3:03 “if you do this successfully five times, then you’re airborne qualified” If you fail one time, for sure, there’s nothing left for you to do cause you’re dead by that time.
This is not absolutely true...if one jump begins wrong you have the rest of your life to correct it, so there is a possibility. During my jumps all of them were bad twists, but I’m still here. I also have both, and Air Assault was definitely harder mentally and physically.
My Dad passed away in 2019. He was a Green Beret who served 3 tours in Vietnam. When I graduated jump school in 1989, he pinned his wings onto my uniform. I have never felt more proud in my life than on that day.
Joshua Carlos Im thinking of going either 88M or 88N , I have logistics management experience and.CDL as well so both fall into my background. I’m 30 though. If you 23 and already feeling like that not sure if I wanna pursue airborne. I was also reading up a lot of peoples experience and they all say they seen some sketchy shit.
Joshua Carlos thanks for the input I really want to join the army for the challenge of it. I hear guys say go air force I scored 68 on my asvab. But idk man I feel like army would push me more physically
I did AA at Rucker in 89 and Airborne at Benning in 90. AA was harder and we had more people sent home. I thought the AA instructors were PT gods. They could run circles around the students. Years down the road I got to know one of them and he let me in on the secret that their rucks were not full of equipment, but with air mattresses, on the ruck marches. I loved every minute of both schools.
More like SOP is: "Penetrate 150 miles *_behind_* enemy lines, establish a FOB, and fight your way back to the front." Not exactly ideal job for a paratrooper or foot soldier.
Back in 1998 I was lucky, I got to go to both schools back to back with 2 weeks in between. I really enjoyed both, but the final Air Assault road march sucked. Honest truth, that was some heavy weight to carry for a 5'4 / 110lb girl. And my feet were soaked in blood squishing in my boots by the time I finished (ew). Trying to put my boots back on to go to graduation was just like that opening scene in Dances With Wolves LOL. But I still really had fun at both schools:) I found them to be equal in difficulty, just in different ways.
@@robertosanchez6803 I made them put Airborne school in my contract, so I went right after AIT. And the 101st Airborne Division was my first unit so that's how I got to go to Air Assault School
Nice I went to both at fort Campbell in 1998..air assault was more difficult of the 2.. when I went the 12 mile last day was full battle rattle up and down hills on sand.. and basically u jogged from 1 telephone pole to the next walked the next ..repeat .maybe ot changed
I was drunk most nights of Airborne School and ran a Half Marathon on one of the weekends. It's very easy. I saw some folks with an irrational fear of heights fail and that's about it.
A lot of comments about air assault has changed. Today my class of 173 had 30 pass the hands on phase 2 sling load inspection test on their first of two attempts.
the hardest part was a windy jump week putting off our jumps, then having to jump in windy conditions that had only gotten worse. Saw a few get pretty banged up. One officer going through the training said "thank you to whoever helped me back". He had banged his head so hard he couldn't remember anything between the landing and getting on the bus.
I remember in Air Assault school, moving my Rucksack every day because someone was dropped so your position in the squad changed. Also remember all the PT was done in combat boots, and anytime you were on school grounds you were double-timing and yelling Air Assault every time your left foot hit the ground. We learned a little hand to hand in a pit of bark mulch, so it ended up all down your shirt. The 12 mile march was a challenge, especially at FT Campbell, there were a couple long, gradual hills you had to get up, and when you made it back to the school, 10 pullups with all your gear, then you were done, you could walk on the school grounds. ahhhhh..good times!
We all give each other a hard time in the military theres Legs , Pog's ,Grunts , Armor , Aviation etc all claim to be the best it's called Espirit De Corps PRIDE ! But when shit hits the fan we come together as one , Anyone who has stood up and raised a hand to take the oath has my greatest respect and trust over any civilian anyday ....AATW !!!
I understand that you're proud of the military, but soldiers are nothing special morally. More so than patriotism, personal reasons concerning travel and essentially free training, steady income are predominant in people's reason for joining the military. Soldiers are caught every day committing crimes. Not too long ago, a green beret was murdered by two navy seals when he found out what they were doing. Did they not take the oath? Also, considering the way you speak, I'm guessing you're either a civilian poser or someone who just got into the fold.
varun009 You seem to forget that the military is made up of people. Some are good, some are not. There are bad cops, Doctors, public officials. It all boils down to the person.
I judged each branch based off their Mess Halls, or Dining Facility for the Air Force folks and used our ARMY mess halls as the benchmark. Id have to say the nicest place I ever ate was the Navy Mess Hall at Pearl. I wonder what the Space Force mess halls will be like? Hmmmmmmm.
My dad has told me many times that to him, the paratroopers were the best of the best. He was a kid during Vietnam War, and his family was in South Vietnam. One of his brother volunteered into the paratroopers. After sometime he stopped returning home, but my father always says that he always looked so awesome when he came home in the uniform. In case you're wondering, I'm Vietnamese and we are still living in Vietnam. Life is nice, up and down, but still nice.
Well, what is easy depends on many thing. The condition of the people in the couse at the time. Attituide of the body or people going through the course. I when through jump school in 1962. I was 22 years old. I met an colonel about 10 years ago. We started talking. I told him when I when through Airborne School. He said to me "you when through it back in the day". The training now is different today than what it was year ago. The soldiers to day have more sophisticated equipment. They are in many ways better train than soldier year ago. It iscalled evolution. that being said , take a look at the unites who fougt in all of the war you will fine that technology made a difference. How brave was the men in the 1776 walking side by side into gunfire. Lastly, Airsault school produce some very good soldier.
Sounds like something my dad would say. Right up there along with "If humans were meant to fly, we'd have feathers and wings." Where the only thing worse than flying in a perfectly good airplane, is jumping out of one.
I went to both back in '82 and was honor grad at Air Assault School which was at Ft. Campbell. Not sure how it is now, but the first day of Airborne school there was a PT test and they failed about half of the almost 500 of us that were there. If you weren't a PT stud then you went to the "hold over battalion" till the next class. They did PT and all were basically used as labor to keep the airborne areas at Ft. Benning in top shape. I remember on the push-ups during the test the guy kept counting the second to last rep needed over and over about 30 times, I guess to see if I would quit...then he said whatever the standard was and I went over to the half that "passed." I got to jump out of a C-123, C-130 and a C-141...I think it was just before they phased out C-123's....it was a lot of fun exiting that bird. Also...we did PT in boots in those days...later we used to make jokes about how easy Airborne school was because they did PT in "tennis shoes" now. Air Assault school was fun I thought. One thing we did that you didn't mention was have to climb up into a Chinook on a ladder...that was the hardest thing I thought...it was high, we had on packs and the damn thing was moving all around. Also, we watched a Black Hawk, where were new then, crash about 300 yards away from us. We were tying repel harnesses and a student with us yelled..."that choppers going down" and started running towards it...the instructors yelled at him to come back it wasn't going down and he yelled as he ran "I was in Vietnam and know when a chopper is crashing". Sure enough he was the first on scene and pulled the crew chief away placing a tourniquet on the stump of his arm, probably saving his life. Afterwards when repelling out of the Blackhawks (we had to do it out of both Huey's and Blackhawks) we kept thinking these POS's were going to crash....
+Flying Dutchman. Based on this comment, and others you've made, it's becoming clear that you and I were in some of the same places, at the same times. I also went through Airborne and Air Assault school back when Airborne PT was in boots. Like the video says, I found both schools to be easy and fun. I also agree with you that climbing a troop ladder into a hovering Chinook, with a weapon and full ruck, was one of the toughest tasks in Air Assault school -- it's SURPRISINGLY difficult. And I was also in the 101st when that UH-60 crashed into the trees near the old Air Assault school location (the school has moved to another part of Fort Campbell now.) I had completed flight school by that time, and often flew UH-60s in support of the Air Assault school, so my friends were all worried and began calling to make sure it wasn't me. The pilots both died. I thought the crew chief had died too but I guess not. What unit were you in at Campbell? I was in 2/17 Cav.
Hey Jimmy. I remember it hit a bus over by the NBC shack was that was next to the Air Assault School at that time. It killed the bus driver who happened to be asleep in the back of the bus...the Chief could have died later, we didn't get much follow-up and they herded us all away pretty quickly after the crash. I was just at Campbell TDY for the school. I did time with multiple units to include 1/23 Inf, 3/75th Inf, JSOC and a few others. I am thinking that back then, cause the UH-60's were new, there was some kind of a problem with the drive to the tail rotors or something like that...you probably know a lot more about those issues since you were flying um. I had a bunch of buddies that were in the 160th back in the day. Those were some of the best days...we were young, dumb and hard....the crazier it got the more we liked it.
Flying Dutchman Yes. Harmony Church for 16 weeks to jump school in 83. I remember a Lt. colonel failing the first run. Along with a company of recycles.
@flying Dutchman.. that's how it was in '94. Charlie Rock first day.. Capt Foley walked out.. announced we had twice the amount of students and we were going on a run..BDUs and Boots.. 1st week of July. We started at High noon about 5 hrs later.. those that didn't quit. Stayed in company. I was one of the few enlisted to make it. ( Thanks to a Ranger training me during hold over at my AIT ) I got lucky though. My squad..as you recall enlisted is the higest rank in jump school. Was myself followed by a Lt Col. Capt. 2 1st lt. one butter bar and co-idiots. All other chalks had 1 enlisted and the rest officers. Our down time.. was AWESOME>. but we worked the hell out of O's during duty hrs.
Stupid question - were they too scared to go to Airborne school because they thought it was too hard/too intense/too much exercise etc. or they were afraid of jumping out of a plane? Thanks!
I did jump school in 71, i dont remember it being as easy as you portray it. I can remember lots of middle aged officers trying to earn their wings. Most of them had hell with the running and several fell out during the runs. Friday of tower week the ran us 3 miles in 18 minutes. I thought my lungs were going to explode. I am very proud of my wings and still have my certificate on the wall in my man cave. Out of 600 plus students that started only 360 made it thats alot of men not making the cut!!
I went through both schools, Jump school in 1979 and Air Assault in 1981 and things must have changed drastically. You make it sound like each school was a total no-brainer - like a caveman could do it. There was far, far more than PLF's and tower jumps and 5 static lines in Airborne training. Back then we had to learn rigging and how to deal with Mae Wests, powerlines, water, high winds, steering the T-10 and MC1-1B. There were also the commands in flight and inspections and responses to the commands. We did night jumps and double timed to our rallying points. Just to name a few things I can remember after 40 years. We had to learn quite a bit actually, and don't even get me started about Air Assault where we had to learn how to call for dust offs, medivacs, fire support and learn how to secure the LZ in night and day operations. Yes we did what you outlined, but we also did MUCH more! Maybe things have changed, but I NEVER considered any of it easy. AIRBORNE!
I went through both schools and Pathfinder. I will always have a soft spot in my heart forthe 101st Airborne Division as I served with it twice in a combat area. I was assigned to the 327th PIR and will never forget the other soldiers I was with or the experiences.
As a medic in the 82nd, I repelled out of a blackhawk, down walls, and hooked sling loads. There was an NCO that was air assault qualified who ran the operation. So, in my opinion...air assault school is not necessary. I repelled without going. Now...if you jumped without going to jump school....enjoy your landing. Jump school is designed to break you before you reach jump week.
It's funny you say that because my unit in Korea was changed from 1/503 Infantry to 1/503 air assault Infantry. A lot of us were not air assault qualified , they did send us to a repelling and mountaineering school but it wasn't actual air assault school.
It's always interesting to me to see how our counterparts do things (I'm a Brit Paratrooper, 1980s/90s). Worked with Brethren from the 82nd AB (exchange, they in the UK) and Fallschirmtruppen (West Germany). To become a British Paratrooper, you have to pass P Coy selection (a minority qualify) and earn the Maroon Beret before you can attend parachute training. Other soldiers within the military don't have to do selection and don't earn the beret but they can do the same parachute course to become "military parachutists". Aside from commandos and airforce infantry, they used to be awarded the parachute badge without wings (aka the "lightbulb"). In Britain, being Airborne is earning and wearing the Maroon Beret - not just doing a Wings (parachuting) Course. We call the craphats (legs) who only do a wings course "masquerading 'hats". These days, they all wear "operational parachute wings" instead of the lightbulb and they often never jump again. Worlds apart from us, parachuting is just a method of transport - being a Paratrooper is about specialising in fighting against the odds in isolation behind enemy lines. Our airforce trains parachuting: in my time it was 8 jumps in a 2 or 4 week course (former = reservists, latter = regulars). 1st jump from a balloon, 8th jump at night. The balloon was a nightmare. A physically undemanding course but, for me, incredibly stressful! A holiday camp compared to Depot PARA which is epic misery and graft. In-battalion training generally covers most of the aspects of your "air assault" course but there are no tests. There's an additional fast-roping instructors' course and a helicopter handling course which are formally tested.
