role in war on terrorism

Posted 9:21AM on Sunday 8th September 2002 ( 22 years ago )

FORT BENNING - Just 38 days after Sept. 11, Army Rangers - most of whom are based in Georgia - dropped into Afghanistan, where they have spearheaded battles against al-Qaida fighters for months. In the war against terrorism, Rangers can expect to take the lead in battles in difficult terrain, such as Afghanistan, or in urban settings, such as Somalia. Their role may be different in a larger conflict. ``Iraq, if we go there, would present a whole set of circumstances that other forces might be better suited for,'' said Col. Joseph L. Votel, commander of the 75th Ranger Regiment, which is headquartered at Fort Benning. ``I think what it goes back to are capabilities and skills what we're doing now really highlights skills for units like ours, highly disciplined, small foot-mobile guys being able to go and do specific things and operate in those environments.'' Rangers are among the Army's Special Operations forces, along with the Green Berets and the aviation units that shuttle them. Rangers have always been a small force of elite soldiers. Their numbers are unlikely to increase, despite their successes in Afghanistan and the Army's emphasis on a lighter, more-mobile force, Votel said. ``There's always a possibility we could see an increase,'' he said. ``But in my view, any changes would be incremental and relatively small. The one thing about Rangers and Special Operations forces in general is that they can't be mass-produced. And we don't want them mass-produced.'' Chris Hellman, a senior analyst with the Center for Defense Information in Washington, said the Army, which focused for years on fighting with heavy tanks and artillery, now seeks lighter, faster weapons that can deploy rapidly. ``I won't say we're going to see more Ranger units,'' he said. ``But the Army overall is going to look a lot more like the Rangers.'' As the nation's premiere light-infantry unit, the Army's 2,000 Rangers specialize in lightning strikes on key targets, such as airfields. They serve in the 75th's three battalions: the 3rd at Fort Benning, the 1st at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah and the 2nd at Fort Lewis, Wash. Fort Benning, a sprawling post in west-central Georgia, is considered the home of the Rangers. Besides the regimental headquarters and the 3rd Battalion, the post hosts the Army's Airborne School, which all Rangers must attend, and the Ranger School. Hundreds of soldiers arrive each year to attend the Ranger School's brutal 16-week course, designed to push students to the limits in forests, swamps and mountains. Some of the graduates never serve in a Ranger battalion, but they spread the Ranger ideals - especially perseverance under intense physical and mental stress - throughout the Army. Despite their large role in recent conflicts, Votel says he doesn't expect much to change about the Rangers. ``We're always looking at equipment changes and little organizational changes,'' he said. ``I know there's been some discussion about increasing the overall size, but I think we'll take that a little at a time. I think we have the right mix and the right initiatives going to keep us a viable force.'' Rangers trace their heritage to the 1670s, when small units using Ranger tactics served on the American frontier. The first official ``ranging'' unit was formed by Maj. Robert Rogers during the French and Indian Wars and others followed during the Revolutionary and Civil wars. The 75th traces its lineage to World War II, when the Army formed six battalions patterned after the British Commandos. On D-Day, one of the battalions scaled cliffs under intense fire at Pointe du Hoc, France, to destroy artillery that threatened the Allied fleet. Another landed at Omaha Beach and helped break through the German lines. Another, known as Merrill's Marauders, marched 1,000 miles through dense jungles to attack the Japanese in Burma. The battalions were disbanded after the war, but Rangers were resurrected during the Korean and Vietnam wars. ``Rangers historically have been a force the nation has called on to fight some of the toughest battles,'' Votel said. ``We're very proud of the fact that as things began to unfold last fall, we were able to play a key role in initiating operations and being a force that was called on early to contribute.'' The 75th, formed in 1974 to provide a force that could respond quickly to trouble spots around the globe, fought in Grenada, Panama, the Persian Gulf War and in Somalia, where Rangers killed hundreds of Somalis in an 18-hour battle that left six Rangers dead. Among the 22 Army Special Operations soldiers that have been killed in Operation Enduring Freedom, five were Rangers, including three who died in the bloodiest clash of the war, a March 4 battle on a mountaintop in southeastern Afghanistan. Although armed with the latest in modern weaponry, Rangers still are guided by Rogers' original ``Rules for Ranging,'' set down in 1757. Rule No. 1 is ``Don't forget nothing.'' Rule No. 2 is ``Have your musket clean as a whistle, hatchet scoured, 60 rounds powder and ball, and be ready to march at a minute's warning.'' ``We're a force that has always focused on readiness and individual preparation of Rangers and being ready to go at a moment's notice,'' Votel said. ``The way you leave at night is the way you would be ready to go to war the next morning."

http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/9/190386