Feelings among the Rangers, however, were not mixed. When news came of the terrorist attacks, the trainees were in Dahlonega, Ga., in the second phase of the course. Without any specific instructions from Ranger headquarters, attitudes among trainers and trainees changed that day, graduates said. 1st Class Henry Sitzler, a Ranger trainer, said he saw a change in students after Sept. 11. They aren't as eager to slack off when they get the chance.
Training comes in three sessions, each of which lasts three weeks.
The second, in Dahlonega, focuses on mountain maneuvering. The third, in Eglin, Fla., takes trainees through the swamps. They also learn to use specialized weapons, wire and detonate explosives and drop from or be picked up by a helicopter that never lands. They even face an enemy, known as Merrill's Platoon. The opposing force consists of soldiers, most of whom have passed Ranger training, who act as the bad guys.