Air Assault school was not around when I went in. I enlisted for Airborne in 1957. After basic at Jackson and Infantry AIT at Dix, one plane went to Bragg and my plane landed at Campbell. Four days in replacement company. General Westmoreland got there the same day we came in April 1 1958. We took jump school at Campbell after a six week wait Around 500 started and around 275 graduated. We ran in fatigues and boots and the PT was different than it is now. I heard Gen Westmoreland said to make it tough. Not everybody should get those wings. After my fifth jump the General pinned our wings right on the DZ. We stayed in our Units while attending the school and were harassed so bad a lot of guys just quit.
We had a higher failure rate in my Air Assault class than my Airborne class - I think it was because of the academic components and the sling loading practical exam. Both schools were great. I think Jumpmaster school was "harder" though; we had a very high first-time failure rate.
"We like it here, we love it here, we finally found a home. A home. A home. A home away from home....." "hit it"... that is all I remember from Airborne school... I can't get that damned running cadence out of my head...
thanks, I had forgotten that one and now I'll be singing it for months. Sang that in basic and airborne. I hated "yellow bird". My favorite (or the one that still is stuck in my head since 1993 when I got out) starts off with: Up in the mornin at the break of day. I don't like it, no way. eat my breakfast, too soon. hungry as hell, by noon. Cause I'm Airborne, (chorus) All the way! super duper, Paratrooper! C-130 rolling down the strip, mighty airborne company is gonna take a little trip. Mission undetermined, destination unknown. Don't even know if I'm coming home. (chorus) Stand up, hook up, shuffle to the door, jump right out and count to four. If my chute don't open wide, I've got another one by my side. If that chute should fail me too, look out ground, I'm a comin through. (chorus) ...
I'm 54 years old now. However, at 25, I took the US Army Air Assault course. I learned two life long lessons. Never ever show up late and Never give up. Showing up late had put me in an impossible situation. I was called before the entire training staff. I knew I was f'd when the Sergeant Major said to his staff. See this dirt bag? He thinks its okay to be late. Let's see if he really wants this. From that moment on, my life was a living hell. I had to do double what everyone else did. Every single staff member tried to get me to quit but I wasn't having it. I called upon the name of my God. Jesus. "No weapon formed against me shall prosper". And, I finished. The day that they punched my Blood Wings onto my chest was the proudest moment of my life. Even the staff who tried their best to fail me, had to admit, I was not a quitter. I was a warrior. The honor and right to wear the Air Assault badge is something no one will ever take away from me. Honestly, without my faith in God to sustain me, I would have given up. But with Jesus, all things are possible.
We got back from Sinai(1994) and everyone had to go to AAS. Since we were infantry they smoked the shit out of us and a LOT failed the obstacle course. Myself and 3 others from my company got pushed back to another class. When we first started the cadre asked who were infantry and to step up. I told my buddy to stay still and say we were transportation if they asked. Two guys from the 187th stepped forward and got smoked for almost the entire duration of the school. They never really bothered us.
I also have both badges and served in the 82nd and 101st. I went to airborne school in 89 and based on the comments it has definitely changed. We lost around 50 soldiers on rifle drills in the saw dust pit on zero day. Secondly, the males ran in one group and the females in another. That airborne shuffle only happened in the last mile. The first couple or so was a blistering pace that the black hats called gut checking. We started with more than 800 and graduated around 600. Maybe my time in the 82nd made air assault school seem like a piece of cake. .
wow. respect!. i went though in 2002 and oh man the airborne shuffle was slow. i had to go to the back and run in circles around the formation made the jump masters furious.
thats what im saying, i went to airborne school in 88 and morning sawdust training was no joke. Then if you werent able to touch the runner in front of you they would tap you and you were a fall out. Drop 2 runs= Gone. Friday run was mile one 9 mins mile 2 8mins and mile three 7 mins.. fall out of a friday run = gone
I graduated airborne School in 1990. can somebody please tell me what the fuck and airborne shuffle is? We ran our guts out everywhere we went to. The first day they ran us until a hundred people dropped out and quit. I believe it was called the snake? if you couldn't touch the guy in front of you you were done. Our company started with 300 people graduated 150. "DELTA ROCK" AIRBORNE
Agreed... I graduated in mid 1990, and the dropout rate was fairly high, and WE RAN... Still remember in the sawdust pits "you quit, take a buddy"... And as for being an "arrogant officer"... My Ass; I was a laid-back LT with the Black Hat given nickname 'Tumbleweed'... They just loved to slam ANY officer, and I can confirm they dropped me 4' flat on my back from the SLT... I also miss the C-141... BTW, jumpers on the brown bench HIT IT!!!
