I'm curious to what exactly you can get guaranteed in your contract. I've heard a lot of different things and I'd like to figure it out before I go to meps. I heard you can have the place you're stationed at in your contract. I also heard you can be say 11b and get a slot guaranteed in ranger school. What else can you get in your contract and how do you go about doing it?

Everything needs to be in writing. You can only get things in writing is at MEPS. If it's not in writing you don't have it. That's what you need to know. You can request just about anything, it doesn't mean you'll get it. You have to be realistic and remember that a lot goes to the needs of the Army.

To find out your options you need to talk with your Recruiter to find out what they have available in their areas. Each state has different slots for different things.

__________________
Armygirl4ever,
Proud Army Veteran 1993-2004
Now Proudly Serving in the Silent (okay, maybe not always so silent) Ranks

It's option 40. You get a slot in Airborne school, and then a slot in RIP. The Ranger Indoctrination Program

Mom is correct, RIP is a whole different story than Ranger School though. Also, as to my knowledge RIP is the only option that guarantees a person a specific unit, and that will be the 75th Ranger Regiment, considering you pass RIP.

They're right. What you want is an 11X/Airborne/Option 40 contract. There is no need to get an Airborne contract nor a Ranger School contract (there isn't any regardless). Those come automatic with an Option 40. Of course you have to pass each element to get into the 75th. Your schedule will go like this - Reception Station, Infantry OSUT, Airborne School, Ranger Indoctrination Program, assignment to one of the 3 battalions in the 75th Ranger Regt., on the job training by your Team & Squad leaders & your Platoon Sgt., pre-Ranger course, Ranger School. It used to be that you'd be in the 75th for about a year or about the time you were promotable to SPC before sending you to RS. Now I've heard that they're experimenting by sending them right from RIP to RS eliminating the Pre-Ranger course (designed to prepare you for RS). I've heard good things & bad things about that so who knows if they'll keep doing that.

If you're at all interested in being a Ranger then make double damn sure you can pass the APFT with a minium score of 70% in each event in the 17-21 age group regardless of your age. Thgere will be a PT test the first day in RIP & you're given two tries at passing the APFT. Fail it & you're out of the Rangers & in the Big Army. It helps to be able to swim fully clothed w/boots. You'll receive some survival water tests. Rangers use rubber boats a lot & they want to be sure you can save yourself when you're fully equipped. You must not show any signs of panic when they dump you unexpectedly in the water.

If this is what you really want get yourself on a good PT program, study for the ASVAB to make sure you score high enough & don't accept anything less than an Option 40 contract! Recruiters will tell you that you can always volunteer for RIP in Infantry OSUT. It's possible but ONLY WHEN THERE ARE SLOTS AVAILABLE AT RIP & AIRBORNE SCHOOL!!! If all the slots are filled you won't have the opportunity to volunteer. If there are open slots in RIP then WHY DIDN"T THE RECRUITERS FILL THEM?? (Laziness?) Kind of a Catch 22. In my son's Infantry OSUT Ranger & Airborne Recruiters came by. They accepted all volunteers. About half the class went to Airborne School only & another 6 or so volunteered for RIP with Airborne School first of course. The Airborne & RIP Recruiters, when I talked to them at Infantry Graduation, had to wonder why the Recruiters didn't fill those slots. There were few who already had Option 4 & Option 40 contracts. They feel the Recruiters just were uneducated in those contracts or too lazy to write them. Get it in writing!! Option 40!!!

__________________
Proud Dad of a US Army Ranger SSG-Former 3/75 Rangers, 2/334-95 USAR at present
US Navy 1960-1966 Submarine Service, Navy Diver-UDT 21
US Army 1980-2001 Airborne Infantry,G3, Army Instructor, Commo Instructor Company 1SG
Retired 1SG/MSG
I was a Soldier. I am a Soldier. I will always be a Soldier.

^ that's part of it, or just that some recruiters don't know/understand.

Another reason is the people that either don't show up or drop out. In my son's platoon, there's already been 3 ELSs. I know at least one of them had the airborne contract. And I'm on an Army parent site, and a few 11X parents said their kids dropped the option 40, because they were sick of training or injured (fractured tibias for a few).

I just signed my contract at MEPS and swore in and everything. I am in the intelligence field, as a 35m. Can I still get option 40 added to my contract? I think someone told me that all of the slots are filled for my MOS right now, but how will I know when there are more available? I can wait for it, since I don't ship out until november. Any suggestions??

Even if everything is writing is there any guarantee from the army they will follow through?

Probably not. Talk to your Recruiter. I had heard that all option 40s are filled until 2011 anyhow. Since you're not an 11B the RIP Recruiters probably won't come to your AIT. I'm sure the 75th uses MOS 35M at Batt or Regt but the vast majority are 11B & that's usually the MOS they're seeking to fill RIP slots.

__________________
Proud Dad of a US Army Ranger SSG-Former 3/75 Rangers, 2/334-95 USAR at present
US Navy 1960-1966 Submarine Service, Navy Diver-UDT 21
US Army 1980-2001 Airborne Infantry,G3, Army Instructor, Commo Instructor Company 1SG
Retired 1SG/MSG
I was a Soldier. I am a Soldier. I will always be a Soldier.

I'm not sure how it works with 35M and all, but I'll add this small tid bit..

I just graduated 11B OSUT yesterday (yay). During OSUT, they called every RIP contract holder (Option 40) to the class room and "asked" them all to drop their contracts. Apparently, theres too many rangers as it is. All of the soldiers that were asked to drop RIP were offered Airborne+choice of station, or a Special Forces contract. Only 2 of the 64 Option 40 holders were asked to not drop their contract.

It was a choice of course, but the moral is that the Army is apparently trying their best to keep people out of RIP for now.