Will Bardenwerper, a journalist and author who attended Army Ranger School twice, shares gripping insights from his unique experiences. He breaks down the intense physical and mental challenges of the course, including its three demanding phases: Benning, Mountain, and Swamp. Will discusses the differences between graduating from the school and being an official Ranger, the emotional toll of the training, and the ongoing debate around gender inclusion. His reflections on resilience underscore the soldier's journey through one of the military's toughest challenges.
39:57
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
menu_book Books
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
question_answer ANECDOTE
Ranger School's Impact
Will Bardenwerper rarely has nightmares about his time in Iraq.
However, he frequently dreams about Ranger School.
insights INSIGHT
Rangers vs. SEALs
Army Rangers and Navy SEALs conduct similar operations, like capturing high-value targets.
Rangers also excel at reconnaissance, as seen in the film Black Hawk Down.
insights INSIGHT
Ranger Tab vs. Regiment
The 75th Ranger Regiment is a special operations unit, while Ranger School is a training course.
Enlisted soldiers must pass Ranger School to join the Regiment, whereas officers apply after serving elsewhere.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
In *The Prisoner in His Palace*, Will Bardenwerper offers a compelling account of Saddam Hussein's last months, focusing on the American soldiers tasked with guarding him. The book explores the complexities of war and the human side of both the dictator and his guards, delving into themes of duty, compassion, and the lingering effects of conflict. Through meticulous research and interviews, Bardenwerper crafts a deeply human story that challenges readers to empathize with the complexities of history.
Which branch of the military has the toughest training course for its officers and special operators is a matter of animated debate, but there's no question that the Army's Ranger School is a viable candidate for carrying that designation. Over nine weeks, and three grueling phases, soldiers undergo physical, mental, and emotional challenges that test their endurance, resilience, and leadership.
My guest today went through Ranger School twice: first as an infantry officer in 2004, and then just last year as the first journalist to embed with a class all the way through the course. His name is Will Bardenwerper and he wrote an article about his experience for Outside Magazine called "Army Ranger School Is a Laboratory of Human Endurance." Will and I begin our conversation with why he wanted to observe Ranger School from a third-party perspective after participating in it firsthand as a soldier. Will then explains the difference between earning your tab by graduating from Ranger School and being an official Army Ranger who belongs to the Ranger Regiment special operations force. Will then gives us a big picture overview of the three phases of Ranger School: Benning Phase, Mountain Phase, and Swamp Phase. We then dive into what happens in each phase, taking side trips along the way into the controversy of allowing women into the course, whether or not it's gotten easier since Will went through, and the importance of doing well in the combat patrol exercises and peer reviews in which the students participate. We end our conversation discussing the lessons in endurance that civilians can take away from those who graduate from Ranger School and earn the tab.
The Art of Manliness 