The Ranger Creed is the official mission statement of the United States Army Rangers, and is also adopted by Rangers in other armed forces around the world. It was initiated by then-LTC Leuer and his Command Sergeant Major Neal R. Gentry. It was re-drafted by the battalion XO, Major "Rock" Hudson and finalized at Ft Stewart, Georgia in 1974 when the original cadre deployed there on 1 July 1974. Look up mission statement in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... 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. ... While Executive officer literally refers to a person responsible for the performance of duties involved in running an organization, the exact meaning of the role is highly variable, depending on the organization. ... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ...

Ranger Creed

Recognizing that I volunteered as a Ranger, fully knowing the hazards of my chosen profession, I will always endeavor to uphold the prestige, honor, and high esprit de corps of my Ranger Regiment.

Acknowledging the fact that a Ranger is a more elite soldier who arrives at the cutting edge of battle by land, sea, or air, I accept the fact that as a Ranger my country expects me to move farther, faster and fight harder than any other soldier.

Never shall I fail my comrades. I will always keep myself mentally alert, physically strong and morally straight and I will shoulder more than my share of the task whatever it may be, one-hundred-percent and then some.

Gallantly will I show the world that I am a specially selected and well-trained soldier. My courtesy to superior officers, neatness of dress and care of equipment shall set the example for others to follow.

Energetically will I meet the enemies of my country. I shall defeat them on the field of battle for I am better trained and will fight with all my might. Surrender is not a Ranger word. I will never leave a fallen comrade to fall into the hands of the enemy and under no circumstances will I ever embarrass my country.

Readily will I display the intestinal fortitude required to fight on to the Ranger objective and complete the mission though I be the lone survivor.

Rangers Lead The Way!

Variations

The original Ranger Creed is as stated above, however variations of the 1st stanza have occurred. This is due to the diverging histories of the Rangers as a unit and Ranger School. After the consolidation of the Ranger Companies, "of the Rangers" was substituted for "of my Ranger Battalion" for members of 1st Ranger Battalion. When 2nd Ranger Battalion was formed, they did likewise. After the formation of the 75th Ranger Regiment, members of all Battalions began adopting "of my Ranger Regiment".^[1] The Ranger Memorial at Fort Benning, GA The United States Army Rangers have had a long and very unique history, that has led up to their current status as one of the worlds premier light infantry forces. ... The United States Army Ranger School is an intense nine-week long combat leadership course, conducted in three three-week phases - at Fort Benning, Georgia, U.S.A., (the woodland terrain, Benning Phase), at Camp Rogers and Camp Darby, Georgia, (the Mountain Phase) at Camp Merrill near Dahlonega Georgia, and... 1/75 Ranger Regiment Shoulder Sleeve Insignia 1/75 Ranger Regiment Beret Flash The 1st Ranger Battalion was formed upon Americas entry into World War II. Major General Lucian Truscott, U.S. Army, in liaison with the British General Staff, submitted proposals to General George Marshall that we undertake... On April 1, 1943 the 2nd Ranger Battalion was formed at Camp Forrest, Tennessee along with the 5th Ranger Battalion. ...

These variations cause a noticeable amount of friction for students of Ranger School that are also Rangers. Rangers rarely adopt the official version of the Ranger Creed, preferring to maintain the Regimental variation, much to the chagrin of Ranger Instructors.

References

1. ^ http://www.ranger.org/rangerCreed.html The 75th Ranger Regiment's version of the Ranger Creed