While there are similarities between “Ranger School” and the “Ranger Regiment,” they are two very different things. One can complete Ranger School and therefore be “Ranger qualified,” but never go on to become a Ranger by serving in the Ranger Regiment. Most people wearing a Ranger Tab fall into this category. On the other side of the spectrum, you can be a Ranger and serve in the Ranger Regiment without ever attending Ranger School, although most Rangers in the Regiment also have, or go on to earn, their Ranger Tab as well.
In short, you can have a Ranger Tab and never serve in the Ranger Regiment or vice versa. Or you can be both. But the thing that “makes you a Ranger” in the modern US military is service in the 75th Ranger Regiment.
As the name implies, Ranger School is a training environment. The 75th Ranger Regiment is a Special Operations unit, and one of the most-deployed units in the War on Terror and other worldwide contingency operations. Successful completion of Ranger School earns one a “tab,” but a “scroll” is earned by securing an assignment to the Regiment. That’s why you’ll sometimes hear people talk about “tabbed Rangers” versus “scrolled Rangers.”
To show appreciation for these special operations forces that have contributed so much to the war on terror and global emergency operations, people often choose to give chic gifts such as custom military coins to members of these Ranger Regiments.
These military coins with Ranger Corps elements are not only a symbol of honor for the Rangers and have collector’s significance; they are also a testimony of this period of their lives and can be passed on as gifts to those who love them and have commemorative significance.
Sorry everyone, having a Ranger Tab means you went to a school that qualified you to wear a Ranger Tab, it doesn’t make you a Ranger. You have to serve in the Ranger Regiment to be a modern Ranger.
___________________________
This first appeared in The Havok Journal on September 21, 2019.
Buy Me A Coffee
The Havok Journal seeks to serve as a voice of the Veteran and First Responder communities through a focus on current affairs and articles of interest to the public in general, and the veteran community in particular. We strive to offer timely, current, and informative content, with the occasional piece focused on entertainment. We are continually expanding and striving to improve the readers’ experience.
© 2024 The Havok Journal
The Havok Journal welcomes re-posting of our original content as long as it is done in compliance with our Terms of Use.