i would like to ask a few questions about becoming a Ranger. i am 30 years old and i can do lots and lots of push ups, sit ups and pull ups but i have not ran in years. although i have heart and can push myself to gain the needed endurance im afraid that right after basic i will have to pass a pt test that will challenge me beyond my progress at the time. will i have enough time and practice from the start of basic till Airborne to get where i need to be? and if i have lived in so many places because of sales job and foster homes that i cant even remember them all will this keep me from getting security clearance? credit is ok and have alot of personnal refrences to vouch for me and i know that i will make one hell of a soldier for my country because im smart and have all the tools needed to even become SOC (not counting my running at the time). please help me get a cleare picture of what im looking at and if i have a chance at clearance.

Hmmmm, it's starting to look like we require a forum room for security clearance related issues.

Here's the deal on clearances:
1. Obtain a credit report from all three reporting agencies. This will help you with recording not only your credit, but they also list all known mailing addresses you have ever had.
2. Ensure you list references that can be contacted. Take the time to obtain and record valid phone numbers for anyone that you record as a reference. Inform them that you are placing thier name as a reference, so it doesn't come up as a surprise when a federal agent shows up asking all kinds of questions about you. Doesn't help if the individual you listed doesn't know you from Adam.
3. Ensure you record each and every criminal offense, along with outcome. Be prepared to discuss at length during the interview.
4. Don't leave anything out of the security application. Omissions that surface during investigation equates to possible crediability issues.
5. On the security clearance application, you will have to assign a password to the file. Don't forget this password because if you do have to make any changes to correct something and you don't have this password you assigned to it, you will have to resubmit from scratch. Keeping in mind that any resubmission can be compared to original...remember the omission factor.

As for the physical conditioning required for Airborne Rangers? Undertake a daily physical regime that includes running. Push yourself to determine where your limits are, then add a rucksack to your runs. Work you way up to heavier rucksacks. Remember, Rangers work with lots of equipment, and this equipment only gets into the battle area by carrying it.
When was the last time you undertook a simple force march of say 10 to 15 miles? Time yourself and include this into your weekly regime of physical conditioning. Get a buddy to work with you. This does help.

Lastly, at age of 30, you wil likely find yourself surrounded by much younger men. You may even find you are the oldest in the platoon.

Hope I haven't discouraged you in this worthwhile endeavor. Let us know how its going form time to time.

Have you spoken to a recruiter yet?

thank you very much for your help. i have taken both the physical and asvab at meps and im going tommorow to get my mos. i got an 84 on the asvab and im in great health ( never even a broken bone). i want to serve my country more than anything and i hope my past problems wont limit the potential that i have. but regardless i will be the best soldier in my platoon no matter what happens. i recently heard it said "if there be a war then let me fight it co my children wont have to," and thats what i hope to do. again thank you for your advice and ill fill you in later on how im doing

the key to the clearance is honesty. first off, for a plain old secret, gather up as much info about the past 7 years of your life. addresses, phone numbers, names, etc. check your credit records and if you have any unpaid fines or tickets, pay them.

you can get a clearance no problem if you dont lie about ANYTHING. thats what they are really looking for. and get ready to have some fun with filling out the SF86, YIKES! its long and tedious.

the secret clearance shouldnt take that long to get and im sure if no big issues pop up, you will have a interim before you finish AIT.

if you have any specific question, feel free to ask me, im a S2 guy, so i deal with people's clearances all the time.

jim

and if you are regular army and your clearance gets bunged up in basic they can recycle you through basic indefinatly thus delaying your military carrer. So its critical to be honest, if you hit the crack pipe 10 years ago you better put it on there.

Even if you were in the same room someone was hitting the crack pipe you better put it on there.

Better put in the file that you were on the same website reading crack pipe comments from crackpot repearso...just in case the recruiters scan this forum [ there's one here at least!!LOL ]..

thank you all for your replies, and i would like to ask if anyone has recieved a secret clearance in the past with problems such as credit, past dui, address changes or even past drug use. these are not situations like mine but if anyone has been down this road i would like to here how it went for them.

These won't be issues, as long as it's in the PAST. May take a little longer to get, but, depending on severity, should not be a problem.

thanks again. its nerve racking wondering if i will pass the checks and get my clearance. i want to be a Ranger very bad and im going to try and get 18x in my contract, so the clearance will be a must. if all goes well i will soon be a member of the Elite Rangers or SF.