First AF female to earn Ranger tab

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas - The Army first began accepting Airmen into its Ranger school in 1955. Almost 300 Airmen have earned that Army Ranger tab. This week, Air Force 1st Lt. Chelsey Hibsch joined those ranks and became the first AF female to earn that tab. She pinned it on at the Army’s Ranger school graduation at Fort Benning, Ga. The Army Ranger Course is one of the Army’s toughest leadership courses, with a concentration on small-unit tactics and combat leadership. About 50 percent of those attending the Ranger School actually graduate. There are three phases to Ranger training: A Fort Benning phased basic on developing platoon-level leadership; mountain phase; and “swamp” phase at Fort Rudder onboard the Eglin AFB, Fla., range. Hibsch will take her leadership training as an acting flight commander with the 821st Contingency Response Support Squadron at of Travis AFB, Calif., which provided support to Tyndall AFB, Fla., after Hurricane Michael last October. Her previous assignment was with the 374th Security Forces Squadron at Yokota Air Base, Japan. She led PACAF’s 2018 Defender Challenge Team to six event trophies and the overall Defender Challenge Championship. (Source: JB San Antonio-Lackland 09/03/19) https://www.afimsc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1948812/female-airman-earns-a-ranger-tab/