Ranger School The United States Army Ranger School is an intense 61 - day combat leadership course oriented toward small - unit tactics . The course is conducted in various locations . Training in the Benning Phase occurs in and around Camp Rogers and Camp Darby at Fort Benning , Georgia . Training at the Mountain Phase is conducted at Camp Merrill , in the remote mountains near Dahlonega , Georgia . The Florida Phase is conducted at various locations near Camp Rudder , Eglin Air Force Base , Florida . The Desert Phase — conducted initially at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico , and later relocated to Dugway Proving Ground , Utah and Fort Bliss , Texas , was eliminated in 1995 . The United States Army Ranger School is not organizationally affiliated with the 75th Ranger Regiment . Ranger School falls under control of the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command as a school open to most male members of the United States Army ; while the 75th Ranger Regiment is a Special Operations warfighting unit organized under the United States Army Special Operations Command . The two share a common heritage and subordinate battalions common lineage , and Ranger School is a requirement for all officers and NCOs of the 75th Ranger Regiment . Ranger School is closed to women . Those graduating from Ranger School are presented with the Ranger Tab , which is worn on the upper shoulder of the left sleeve of a military uniform , according to U . S . Army regulations Wearing the tab is permitted for the remainder of a soldier ' s military career . The cloth version of the tab is worn on the Army Combat Uniform and Class - A dress uniform of the U . S . Army ; a smaller , metal version is worn on the new Army Service Uniform . History . RT began in September 1950 at Fort Benning Georgia " with the formation and training of 17 Airborne Companies by the Ranger Training Command " . The first class graduated from Ranger training in November 1950 , becoming the 1st Ranger Infantry Company . The United States Army ' s Infantry School officially established the Ranger Department in December 1951 . Under the Ranger Department , the first Ranger School Class was conducted in January – March 1952 , with a graduation date of 1 March 1952 . Its duration was 59 days . At the time , Ranger training was voluntary . In 1966 , a panel headed by General Ralph E . Haines Jr . recommended making Ranger training mandatory for all Regular Army officers upon commissioning . On 16 August 1966 , the Chief of Staff of the Army , General Harold K . Johnson , directed it so . This policy was implemented in July 1967 . It was rescinded on 21 June 1972 by General William Westmoreland . Once again , Ranger training was voluntary . In August 1987 , the Ranger Department was split from the Infantry School and the Ranger Training Brigade was established . The Ranger Companies that made up the Ranger Department became the current training units — the 4th , 5th and 6th Ranger Training Battalions . In 1983 , the Desert Phase was added and the length of the Ranger course was extended to 65 days . The duration was again expanded in October 1991 to 68 days , concurrently with the reshuffling of the Desert phase from the last phase to the second . The 7th Ranger Training Battalion was added to administer this phase . The most recent duration change to Ranger School occurred in May 1995 , when the Desert Phase was removed from the Ranger course . Ranger School was reduced to its current 61 - day length of training , at 19 . 6 hours of training per day . The Ranger Assessment Phase , the first five days of Ranger School , was added in 1992 . Students . Ranger School is open to all Military Occupational Specialties ( MOSs ) in the U . S . Army , although — as of April 2011 — an Army combat exclusion zone still limits some from attending . Ranger students come from units in the United States Army , Marine Corps , Air Force , Navy , Coast Guard , and from foreign military services . However , the two largest groups of attendees for Ranger School are the U . S . Army ' s Infantry Basic Officer Leadership Course ( IBOLC ) , and the 75th Ranger Regiment . Competitions and pre - Ranger courses are typically used to determine attendance . The U . S . Air Force is only alloted six slots for Ranger school each year . Ranger students ' ranks typically range from Private First Class to Captain , with lieutenants and specialists making up the largest group of students . The average age is 23 , and the average class will have 366 students , with 11 classes conducted per year . Training . Ranger School training has a basic scenario : the flourishing drug and terrorist operations of the enemy forces , the " Aragon Liberation Front , " must be stopped . To do so , the Rangers will take the fight to their territory , the rough terrain surrounding Fort Benning , the mountains of northern Georgia , and the swamps and coast of Florida . Ranger students are given a clear mission , but they determine how to best execute it . The purpose of the course is learning to soldier as a combat leader while enduring the great mental and psychological stresses and physical fatigue of combat ; the Ranger Instructors ( RIs ) – also known as Lane Graders – create and cultivate such a physical and mental environment . The course primarily comprises field craft instruction ; students plan and execute daily patrolling , perform reconnaissance , ambushes , and raids against dispersed targets , followed by stealthy movement to a new patrol base to plan the next mission . Ranger students conduct about 20 hours of training per day , while consuming two or fewer meals daily totaling about , with an average of 3 . 