About the Rangers

The 75th Ranger Regiment plans and conducts special military operations in support of US policy and objectives. Its specially organized, equipped, and trained soldiers provide the National Command Authority (NCA) the capability to rapidly deploy a credible military force to any region of the world. In addition, Rangers are often called upon to perform missions in support of general purpose forces (GPF).

When the 1st and 2nd Ranger Battalions were re-activated in 1974, General Abrams chartered the battalions to be “the best light infantry unit in the world” and a “standard bearer for the rest of the Army.” After Operation Urgent Fury (Grenada, 1983), the requirement for more Rangers and a better suited command structure resulted in the formation of the 3rd Ranger Battalion and the Regimental Headquarters in 1984. Today, the 75 th Ranger Regiment is part of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM).

The 75 th Ranger Regiment, headquartered at Fort Benning, Georgia, is composed of three Ranger battalions, and is the premier light-infantry unit of the United States Army. The three Ranger battalions that comprise the 75th Ranger Regiment are geographically dispersed. Their locations are:

• 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia
• 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Lewis, Washington
• 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Georgia

The Army maintains the Regiment at a high level of readiness. Each battalion can deploy anywhere in the world with 18 hours notice. Because of the importance the Army places on the 75th Ranger Regiment, it must possess a number of capabilities. These capabilities include:

• Infiltrating and exfiltrating by land, sea, and air
• Conducting direct action operations
• Conducting raids
• Recovery of personnel and special equipment
• Conducting conventional or special light-infantry operations

Since 1943, the motto of the 75th Ranger Regiment has been “Rangers Lead The Way!”