There is a huge disparity between the Teams/ODA/Force Recon and Rangers. Rangers fulfill a support role in most instances, unless they are going in force to take down a large target. Even though they are considered SOF, they are a
light infantry unit. The people who like to propagate the misconception that Rangers are similar to the T/ODA/FR
are Rangers and individuals who don't know what they are talking about. Just look at the length of the schools: Teams, 49 weeks (3 weeks of indoc (first part of BUDs), 26 weeks at BUDs, and 15 weeks ot SQT, formerly known as STT) until the bird is pinned (and I didn't add in jump school, which is required as well); ODA is up to 49.5 weeks total (including their indoc course); and finally Ranger training, which is 13 weeks (4 week RIP, and 9 week Ranger school).
Even after more than a decade of service and 30 months of combat duty, all I know is what most people know, which is that they are the baddest of the bad, the most unconventional of the unconventional, and with rare exception they don't talk about what they do. I think probably the closest thing to them are the British SAS, though I'm fairly certain that no force on the planet is more capable or better equipped than Delta.
Actually, there are other groups in existence that are the equivalent of CAG, and many consider them to be tougher meat eaters as well. These groups are just not spoken of, like CAG was for many years. That is why the regular person and weekend shooter (and many in the military, for that matter), like many on this site, have not heard of them.
In reference to CAG:
They go in and do what needs to get done and get out. They train ALL the time. A lot of times its recon or forward observation in tough areas . Forward observation in this context meaning sneaking into an area days before hostilities open up and setting up sensitive targets for areal bombardment . When you see the film clips of bombs dropping into chimneys and blowing up a terrorist hangout in the middle of a residential neighborhood its because theres a guy sitting on top of a roof somewhere with a laser pointing at that building for the bomb to home in on. He's probably a Delta and he'd been sitting on that roof for 3 days and hopefully he didnt have to kill anyone to get there . Get in and get out quietly.
Close, but not correct. The jobs that you mentioned are in fact performed by ODA and the Teams. Once again, the regular joe has absolutely NO idea what the true "all encompassing" job of SF units. Speculation is what creates false "truths".
1) People often ask the U.S. what our secret defense is against terorists. We simply reply....Chuck Norris.
2) Jack Bauer does not let women on top during sex. Why? Jack Bauer never fucks up....