5 hours of sleep a day . Students sleep more before a parachute jump for safety considerations . Ranger students typically wear and carry some of weapons , equipment , and training ammunition while patrolling more than throughout the course . Capabilities . Ranger School students will participate in three airborne , and several air assault operations throughout the duration of the course , relying on C - 130 Hercules cargo planes , as well as UH - 60 Black Hawk and CH - 47 Chinook helicopter s , for insertion and extraction . Non - airborne personnel will work drop zone details while the other students jump . The students also have the ability to call - in and utilize close air support in the form of AH - 64 Apache attack helicopter s and AC - 130H Spectre gunships during many of their missions . All aircraft are provided by other nearby units as part of a training co - operative . Benning phase . The first phase of Ranger School is conducted at Camp Rogers and Camp Darby at Fort Benning , Georgia and is conducted by the 4th Ranger Training Battalion . The " Benning Phase " is the " crawl " phase of Ranger School , where students learn the fundamentals of squad - level mission planning . It is " designed to assess a Soldier ’ s physical stamina , mental toughness , leadership abilities , and establishes the tactical fundamentals required for follow - on phases of Ranger School " . In this phase , training is separated into two parts , the Ranger Assessment Phase ( RAP ) and Squad Combat Operations . The Ranger Assessment Phase is conducted at Camp Rogers . As of April 2011 , it encompasses Days 1 – 3 of training . Historically , it accounts for 60 % of students who fail to graduate Ranger School . Events include : The emphasis at Camp Darby is on the instruction in and execution of Squad Combat Operations . The phase includes " fast paced instruction on troop leading procedures , principles of patrolling , demolitions , field craft , and basic battle drills focused towards squad ambush and reconnaissance missions " . The Ranger student receives instruction on airborne / air assault operations , demolitions , environmental and " field craft " training , executes the infamous " Darby Queen " obstacle course , and learns the fundamentals of patrolling , warning and operations orders , and communications . The fundamentals of combat operations include battle drill s ( React to Contact , Break Contact , React to Ambush , Platoon Raid ) , which are focused on providing the principles and techniques that enable the squad - level element to successfully conduct reconnaissance and raid missions . As a result , the Ranger student gains tactical and technical proficiency , confidence in himself , and prepares to move to the next phase of the course , the Mountain Phase . Mountain phase . The second phase of Ranger School is conducted at the remote Camp Merrill near Dahlonega , Georgia by the 5th Ranger Training Battalion . Here , " students receive instruction on military mountaineering tasks , mobility training , as well as techniques for employing a platoon for continuous combat patrol operations in a mountainous environment " . Adding to the physical hardships endured in the Benning phase , in this phase " the stamina and commitment of the Ranger student is stressed to the maximum . At any time , he may be selected to lead tired , hungry , physically expended students to accomplish yet another combat patrol mission " . One of the mental hardships ( aside from the pressures of training ) is that the Mountain Phase is located ' in the middle of nowhere ' , several miles from any real civilization . This leaves the students feeling more isolated than they may feel during the other phases . In the winter , the temperatures drop very low at night , and many students ( in addition to other ailments ) receive frostbite . During the warmer months , Poison Ivy becomes a common adversary . The Ranger student continues learning how to sustain himself and his subordinates in the mountains . The rugged terrain , severe weather , hunger , mental and physical fatigue , and the psychological stress the student encounters allow him to measure his capabilities and limitations and those of his fellow soldiers . In addition to combat operations , the student receives four days of military mountaineering training . The sequence of training has changed in past decades . As of 2010 , the training sequence is as follows . In the first two days students learn knot s , belays , anchor points , rope management , mobility evacuation , and the fundamentals of and abseiling . The training ends in a two - day Upper mountaineering exercise at Yonah Mountain , to apply the skills learned during Lower mountaineering . Each student must make all prescribed climbs at Mt . Yonah