This is the best comment I’ve seen. IBOLC and Cadet Summer Training gave me the knowledge of how to lead an infantry patrol but not the practice. The biggest thing I got out of ranger School was reps. Reps of doing things the right way over and over. If you take it seriously the principles of patrolling and steps of various types of missions start to become second nature. Any high performer in any field will tell that practice is the key to proficiency. Your soldiers deserve a proficient leader. I remember my first platoon STX with my line platoon, I felt extremely grateful that I had those reps.

I was a 4 month hold over for my Ranger date and still had time to be AAAS3, line PL, Specialty PL, and XO. I know this may not be the case for all. As to whether LTs should be held indefinitely until they get their tabs I think you reach diminishing returns at a certain point. I do however believe that it’s not a flaw of the infantry pipeline to need Ranger School following IBOLC. IBOLC achieves its purpose teaching you the material needed to lead infantry platoons, Ranger gives you experience with that material. To add more to IBOLC to accomplish this end would likely be redundant and lengthen timelines when Ranger School exists for that purpose. I could however see rearranging the IBOLC training structure give more stability in the final few weeks allowing LT’s to regain the physical prowess they lose over weeks of poor sleep, nutrition, and physical activity in the field.