“Hello, Nurse!” adventurous Army captain becomes first female nurse to graduate arduous Ranger School

Only a few in the military can go to the US Army’s Ranger School, and even fewer can pass it.

For one Army nurse, the challenge was not only accepted, but met with enthusiasm.

Captain Molly Murphy is no stranger to long hours, thankless work and difficult tasks. Despite this, she was already facing her fears the night before she went to Ranger School.

“I did not sleep at all the night before, I was so scared, way in over my head,” she said.

Late last month, she was putting the coveted “RANGER” tab on her shoulder.

Ranger School, which lasts about 60 days, is renowned as one of the Army’s most rigorous courses, pushing students to their physical and mental limits through a series of intense exercises.

The training takes place over three phases, spanning a variety of harsh environments over several states.

Murphy’s success is particularly notable due to her background in nursing, which differs significantly from the combat-oriented experiences and training of most other participants.

As of now, 143 women have completed Ranger School since it opened to female soldiers in 2015.

While that effectively renders a woman passing Ranger school as a non-news event, Murphy stands out because she’s, well, a nurse.

Interestingly, Murphy found herself relying on skills learned in nursing, like detailed note-taking, being awake for long periods of time, going without food or downtime, and being under intense scrutiny and pressure.

“I was like, ‘I did these tactics eight years ago at ROTC, and I thought I would never hear the word “ambush” ever again, I am so lost,’” she joked.

Murphy’s life began with tragedy. After her mother died, she was raised by her father, a National Guard member.

In her youth, she grew up constantly trying to “keep up with the boys.”

After commissioning through ROTC,  Murphy worked as a nurse at Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii, and attended the Army’s Air Assault and Jungle Schools.


The next logical stop, it seemed, was Ranger school.


Aside from shaving her head, the rest of Ranger training came naturally. An organized woman, Murphy had no problem staying up and sorting operations planning out while others rested.

However, there were setbacks. Initially, Murphy had to repeat the initial phase [known as Darby Phase], but used the extra time to study and train, eventually succeeding.

According to CNN, Murphy faced another hurdle when a foot infection required surgery during the final days of training.

Playing through the pain, Murphy attended graduation on crutches.

At the end of the day, the Ranger School is a leadership school, and her slot was seemingly not wasted on her.

Back in her nursing role, Murphy plans to use her new leadership skills to help others understand that growth is born from hardship.

“It is so hard to lead in an environment where everyone is starving, and everyone is tired,” she said. “And my goal was to see if I could stay positive in those moments where you are at your lowest. I want to help people understand that your most difficult times are where you grow the most.”

However, don’t count Murphy out as “done” when it comes to doing interesting things: when she isn’t crushing Army schools or helping patients, Murphy appears to enjoy traveling, diving, sailing and other adventurous hobbies.

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