Home » SOF History » The Evolution of the 75th Ranger Regiment (Part 3)

The Evolution of the 75th Ranger Regiment (Part 3)

by Jack Murphy · January 10, 2013 · Posted In: SOF History, SOF News, USASOC

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39 comments

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STTAB

When I read "while not officially acknowledged" and "is widely believed to command" it makes me believe this was written by a staffer who's not read onto much.

JackMurphyRGR moderator

1 Like

@STTAB It is Congress after all. They don't know much of anything, but they are intentionally beating around the bush with those passages.

75AllTheWay

very interesting, RRD and Regiment both in, not a bad idea

-BLACK-

2 Like

The first picture is bad ass.

Interesting read on on the 75th inbound: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CDUQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.strategypage.com%2Fdls%2Farticles%2FRangers-Do-It-With-Less-Dying-9-4-2011.asp&ei=tkLvUIKHH-vDiwKYs4CgCg&usg=AFQjCNHjxkx_YmOozXow3jqPnbQBRIOUnw&sig2=sR6hOAj_TziD456kmmQQGA

JackMurphyRGR moderator

2 Like

@BLACK01 I actually found that article to do a lot more confusing than clarifying. Most of it is "generally" accurate but off base in so many ways. I don't recall a single mission where we worked with Special Forces, although we prepared to do so once or twice. I don't recall a single time when we were called on to do a pilot recovery. I'm sure the 75th has worked with Special Forces and participated in efforts to recover downed pilots, but that would be an exception and not part of their usual missions or METL.

RedWanderer

Thanks for the clarification about being off base in some cases. I was drawn in by the author's clean writing style, which made me want to read the whole thing. I was also amazed with casualty stats.

-BLACK-

@JackMurphyRGR Thanks for the lane check...thats why I come here to get shit squared away. Is it true about the casualties tho? That is the part of that article that was really interesting to me... the rest was just reading.

JackMurphyRGR moderator

1 Like

During the day they also came to tell the difference between Rangers and other units. They learned which units they could hit and get away with it and which they would get return fire and troops in pursuit. My experience was the CF was slow rolling large convoys in Mosul in 2005 and then again in 2009. Driving fast "wasn't safe" so they didn't do it.

majrod

@JackMurphyRGR @BLACK01 In all fairness a 100 vehicle convoy sounds like a supply run vs. a combat patrol. The enemy knows the difference and who to hit.

I had access to battlefield reports from the period and the insurgents could tell the difference between logistic units and combat units as combat units running smaller patrols reported the same phenomena.

JackMurphyRGR moderator

4 Like

@BLACK01 Dude, we drove through IED hell everyday and never got hit once in 2005. It was because our TTP's were solid. A lot of the conventional forces would slow roll in 100 vehicle convoys and get IED'ed all day. Make of that what you will.

This comment has been deleted

ajkmidget96

Congratulations to the guys in the 75th!

Passingthrough

So as a civilian joining the Army I can get a direct contract into JSOC going Ranger ? Someone please correct me.

JackMurphyRGR moderator

1 Like

@Passingthrough I have no further comments regarding this issue at this time aside from what you see quoted in the post above.

EliasFreire

1 Like

@JackMurphyRGR So, is it considered, by the SOF community, that the 75th are part of JSOC now?

Breach

Nice! I find it interesting that the Rangers are in JSOC but haven't been pumping out books like a Chinese sweatshop pumps out Nikes. It seems like for the past year every SEAL that's figured out that if they roll their face across a keyboard that a book will appear has been doing so.

I guess OPSEC is a real thing in some units.

JackMurphyRGR moderator

1 Like

@Breach All we have is a self published book from Nick Irving, a book written by a former SEAL about the 75th, and coming soon is Joe Kapacziewski's memoir. I don't really want to get in to this debate all over again, but every SOF book is not automatically an OPSEC violation.

ThomasVictorio

@JackMurphyRGR been reading that one. What does the Ranger community think about him having done that?

Breach

1 Like

@JackMurphyRGR Yeah, I was trolling.

ArcticWarrior

1 Like

Jack,

With the 75th evolving are they becoming more focused on HVT DA and Snatch Ops and leaving behind "legacy" Ops such as Airfield seizures? I say that knowing they are still very much capable of doing that ,BIAP comes to mind. Seems for a few years now the 75th has been in the arena of D and Dev for certain missions lay people may never have associated them with.

Abn_rngr

4 Like

@ArcticWarrior In my humble opinion (assuming there is such a thing as a humble opinion) it would be a mistake for the Regiment to lose this medium- and large-scale capability. One of the greatest value ads of a Ranger Bn or Rgt is the ability to do forced entry, seize and hold, then launch and execute multiple, simultaneous and sequential company, platoon and even smaller sized operations, then roll the whole thing back up and extract before it appears on CNN.

