Okla. Congressman Seeks Ranger School Records After Women Graduate

An Oklahoma congressman is seeking training records from the Army Ranger School at Georgia's Fort Benning, where two soldiers made history last month by becoming the first females to graduate.

The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer reports that Republican Rep. Steve Russell is asking the Secretary of the Army for paperwork documenting the women's performance.

Russell's spokesman, Daniel Susskind, said the congressman is asking for the records to make sure that soldiers who passed the course deserved to do so.

2/24/2015 Related Story: One-On-One With OK Freshman Congressman Steve Russell

Commanders at Fort Benning, where the Ranger School is based, have said repeatedly that any women who attempted the course were held to the same standards as men.

Russell, a retired Army lieutenant colonel, was part of a congressional delegation that visited the Ranger School in April, shortly after the women began the course.

Russell commented on this incident via Facebook, saying:

 “The records request on the recent Ranger classes that included females is to investigate serious allegations that are being made by members of the military. No one wanted to touch this issue. As one of only two Ranger qualified members of the US House, I asked for the records to determine the nature of the allegations. The investigation should show whether there was any wrong-doing or it will lay it to rest. We expect to examine the records by next week and will make a determination from there.”