The Benning Phase of Ranger training is designed to assess and then to develop the military skills, physical and mental endurance, stamina, and confidence a soldier must have to successfully accomplish combat missions. It is also designed to teach the Ranger student to properly sustain himself, his subordinates, and maintain his equipment under difficult field conditions during the subsequent phases of Ranger training. If a student is not in TOP PHYSICAL CONDITION when he reports to the Ranger course, he will have extreme difficulty keeping up with the fast pace of Ranger training, especially the initial phase.

The Benning Phase is executed in two parts. The first part conducted at Camp Rogers in the Harmony Church area of Fort Benning. This phase consists of an APFT consisting of 49 Push-ups, 59 Sit-ups, and two mile run in running shoes in 15:12 minutes or less. In addition, applicant must execute six chin-ups (Palms facing toward the face). Combat water survival test (CWST), 5-mile run, 3-mile runs with an obstacle course, a 16-mile foot march, night and day land navigation tests, medical considerations class, rifle bayonet, pugil stick and combatives (hand-to-hand). Advanced physical training assures physical and mental endurance and the stamina required for enhancing basic Ranger characteristics, commitment, confidence and toughness. Additionally, the student completes the water confidence test at Hurley Hill (Victory Pond), terrain association, demolitions, patrol base/ ORP and an airborne refresher jump at Fryar Drop Zone.

The second part of the Benning Phase is conducted at nearby Camp William O. Darby. The emphasis at Camp Darby is on the instruction in and execution of squad combat patrol operations. The Ranger student receives instruction on boxing, fieldcraft training, executes the Darby Queen Obstacle Course and learns the fundamentals of patrolling, the warning order/operations order format and communications. The fundamentals of combat patrol operations include battle drills, ambush and reconnaissance patrols , enter/clear a room, airborne operations, and air assault operations. This phase uses the crawl technique during the FTX, which allows the student to practice the principles and techniques that enables the patrol to successfully conduct reconnaissance and ambush patrol missions. The Ranger student must then demonstrate his expertise through a series of cadre and student led tactical patrol operations. As a result, the Ranger student gains tactical and technical proficiency, confidence in himself and prepares to move to the next phase of the course--the Mountain Phase. Following the Benning Phase students are transported to Camp Frank D. Merrill, Dahlonega, Ga.