About US Army

Ranger Rick F.Tscherne

"Army Ranger Rick" Tscherne was born in New York City (1954) and later moved (1963) to Berwick (PA) with his parents until he reached the age of 17 when he decided to quit school to join the US Army. And of the 21 years he served in the military, he spent 13 years living outside CONUS in Italy, Germany and Korea. (Note: 10 of the 13 years were done voluntarily.)

Military Qualifications: Successfully graduated from the US Army’s elite Airborne, Ranger, Jumpmaster, Drill Instructor, Jungle Warfare, Small Arms Weapon Repair Schools and graduated on the “Commandant’s List” from the US Army’s Advance NCO Academy. His foreign schools and training include the French and Belgium Army Para-Commando Schools and the Italian Army Airborne School.

Military Awards: US Army Ranger Tab, Master Parachutist Wings, Drill Instructor Badge, Expert Rifleman Badge, Jungle Expert Patch, 1 x Army Commendation Medal, 5 x Army Achievement Medals, 3 x Meritorious Service Medals, 4 x Overseas Service Ribbons and an assortment of other awards & ribbons. His foreign awards include the French and Belgiun Army Commando Badges and the Belgian and Italian Army Parachutist wings.

Duty Positions: Served as a rifleman, machine gunner, RTO, recon scout, small arms repairman, cold weather warfare instructor, Drill Instructor, recon gun jeep team leader, anti-tank section leader, Airborne & Ranger platoon sergeant, S3 Bn Ast Operation Sergeant and G3 War Plans Division Ast Operation Sergeant.
Assignments:

1st Bn 87th Inf. (Mech) Germany	1st  Bn 31st Inf. (Mech) Korea
1st Bn 509th ABCT (Abn) Italy	3rd Bn 325th Inf. (Abn) Ft.Bragg
1st Bn 75th Inf. (Rangers) HAAF	Drill Instr. A-4-3  Ft. Dix, NJ

Promotions: Though rapidly promoted and achieved the rank/grade of Sergeant First Class / E-7 with only eight and half (8.5) years time in service (TIS). He declined his DA/Pentagon promotion to Master Sergeant / E-8 and instead chose to retire from active duty to publish his own military training manuals and to market his SOS Survival Kits.

Biography: He is happily married to Silvia Negretti, has two grown daughters (Barbara and Jennifer), two grandsons (Alan & Jaden Love), lives in Italy and enjoys hiking, biking, kayaking, snorkeling, downhill skiing and lives on Lake Garda - Italy.

In September 1996 he was contacted by Military Professional Resources Inc (MPRI) to provide assistance in training the Bosnian & Herzegovina (Muslim) Army under the US State Department approved "Train & Equip Program."

His most noteworthy accomplishments while assigned to MPRI Task Order 7-3 as an instructor & advisor;

a) Designed and developed numerous training aids not only for his own task order team but for other too, including some Bosnian (Muslim) army units.

b) Trained small groups of Bosnian (Muslim) leaders in his off duty time in how to plan, organize and conduct recons, raids, ambushes and other basic patrolling tactics.

c) Prior to his daily scheduled classes, began each class with his " Ranger - Rick's Tips & Tricks" which became popular and well received by the Bosnian students.

d) Tasked twice by his superiors to develop a land navigation training course which would not have been possible nor successful had he not purchased all the numerous US military lensatic compasses out of his own pocket.

e) Developed a special study guide for his students so they could put together their own training handbook from various classes he was assigned to teach.

f) Rewarded students who actively participated in his classes with small gifts such as pocket compasses, camouflage paint sticks, map protractors, etc, all purchased out of his own pocket.

And out of the seventeen MPRI instructors assigned to Task Order 7-3;

1) Four instructors were assigned 25% more classes than other thirteen task order instructors, Ken XXXXXX, Dave XXXXXXXXX, Steve XXXXX and Rick Tscherne

2) Only four instructors were willing to "lead by example" and “walk alongside their students in hazardous terrain,” Steve XXXXX, Ken XXXXXX, Dave XXXXXXXXX, and Rick Tscherne.

3) Only two instructors were willing to remain “out in the field with their assigned unit at all times,” Phil XXXXXX and Rick Tscherne.

4) During a joint training meeting between MPRI company VIPs and a Bosnian Army Brigade Commander and his staff, two instructors were requested "by name" to accompany their unit out in the field, Frank XXXX and Rick Tscherne.