In 1966, a panel headed by General Ralph E. Haines Jr. recommended making Ranger training mandatory for all Regular Army officers upon commissioning.

[15] Ranger students typically range in rank from Private First Class to Captain, with lieutenants and specialists making up the largest group.

Following the graduation of Captain Kristen Marie Griest and First Lieutenant Shaye Lynne Haver in August 2015, the Army announced that Ranger School would henceforth be open to female students.

Ranger School training has a basic scenario: the flourishing drug and terrorist operations of the enemy forces, the "Aragon Liberation Front," must be stopped.

To do so, the Rangers will take the fight to their territory, the rough terrain surrounding Fort Moore, the mountains of northern Georgia, and the swamps and coast of Florida.

Ranger students typically wear and carry some 65–90 pounds (29–41 kg) of weapons, equipment, and training ammunition while patrolling more than 200 miles (320 km) throughout the course.

It is "designed to assess a Soldier’s physical stamina, mental toughness, leadership abilities, and establishes the tactical fundamentals required for follow-on phases of Ranger School".

The phase includes "fast paced instruction on troop leading procedures, principles of patrolling, demolitions, field craft, and basic battle drills focused towards squad ambush and reconnaissance missions".

The rugged terrain, severe weather, hunger, mental and physical fatigue, and the psychological stress the student encounters allow them to measure their capabilities and limitations and those of their fellow soldiers.

In the first two days students learn knots, belays, anchor points, rope management, mobility evacuation, and the fundamentals of climbing and abseiling.

As the scenario develops, the students receive "in-country" technique training that assists them in accomplishing the tactical missions later in the phase.

The 10-day FTX comprises "fast paced, highly stressful, challenging exercises in which the Students are evaluated on their ability to apply small unit tactics and techniques during the execution of raids, ambushes, movements to contact, and urban assaults to accomplish their assigned missions".

This small boat operation involves each platoon in the class, all working together on separate missions to take down the simulated cartel's final point of strength.

Afterwards, students who have met graduation requirements spend several days cleaning their weapons and equipment before returning to Fort Moore.

By then they have earned PX (Post Exchange) privileges, and access to a community center where they can use a telephone, eat civilian food, and watch television.

"[23] Ranger School's initial evaluation of a Desert Phase was a cadre-lead patrol at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico in early 1971 called Arid Fox I.

In 2015, the 1st Armored Division created the Desert Warrior Course that focuses on honing combat tracking, night land navigation, live-fire drills, and a myriad of other tasks.

While marking time at Ranger School is not always pleasant, those who have been recycled typically perform well when reinserted back into the course, with pass rates well over 80%.

Students may receive SORs for actions including, but not limited to, negligent discharges, safety violations involving demolitions or mountaineering, not looking through their sights while firing, or throwing away ammunition to lighten their load while on patrol.

In rare cases, those assessed of honor violations (lying, cheating, stealing) and SORs may be offered a day one restart as opposed to being dropped from the course.

Common maladies during the course include weight loss, dehydration, trench foot, heatstroke, frostbite, chilblains, fractures, tissue tears (ligaments, tendons, muscles), swollen hands, feet, knees, nerve damage, loss of limb sensitivity, cellulitis, contact dermatitis, cuts, and insect, spider, bee, and other wildlife bites.

Because of the physical and psychological effect of low calorie intake over an extended period of time, it is not uncommon for many Ranger School graduates to encounter weight problems as they return to their units and their bodies and minds slowly adjust to routine again.

A drastically lowered metabolic rate, combined with a nearly insatiable appetite (the result of food deprivation and the ensuing survivalist mentality) can cause quick weight gain, as the body is already in energy (fat) storing mode.

Since food and sleep are at the bottom of the priorities of those in the infantry behind security, weapons maintenance, and personal hygiene, it is generally the last thing Ranger students are allowed to do.

This award is named in the honor of BG William O. Darby, who organized the 1st Ranger Battalion in 1942 with handpicked volunteers leading the way onto the beaches of North Africa.

Then-First Lieutenant Puckett, in an attack against numerically superior Chinese forces, established defensive fighting positions on the captured objective.

Corporal Hall was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross while serving with the 1st Airborne Ranger Company for his gallant actions at Chipyon-Ni during the Korean War.

Awarded to the highest ranked commissioned officer as selected by their peers for demonstrating outstanding leadership, initiative, and motivation.

While Ranger School is designed to physically stress students to a point short of death, some fatalities have occurred during training.

James A. Requenez, 28, of San Antonio, Texas, died due to drowning during an unspecified training incident at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.