to continue in the course . During the field training exercise ( FTX ) , students execute a mission requiring mountaineering skills . Combat missions are against a conventionally equipped threat force in a Mid - Intensity Conflict . These missions are both day and night in a two part , four and five - day FTX , and include moving cross country over mountains , vehicle ambush es , raiding communications and mortar sites , river crossing , and scaling steeply sloped mountainous terrain . The Ranger student reaches his objective in several ways : cross - country movement , parachuting into small drop zone s , air assault s into small , mountain - side landing zones , or a 10 - mile march across the Tennessee Valley Divide . The student ' s commitment and physical - mental stamina are tested to the maximum . At the end of the Mountain Phase , the students travel by bus to a nearby airfield and conduct an airborne operation , parachuting into Florida Phase . Non - airborne are bussed to Eglin Air Force Base for the Florida Phase . Florida phase . The third phase of Ranger School is conducted at Camp James E . Rudder ( Auxiliary Field # 6 ) , Eglin Air Force Base , Florida by the 6th Ranger Training Battalion . According to the Ranger Training Brigade , This phase focuses on the continued development of the Ranger Student ' s combat arms functional skills . Students receive instruction on waterborne operations , small boat movements , and stream crossings upon arrival . Practical exercises in extended platoon level operations executed in a coastal swamp environment test the Students ’ ability to operate effectively under conditions of extreme mental and physical stress . This training further develops the Students ' ability to plan and lead small units during independent and coordinated airborne , air assault , small boat , and dismounted combat patrol operations in a low intensity combat environment against a well trained , sophisticated enemy . The Florida Phase continues the progressive , realistic OPFOR ( opposing force s ) scenario . As the scenario develops , the students receive " in - country " technique training that assists them in accomplishing the tactical missions later in the phase . Technique training includes : small boat operations , expedient stream crossing techniques , and skills needed to survive and operate in a rainforest / swamp environment by learning how to deal with reptiles and how to determine the difference between venomous and non - venomous snakes . Camp Rudder has specially trained reptile experts who teach the students to not fear the wildlife they encounter . The Ranger students are updated on the scenario that eventually commits the unit to combat during techniques training . The 10 - day FTX comprises " fast paced , highly stressful , challenging exercises in which the Students are evaluated on their ability to apply small unit tactics and techniques during the execution of raids , ambushes , movements to contact , and urban assaults to accomplish their assigned missions " . The capstone of the course is the extensively planned raid of the ALF ' s island stronghold . This small boat operation involves each platoon in the class , all working together on separate missions to take down the cartel ' s final point of strength . Afterwards , students who have met graduation requirements spend several days cleaning their weapons and equipment before returning to Fort Benning . By then they have earned PX ( Post Exchange ) privileges , and access to a community center where they can use a telephone , eat civilian food , and watch television . In years past , the " Gator Lounge " served this purpose , but it was destroyed by a fire in late 2006 . In the years since , a new " Gator Lounge " has been built , maintaining many of the features of the old one . Graduation is at Fort Benning . In an elaborate ceremony at Victory Pond , the black - and - gold Ranger Tab is pinned to the graduating soldier ' s left shoulder ( usually by a relative , a respected RI , or soldier from the student ' s original unit ) . The Ranger Tab is permanently worn above the soldier ' s unit patch . Desert phase . The Desert Phase was designed to instruct its students in Desert Warfare operations and basic survival in the deserts of the Middle East . John Lock describes the Desert Phase as follows . The phase commenced with an in - flight rigging and airborne assault — or an air assault landing by non - airborne personnel , onto an objective . Following the mission , the students moved into a cantonment area . Remaining in garrison for five days , they then received classes on desert - survival techniques to include water procurement and water preservation . Leadership responsibilities , standing operating procedures ( SOPs ) , reconnaissance , and ambush techniques were also reviewed . Additional emphasis was placed on battle drills to include react to enemy contact , react to indirect fire , and react to near and far ambushes . Drills on how to breach barbed and concertina wire with wire cutters and assault ladders were taught as were techniques on how to clear a trench line and how to assault a fortified bunker . The remainder of the phase comprised patrolling during field training exercises — " reconnaissance , raid , or ambush missions " . " The phase culminated with an airborne assault — with non - Airborne trucked — by the entire class on a joint objective . " Ranger School ' s initial evaluation of a Desert Phase was a cadre - lead patrol at White Sands Missile Range , New Mexico in early 1971 called Arid Fox I . In June 1971 , the Ranger Training Brigade conducted Arid Fox II , the first student - led patrol . This was part of the brigade ' s continuing evaluation of the possibility of integrating a Desert Phase into the Ranger course . The first students to undergo the Desert Phase were selected from Ranger Class 13 – 71 ( class 13 in 1971 ) . When the bulk of the class went on to begin the Florida phase , the airborne qualified members of Ranger Class 13 – 71 ( Desert ) donned MC1 - 1 parachutes , boarded a C - 130 aircraft and parachuted into the White Sands Missile Range . Upon formal integration into the Ranger Course , the Desert Phase was initially run by the Ranger School ' s 4th ( Desert Ranger ) Training Company stationed at Fort Bliss , Texas from 1983 to 1987 . When the Desert Phase was officially introduced , the length of Ranger School was lengthened to 65 days . At the outset , the Desert Phase was the last phase of the Ranger Course — following the Benning , Mountain and Florida Phases , respectively . In 1987 , the unit was expanded into the 7th Ranger Training Battalion and moved to Dugway Proving Grounds , Utah . In October 1991 , the course was increased to sixty - eight days and the sequence was changed to Fort Benning , Desert ( Fort Bliss , Texas ) , Mountain , and Florida . In May 1995 , the school underwent its most recent change when the Desert phase was discontinued . " The last Ranger School class to go through the Desert Phase was class 7 – 95 . Leadership positions . A student ' s graduation is highly dependent on his performance in graded positions of leadership . This leadership ability is evaluated at various levels in various situations , and is observed while he is in one of his typically two graded leadership roles per phase . He can either meet the high standards and be given a " GO " by the R . I . , or he can fail to meet this standard and receive the dreaded " NO GO " . He must demonstrate the ability to meet the standard in order to move forward , and can thus only afford one unsuccessful patrol . His success will lie in his ability to essentially manipulate the men directly underneath his charge of leadership . At times , this will be as few as two to three men — and at other times he may be required to lead up to an entire 45 - man platoon . His success can be dependent on the performance and team work of these individuals , whom he must motivate and lead . Missions are typically broken up into four stages : planning , movement , actions on the objective , and establishment of a patrol base . The Platoon Leader position ( in Mountains and Florida ) will be rotated throughout the mission , the same is true for the platoon sergeant position . The squad leader position is on a 24 - hour rotation which is the same for all of the ungraded key leadership positions : Medic , Forward Observer ( FO ) and Radio Telephone Operator ( RTO ) . Peer evaluations . Another part of the evaluation of the student is a peer evaluation ; failing a peer evaluation ( scoring less than a 60 % approval rating from your squad ) can result in disqualification , though usually only if it happens twice . Due to unit loyalties , certain individuals within a squad who may be " the odd man out " will sometimes be singled out by the squad arbitrarily . Because of this , someone who has been " peered out " or " peered , " will be moved to another squad , sometimes within another platoon , in order to ensure that this was not the reason the student was peered . If it happens within this new squad , however , this is generally an indication that student is being singled out because he is either lazy , incompetent , or cannot keep up . At this time he will usually be removed from the course . It is possible for the evaluation process to be completed via agreement within a squad — also known as " rigging " the peer system . In other words , squad members all agree to rate one another in such a manner that no one is singled out . Ranger School cadre watch for such attempt . If discovered , all involved students could be dropped from the course for an honor violation . However catching a squad doing this is pretty much impossible when the majority of the group get together and they all rank 1 or 2 men consistently at the bottom . There is an amount of group and personal politics involved . Recycling . If student performs successfully , but suffers an injury that keeps him from finishing , he may be medically recycled ( med recycle ) at the discretion of either the battalion or the Ranger Training Brigade commander ; he will be given an opportunity to heal and finish the course with the next class . Students recycled in the first phase are temporarily assigned to Vaughn ' s Platoon ( informally known as the " Gulag " to Ranger students ) . Recycled students typically receive classes on Ranger School tasks and perform a variety general tasks for their respective Ranger