page_title: 75th Ranger Regiment
section_title: Notable members
hierarchical_section_title: 75th Ranger Regiment / Notable members
caption_attribution_description: English: Soldiers from the 75th Ranger Regiment descend in an MH-6 Little Bird helicopter flown by pilots from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, into a staged firefight during an exercise demonstrating the range of U.S. Army Special Operations capabilities for the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference on April 28, 2010, at Fort Bragg, N.C.
context_page_description: The 75th Ranger Regiment, also known as Army Rangers, is an elite special operations force that is a combat deployable unit in the United States Army Special Operations Command. The Regiment is headquartered at Fort Benning, Georgia and is composed of a regimental headquarters company, a military intelligence battalion, a special troops battalion, and three Ranger battalions.
  The 75th Ranger Regiment is the U.S. Army's premier light infantry unit, with specialized skills that enable them to perform a variety of operations. Their primary operations are to execute direct action raids in hostile or sensitive environments worldwide, often killing or capturing high value targets. Besides direct action raids, their other missions include: Airfield seizure, special reconnaissance, personnel recovery, clandestine insertion, and site exploitation. The Regiment can deploy one Ranger battalion within 18 hours of alert notification.
context_section_description: General Stanley A. McChrystal; tenth commander of the Regiment from 1997 to 1999; former commander, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and U.S. Forces Afghanistan (USFOR-A); former Director of the Joint Staff; former Commander of Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC).
  General John P. Abizaid, former platoon leader of Company A, and executive officer of Company C, former commander of Company A, 1st Ranger Battalion; former commander, Central Command.
  General Wayne A. Downing, third commander of the Regiment from 1984 to 1985; former commander of 2nd Ranger Battalion; former commander of Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), former commander U.S. Army Special Operations Command and former commander of United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM). Ranger Hall of Fame Member
  Lieutenant General David Barno, former commander of the 2nd Ranger Battalion; former commander, Combined Forces-Afghanistan.
  Colonel William O. Darby, established and commanded "Darby's Rangers" that later evolved into the 75th Ranger Regiment. Ranger Hall of Fame Member.
  Colonel James Earl Rudder, former commander of the 2nd Ranger Battalion during World War II, which he led the ranger assault on Pointe du Hoc on D-Day and was later the president of Texas A&M University.
  Colonel Danny McKnight former commander of the 3rd Ranger Battalion during the Battle of Mogadishu.
  Colonel Michael D. Steele, former commander of Company B, 3rd Ranger Battalion during the Battle of Mogadishu.
  Major Jeff Struecker, served as a staff sergeant and squad leader assigned to Task Force Ranger as a part of the 75th Ranger Regiment. Struecker and his partner, SPC Isaac Gmazel Won the Best Ranger Competition in 1996. He became commissioned as a chaplain in 2000.
  Major General David L. Grange, seventh commander of the Regiment from 1991 to 1993; former commander, 1st Infantry Division and deputy commander of Delta Force.
  Colonel Robert L. Howard, former company commander in the 2nd Ranger Battalion; was nominated three times for the Medal of Honor for his actions in Vietnam. Two were downgraded and the third was awarded.
  Peter Kassig, aid worker, taken hostage and ultimately murdered by The Islamic State.
  Sergeant Major of the Army Glen E. Morrell, former 1st Ranger Battalion command sergeant major and past Sergeant Major of the Army.
  General Austin S. Miller, former 2nd Ranger Battalion Platoon Leader, former commander of Delta Force, and former Commander of Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC).
  Sergeant First Class Matt Larsen, a former United States Marine who enlisted into the United States Army and served in 1st Ranger Battalion, 2nd Ranger Battalion and the 75th Ranger Regiment; known as the father of Modern Army Combatives and founder of the United States Army Combatives School Larsen currently serves as the Director of Combatives Training at the United States Military Academy at West Point.
  Sergeant First Class Randy Shughart, Medal of Honor recipient, who was killed in action during the Battle of Mogadishu while serving as a Delta Force sniper defending a downed helicopter, started his career in 2nd Ranger Battalion.
  Corporal Pat Tillman, an American football player who left his National Football League career to enlist in the United States Army in May 2002; killed on 22 April 2004 (by friendly fire) as a member of the 2nd Ranger Battalion.
  Captain Alejandro Villanueva, an American football player in the National Football League, former company Executive Officer in the 1st Ranger Battalion.
  Sergeant First Class Leroy Petry, Medal of Honor recipient for actions during a firefight in Afghanistan.
  Mat Best, former team leader in 2nd Ranger Battalion, best selling author, music artist, celebrity/actor, and veteran entrepreneur.
  Nicholas Irving, former sniper in the 3rd Ranger Battalion
  Robert Ross Jr., a current semi-retired professional wrestler who uses the ring name Ranger Ross. Served eight years as a paratrooper and Ranger, and took part in Operation Urgent Fury.
  Joseph L. Votel, twelfth commander of the Regiment from 2001 to 2003; former Comma
caption: Rangers descend in an MH-6 Little Bird helicopter flown by pilots from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment during a staged demonstration.
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