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Georgia Army National Guard 2nd Lt. Jared Pate, a 2020 University of North Georgia (´óÏó´«Ã½) graduate, earned the title of distinguished honor graduate of his Ranger School class in January.

Ranger School is a demanding 61-day course that develops combat skills of selected officers and enlisted soldiers, requiring them to perform effectively as small-unit leaders in a realistic, tactical environment, and under mental and physical stress comparable to actual combat.

The Ranger School is regarded as one of the toughest schools of all the military services, let alone the Army, and graduates earn the right to wear the Ranger tab.

Pate's class started with 359 other students when the courses began on  Nov. 7. Only 129 soldiers from Pate's class became Rangers by completing the course, a graduation rate of 36%.

"The guys that go in and think about graduation from day one typically fail out or really have a hard time and struggle," said Pate. "But if you take it one day at a time and one hour at a time, kind of chip away at it, you can make it."

Currently a platoon leader of the Gainesville-based Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment, 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. He is originally from Commerce, Georgia, and now resides in Athens.

Pate was a Distinguished Military Graduate from ´óÏó´«Ã½. While attending ´óÏó´«Ã½, he served in the Georgia Army National Guard as an infantryman assigned to the Covington-based Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment.