FORT BENNING, Ga. – Candidates at one of the military’s

FORT BENNING, Ga. – Candidates at one of the military’s toughest training schools – Fort Benning’s U.S. Army Ranger School – ready their gear for a boat assault they were about to make during the “swamp” phase of Ranger training in Florida Dec. 7. The Ranger candidates were members of Ranger class 01-20, which graduated Dec. 13 at Fort Benning. Among the 122 who graduated were six Army National Guard Soldiers who volunteered for Ranger School straight out of their entry-level Infantry training at Fort Benning, an unusual step because Ranger School candidates typically have been in the Army for a few years before considering Ranger School. Their straight path from initial entry training to the strenuous demands of Ranger School reflect an effort underway by the Army National Guard to increase the number of Ranger-qualified Soldiers in its ranks by looking to Fort Benning’s initial training centers for National Guard members who might be interested in volunteering for Ranger School.