Having this in mind. 1st AD and all other LRSD's in Germany were either Divisoon or Corp level units. Divison level were attached to MI Battalions.   I only met up with a few Corp level LRSD troops a few times.  It seems they got the short end of the training stick.  1st AD LRSD was organized and trained up in the fall of 1988.  We were stationed at Katterbach Arifield near Ansbach.  Our first commander was Capt. Pope who was a Cav scout originally and after winning a Cav scout competition was awarded this command.  The second commander was Capt. Gibbard.  Capt. Gibbard commanded 1990-1991 including our Gulf War Deployment.

All members of our detachment were Airborne qualified, except some commo support guys.  We obtained jump status in 1989 as we went on foreign jumps and erned German Jump wings as Shinderhonnas (Cant spell) the International LRRP exercise.  Most allmembers attended multiple courses at the (Weingarten) NATO International Long Range Reconassance School such as Basic and Advances recce, patroling, winter patroling, CQB, Survival with resistance to interrogation ect...  Several of our members completed the greuling German Ranger course (LOTS of swimming!)

Most all NCO's that started up the unit came from the various Ranger Battalions and Ranger Regiment.

Training was based upon helo insert, covert vehicle insert, "roll over" positions along the Czech border, two teams were trained for targets in Czech itself and four for roll overs.  I can only advise on my teams job (roll over) as we did not ask and were not cleared to know the other teams targets. 

We had many people attempt to get into the unit, but with a full strength (that we never were) of six 6 man teams, it was very difficult after the initial LRRP indoctro that the NCO's ran in Oct-Nov 1998 to fill the teams with E-3's E-4's, E-5's.  E-6's were the Team leaders.

My team (#4) had an E-6 (Butch) for the team leader, E-5 as assistant TL (Bear), I was an E-4 (CPL) (Pat), E-3 was RTO (Vinc) and E-3 was Assist RTO (Curt).  We never had a six man team.  We had several people attempt to make the team but they never worked out.  You sure have to click and trust each other working in such close situations.  They are my brothers. We still talk.  All are out in civi world now.

Things changed when we vehicle Upped for Desert shield and Storm.  I went to team #6 and we conducted close target recces for 7th corp, mainlu 2 ACR , 3rd ACR, 1st AD, and worked closely with 1st AD's own 1/1 Cav. 

In the desert each team was assigned two humvees.  Some teams had two hard tops with M60's, my team had one hard top with a M60 an done soft top.  My team had one m203 and tons of AT4's that worked well against buildings and Gaz 66 trucks used by the Iraqi's.  We had several wounded buy friendly fire (thank you CAV scouts! who called in MRLS on us) and a few buy bomblets and mines.  No KIA's.  We lucked out many times. Having your commo pre set to call check fire saved my life. 

I sometimes miss those days running out the back gate of Katterback on a Friday night for an unknown distance land navagation course.  Then meeting in the Katterbach club or even the Irish Pub in Nuremburg later that night.  Capt Pope gets credit for running us throug the ringer on multiple Escape and Evade exercises "Shotgun" was the code word for E & E. Some E & E's ran from 1 night to 1 week. 

Capt Pope also got us lots of training with our German sister unit and I lucked out with a two week climb from Germany into Austria in the alps with them. (though they tried to kill me many times- I still had fun).

Oh and the booze limit was two racks of beer and two bottles per man in a room in the barracks at anytime.  Capt. Pope had the beer machine removed very shortly after I arrived in Sept 1988.  I ETSd upon our return fro the Desert.  We deployed 12-26-90 to the desert and returned 05-02-91.  I got out in June 1991. 

CP.  In Oklahoma. "CPL PAT"

Dale, I once read a comment from you here on pnet advocating precisely going bact to the ranger company concept...a modern version of the early 1950s RICA???  I also don't see your cost or lineage issues.