Training Battalion . While marking time at Ranger School is not always pleasant , those who have been recycled typically perform well when reinserted back into the course , with pass rates well over 80 % . Students can also be recycled for a variety of other reasons , including failing their patrol evaluations , peer evaluation , collecting 3 or more bad spot reports in a phase , or receiving a Special Observation Report ( SOR ) . Students may receive SORs for actions including , but not limited to , negligent discharges , safety violations involving demolitions or mountaineering , not looking through their sights while firing , or throwing away ammunition to lighten their load while on patrol . If a student fails a phase twice for the same reason ( patrols , peers , etc . ) he will usually be dropped from the course , but may possibly be offered a " day one restart , " and will restart on Day 1 of the next Ranger School class . In rare cases , those assessed of honor violations ( lying , cheating , stealing ) and SORs may be offered a day one restart as opposed to being dropped from the course . Graduation rates . Historically , the graduation rate has been around 50 % , but this has fluctuated . In the period prior to 1980 , the Ranger School attrition rate was over 65 % . 64 % of Ranger School class 10 – 80 graduated . The graduation rate has dropped below 50 % in recent years : 52 % in 2005 , 54 % in 2006 , 56 % in 2007 , 49 % in 2008 , 46 % in 2009 , 43 % in 2010 , and 42 % in 2011 . Recycles are included in the graduation rates . Recycles are tracked by the class they start with , and affect only that class ' s graduation rate . Physical effects . Following the completion of Ranger School , a student will usually find himself " in the worst shape of his life " . Military folk wisdom has it that Ranger School ' s physical toll is like years of natural aging ; high levels of fight - or - flight stress hormones ( epinephrine , norepinephrine , cortisol ) , along with standard sleep deprivation and continual physical strain , inhibit full physical and mental recovery throughout the course . Common maladies during the course include weight loss , dehydration , trench foot , heatstroke , frostbite , chilblains , fractures , tissue tears ( ligaments , tendons , muscles ) , swollen hands , feet , knees , nerve damage , loss of limb sensitivity , cellulitis , contact dermatitis , cuts , and insect , spider , bee , and wildlife bites . Because of the physical and psychological effect of low calorie intake over an extended period of time , it is not uncommon for many Ranger School graduates to encounter weight problems as they return to their units and their bodies and minds slowly adjust to routine again . A drastically lowered metabolic rate , combined with a nearly insatiable appetite ( the result of food deprivation and the ensuing survivalist mentality ) can cause quick weight gain , as the body is already in energy ( fat ) storing mode . Food and sleep deprivation . A Ranger student ' s diet and sleep are strictly controlled by the Ranger Instructors . During time in garrison students are given one to three meals a day , but forced to eat extremely quickly and without any talking . During field exercises Ranger students are given two MRE s ( Meal , Ready - to - eat ) per day , but not allowed to eat them until given permission . This is enforced most harshly in Darby and Mountain phases . Since food and sleep are at the bottom of an infantryman ' s priorities of work behind security , weapons maintenance , and personal hygiene , it is generally the last thing Ranger students are allowed to do . As such , the two MREs are generally eaten within three hours of each other , one post mission , and the other prior to the planning portion of the mission . Though the Ranger student ' s daily caloric intake of 2200 calories might seem to be more than enough for the average person , Ranger students are under such physical stress that this amount is insufficient . The Ranger Training Brigade does not maintain weight information in the 21st century , but in the 1980s , Ranger Students lost an average of 25 – 30 pounds during the Ranger course . Ranger School Class Awards . The awards listed below are designed to recognize outstanding achievement during the Ranger Course . Dependent on class performance , all or some of these awards may be presented upon graduation . The Darby Award is awarded to the Ranger that shows the best tactical and administrative leadership performance , has the most positive spot reports and has demonstrated being a cut above the rest . He must also pass all graded leadership positions , peer reports , and may not recycle . This award is named in the honor of BG William O . Darby , who organized the 1st Ranger Battalion in 1942 with handpicked volunteers leading the way onto the beaches of North Africa . Ranger Battalions also spearheaded the campaigns in Sicily and Italy , and the D - Day landing on Omaha Beach . In the Pacific the 6th Ranger Battalion served with distinction in the Philippines . The Puckett Award is awarded to the ranger that passes all graded leadership positions ; peer reports , and may not recycle . The Ranger may not have any lost equipment due to