United States Army Rangers

When the word hero is heard, what do you think of? Do you think of somebody with superhuman strength, or do you think of somebody who flies around? Or do you think of Batman, Superman, and other fictional characters? When I hear the word hero, I think of people who risk it all for somebody else. When I hear the word hero I think about the United States Army Rangers.

Ranger Patch given to the United States Army Rangers (http://bravewmn.net/rangerAssnPatch.jpeg)

Even through all people serving in the military are heroes, I think that the Rangers are a regiment that stands out. The Rangers stand out because they are trained to be the best they can be and that makes them the elite of the armed forces. The saying “Rangers Lead the Way” best describes the mentality of the Rangers. This saying affects every Ranger and allows them to remember that they were trained to be the best of the best. The Rangers are one of the most skilled parts of our military and they allow us to conduct missions that other branches couldn’t do. The Rangers are best defined by the Ranger Creed, which shows that the Rangers are a loyal and committed regiment that risks it all to protect our freedoms.

The Rangers were formed in the 17th and 18th centuries during the American colonist’s wars with the Native Americans. The Rangers began to be known by their success in ending “King Philip's War”. In the French and Indian war Major Robert Rogers first developed the concept of Rangers, which no else had done before. Even through Ranger tactics were an intrinsic part of American frontier warfare, Rogers was the first to make a special type of force and create them in an organized fighting force. Currently the Rangers are called into battle for special reconnaissance, direct action, airfield seizure, airborne & air assault operations and they participate in counter-terrorism operations. A major engagement that the Rangers were in was Operation Just Cause. In this operation the goal of the Rangers was to capture Manuel Noriega. The Rangers were able to succeed because the Rangers were able to use their expert planning and training to come out successful. Over time the Rangers have developed into an elite fighting force that the United States Army depends on to complete various difficult missions and succeed no matter the reason. As they are called onto duty, whether it’s from the frontier of America to the deserts of the Middle East, United States Army Rangers have served their country with pride, honor, and courage.

The Ranger motto of “Rangers Lead the Way” is the best way to describe these heroes. This is a great motto because heroes should take it on themselves to always be leaders. In my view the U.S Army Rangers are the picture of what heroes should be. Everyone should think about the fact that when we rest our heads on our pillows at night, there are Rangers out risking it all so we can be able to sleep with the blanket of freedom that they provide. That shows that the United States Army Rangers are heroes. They are also heroes because, like heroes, they don’t expect anything in return, but instead they say goodbye to their loved ones, leave their homes and go to provide America with the freedom that makes her the greatest country. Every fallen Ranger should be remembered and honored because without them we wouldn’t be able to live in a nation where you can achieve anything. So the next time you see a United States Army Ranger, be sure to thank them and never forget what they have done for our nation.