The U.S. Armyâs 75th Ranger Regiment (also referred to as Army Rangers) is a lethal group that has a force of agility to be reckoned with. Individuals who go through ranger school can conduct complex, joint special operations missions, in a calm and methodical manor. Think Hollywood movies such as The A-Team, Black Hawk Down, The Great Raid, Saving Private Ryan, or even the backstory to the plot of Con Air.
Today’s Ranger regiment is the Army’s elite direct-action raid force.
Even though Hollywood has a reputation for embellishing military or espionage stories, it is true that there are some celebrity icons who were also former U.S. Army Rangers.
Five Celebrity Icons Who Are Former U.S. Army Rangers
1. Patrick Tillman â Football Player
Patrick Tillman gained a lot of national attention after his death in 2004. Prior to becoming a Ranger, he was a football player in the NFL who left the sports arena by enlisting in the U.S. Army in the aftermath of 9/11.
Tillman served multiple tours in combat before he was killed in Afghanistan.
2. Philip Stern â Photographer
Philip “Snapdragon” Stern was an American photographer notorious for his very famous portraits of Hollywood stars, along with his collection of war photography while serving as a U.S. Army Ranger with “Darby’s Rangers” (also the 1958 film above) during the North African and Italian movements during World War II.
Stern is most famous for photographing stars like Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Marlon Brando, and even musician Louis Armstrong.
3. Kenneth Thomas â Musician
Keni Thomas is country music singer that was deployed during Operation Restore Hope as a member of Task Force Ranger in Somalia, and also served in the Battle of Mogadishu. Thomas works as a motivational speaker drawing from this experience as an Army Ranger when he served from 1991-1997. After enlisting, he served in the 3rd Ranger Battalion, leaving the service with the rank of Staff Sergeant, and thereafter forming his country band âCornbread.â
4. Jason Everman â Musician
Everman has played the guitar and bass in a few bands along his musical career, but is most notable for playing with Kurt Cobain in Nirvana. After leaving the grunge scene (as a member of the band Mind Funk in 1994), he joined the U.S. Army, serving with the Army’s 2nd Ranger Battalion. After a brief hiatus to become a bike messenger and a monk in Tibet, he returned to the Army when offered the chance to join Special Forces.
Everman received an honorable discharge in 2006 and has truly earned the title of a Renaissance Man.
5. Colin Powell â Politician
Powell was a soldier for 35 years, holding a many command and staff positions eventually obtaining the rank of general. He has a long career as a military strategist and is most iconic for serving as the 65th Secretary of State from 2001 to 2005, but especially for being the first Black man to hold the position.
Powell has his Ranger Tab badge: The Ranger Tab is a qualification tab authorized upon completion of the U.S. Army’s Ranger School (initially approved by the Chief of Staff in 1950).