negligence and may not have any retests on any critical tasks . This award is named in honor of Colonel Ralph Puckett . Colonel Puckett earned the Distinguished Service Cross during the Korean War as company commander of the 8th Army Ranger Company , the first Ranger Company seeing active service during the war . Then - First Lieutenant Puckett , in an attack against numerically superior Chinese forces , established defensive fighting positions on the captured objective . His Rangers held off five successive Chinese counterattacks before he was severely wounded during a sixth counterattack and evacuated despite his protests . The Hall is awarded to the Ranger that passes all graded leadership positions ; peer reports , and may not recycle . The Ranger may not have any lost equipment due to negligence and may not have any retests on any critical tasks . This award is named in honor of Corporal Glenn M . Hall . Corporal Hall was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross while serving with the 1st Airborne Ranger Company for his gallant actions at Chipyon - Ni during the Korean War . He exposed himself to direct enemy fire to cover his platoon ’ s movement . Once his weapon jammed he joined his platoon and volunteered to contact friendly forces on an adjacent hill . When he reached the hill , it was covered with enemy troops . Corporal Hall killed a Chinese soldier in a foxhole and used that position to drive the enemy from the hill . He was wounded during that action by a grenade . The Turner Award is awarded to the officer who embodies the leadership spirit and ideals displayed by Colonel Robert A . “ Tex ” Turner . Colonel Turner was awarded the Silver Star for his actions on 6 May 1970 while serving as a member of a command group during the defense of Fire Support Base Henderson , Vietnam . Despite the intense mortar fire , Colonel Turner landed at the firebase assessing the damage and directing the defense of the firebase . Though seriously wounded by a mortar round impact , Colonel Turner carried a wounded soldier out to the landing pad for immediate medical evacuation . Colonel Turner ’ s most significant impact to the Ranger community was the creation of the Desert Phase of Ranger School when he was the Commander of the Ranger Department . As a result of Colonel Turner ’ s commitment to the Rangers and Ranger Training Brigade , he has been recognized as the honorary commander of the Ranger Training Brigade . The Spenser Award is awarded to the enlisted member who embodies the leadership spirit and ideals displayed by SGM Robert Spencer . As the Sergeant Major of the Ranger Training Department from 1981 to 1985 , SGM Spencer was instrumental in the reorganization of the Ranger Department . His contributions and astute leadership were recognized in March 2002 , when SGM Spencer was recognized as the honorary Sergeant Major of the Ranger Training Brigade . Ranger Training Deaths . Ranger School is designed to physically stress students to a point short of death . Deaths have occurred during Ranger Training . In the winter of 1977 , two students died of hypothermia when they lost contact with their main element in the Florida swamp . In 1985 , in the Florida phase , a soldier drowned crossing a stream against a strong current . In March 1992 , a student with sickle cell trait died after exposure to high altitude and stress in the mountain phase . The Ranger Training Brigade did not know about his medical issue until after his death . In March 1992 , a Ranger student died from a fall on the Slide for Life . The " worst incident in the 44 - year history of the school " occurred on 15 February 1995 during the Florida Phase of class 3 – 95 . Captain Milton Palmer , 2LT Spencer Dodge , 2LT Curt Sansoucie , and SGT Norman Tillman died from hypothermia . Investigations of the incident were conducted by the U . S . Air Force , the Ranger Training Brigade , and the U . S . Army ' s Safety Board . The results were determined to be a result of a combination of human errors exacerbated by " unexpected weather conditions " . Nine Ranger Instructors were disciplined and the 6th Ranger Training Battalion commander was relieved . As there was no basis for criminal charges , none were court - martialed . The four deceased Ranger School students were posthumously awarded the Ranger Tab . As a result of the 1995 deaths , 38 new safety measures were implemented in the Florida Phase . According to John Lock , New equipment is now on hand to assist troubled students ; equipment which includes one - man inflatable rafts designed to get Rangers out of the water and to arrest hypothermia , water measuring devices , and global positioning systems . Monitoring stations have also been installed in swamp locations to provide better information on weather and water conditions . Command and control procedures now include the Ranger Battalion Commander who will make the final call as to whether waterborne operations are a Go , No Go , or modified — on - site RIs [ Ranger Instructors ] also have the authority to call off an operation should the situation warrant it . Additionally , training lanes will be walked by RIs prior to the exercise and there will be no deviation in the landing sites for the patrols .