ThomasVictorio

1 Like

@Abn_rngr I don't think they'll ever lose competency in doing those larger scale missions. Example as of late they still do airfield exercises (if you look hard enough in the news).

JackMurphyRGR moderator

3 Like

@Abn_rngr @ArcticWarrior I agree, the Regiment's larger size (by comparison to some of the other units) gives it a lot of ass that some of the counter-terrorist units can't bring to the fight.

ArcticWarrior

2 Like

@JackMurphyRGR @Abn_rngr Being capable of doing opposed entry operations in force such as airfield grabs as well as conducting HVT and CT ops certainly make them unique.

JackMurphyRGR moderator

4 Like

@ArcticWarrior It has been closer to a decade that the 75th has been doing missions that the lay person does not associate with the unit. Here is some speculation that I wrote almost a year ago: http://sofrep.com/4240/the-future-of-usasoc-projecting-forward-into-the-coming-decades/

ArcticWarrior

2 Like

@JackMurphyRGR

Thats an excellent break down of the players and METLs. The popular "myth" is that the 75th was usually used as a blocking force element for D yet they have been doing things in the battlespace on there own for awhile, its just not publicized as often, which I would think is exactly how the Regiment wants it. Wasnt the RRC included in JSOC back in 06ish. Its another world behind the brown fence...

JackMurphyRGR moderator

7 Like

@CalebMuibu @ArcticWarrior That would be a great article. I've been thinking about writing this for a long time but whenever you get into the differences between units it stirs up a shit storm as some people just can't handle this kind of information, even when you are polite and respectful about it. Some always see it as a dick measuring contest. I'll write it anyway, let the shit storm commence.

CalebMuibu

2 Like

@JackMurphyRGR @ArcticWarrior Jack I'd really to see a write up on those experiences and perhaps some funny tales of going from all out curb stomping to classrooms and tutoring indig's with an M4 strapped to your chest.

SleazyWeazel

@JackMurphyRGR @ArcticWarrior ........and was always wanting to "blow shit up." ;)

JackMurphyRGR moderator

@Jongram @ArcticWarrior I think the big changes have a lot more to do with the GWOT than lessons learned from Somalia.

DieHardDeuce

1 Like

Hmm.. I'd say you just brainstormed a great idea for a screenplay. "First In... Last Out" by Jack Murphy?

Jongram

@JackMurphyRGR @ArcticWarrior But hasn't the role of the regiment changed significantly since/because of Somalia? Or were those changes are already under way or in place?

JackMurphyRGR moderator

4 Like

@ArcticWarrior I have some pretty funny stories about my "adaptation" to life in Special Forces after the 75th. I was the "big dumb Ranger stomping through the woods" at times.

ArcticWarrior

1 Like

@JackMurphyRGR

Now the big question. What fit your personality more, rockin' the Long Tab or running a scroll? 1 choice only....lol...

JackMurphyRGR moderator

7 Like

@ArcticWarrior That is the popular misconception that the 75th has had to contend with for a long time, that they are just a support element for Tier One units. That was maybe 1% of our missions if that when I was in the Regiment. No issues helping out our pals in SOF whatever the Tier, but sometimes I think "Black Hawk Down" the movie that is, didn't do us any favors as far as enlightening the public as to what Rangers actually do.

Coriolis effect

Hahahaha that's an official DOD report and they call it seal team six not devgru

JackMurphyRGR moderator

4 Like

@Coriolis effect It is not a DOD product. Dev/ST6 is like calling them BDU's instead of cammies. It doesn't seem to be that big a deal except to people on facebook. Within the community many SOF units are referred to by entirely different names anyway.

formwiz

They've been working toward this for about a decade (see the Harkins monograph, "Stationing of the 75th Ranger Regiment" for some tantalizing details). The plan is to move the Rangers into most of Delta's jobs and for Delta to take only the most secret and sensitive work - in effect, becoming the American SAS, the way Charlie Beckwith always wanted.

blkyank

@formwiz What are you talking about? Delta was based on the SAS.Read TASK FORCE BLACK by Mark Urban which goes into detail about Delta/SAS operations in Iraq.Guess what? the SAS is no longer the big brother Delta is and proved it by launching operations at a pace the SAS had to hustle to keep up with. As far as the Rangers go.I agree that they are taking on a lot of Delta's workload because frankly many of those missions do not require the unique insane talent that Delta (mostly former Rangers) bring to the table.

That is in no way disrespectful to the 75th.Rather,I see it as an example of how the army looking at the GWOT as a team effort. I wonder if DEVGRU is or will receive similar support from the greater NAVSOC community or is open to entering into a relationship with MARSOC similar to Delta and the Rangers.

NMOne

2 Like

Now what was that guy from DEV saying about the Rangers!

The Evolution of the 75th Ranger Regiment (Part 3)

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