I spent 6 years in the army. My first unit was in the 82nd where I was jump qualified. Then I went to Hawaii where air assault was kinda big but not everything like airborne is to the 82nd. From everything I've heard, air assault is much harder than jump school.
Day 0 as of March 2020 -Zero tolerance layout -2 mile run -Obstacle course instruction/demonstrations -smoking session for 20 to 30 straight minutes -Complete Obstacle course -learn how to form up and enter classroom air assault style -Run about a quarter mile trying to catch the guide on/flag bearer every time there was a fuck up until we got right. -take notes in classroom Done We didnt do normal pt either. Cuz you would hear ''Go get him'' like 5 times a day and that was our pt.
I was sent to jump school at Benning in '75 as a young Battalion Recon Marine...it really was like a walk in the park, which I needed because I had just completed Pre Combat Diver (a 2 week swimming assessment hell hole before you get selected for Combat Diver) and I was pretty worn out...no idea what army Air Assault school, but jump school is a no brainer.
I will never have the chance to do either of these but I found the video very good at what our troops go through to be the best. What struck me is how proud your father was of you. I’m retired military and my motivation was always to not disappoint or disrespect my family by failing. I’m not so sure you realized how much your achievements meant to your father. Congratulations on making it through these courses and a successful military career.
Air assault school is a challenging academic program more than anything else. People fail their written tests often enough. All pushups are diamonds only. While doing the obstacle course you have to do pushups after completing an obstacle. Many soldiers get injured doing this because of muscle fatigue. The 12 mile road March in three hours is not a casual stroll. It is having to jog down the hills and run up the hills. We actually had a soldier die durring durring my class from some sort of heart condition because of this.
I went through Jump School at Ft Campbell in 1961. We had twice as many jump school students as the division needed for recruitment so the cadre were always working on attrition. They were trying to get 50% of the class to drop out. It worked. In 1968 I got my air assault training OJT in Vietnam. The first day I took over a platoon we loaded up on Hueys outside LZ Sally and went into an air assault on a hot LZ. I had no air assault training per se, but I had previously been the S3 Air NCO with the 1/503, 173rd Abn Bde (Sep) and had written the air loading SOP for the battalion. I knew about load distribution for equipment and personnel so I applied it here. The rest was tactical common sense about what to do when we landed. It all worked well that time and several more times after that. I'm sure it is good to get all the extra training of Air Assault School. But a lot of it is unnecessary for actual implementation in a combat situation, as we proved in the 2/501 Abn Inf of the 101st Abn Div. Each of us had multiple awards of the Air Medal for combat assaults on hot LZs and Air Assault School had not even been thought of at that time.
The biggest thing people forget is Airborne is just a basic qualification required to serve in an Airborne Unit. You can serve in the 101st and not be Air Assault Qualified. But you cannot (at least when I served) serve in an airborne unit unless you are Airborne Qualified. When you graduate Airborne school you are NOT a paratrooper, you are airborne qualified. Paratroopers are those assigned to active Airborne Units.
Just like a Ranger Tab does not make you a Ranger. Being assigned to 75th Ranger Regiment does. I was in a LRS unit in '94 and '95 so I did collect my $120 monthly jump pay earned by at least 1 jump per quarter. Got 8 jumps in 2 years.
Yep..they take candidates from all branches for specialty schools and send them back when done. You can only be a member of your own branches unit excluding Delta
Jump school 1984 and Air Assault 1985, both were easy. And every 5 jump chump is indeed a Paratrooper and if a soldier earned a Ranger tab he is a Ranger. I guess a pilot serving in an admin position is not a pilot because he's not in a CAV unit? so what your saying sounds like Bullshit!!! I get it, you scream CHAIR ASSAULT!!!!
Well tough guy, Airborne 1981 ,Belgium Para Commando School 1982, Air Assault 1983, Recondo 1984, Pathfinder 1984, Jump Master School 1985, Honduran Airborne School 1985, Korean Airborne School, 1987, ROK Ranger School 1987. 168 Jumps, seven years on status with the Master Parachutist Badge. Served with the 1/509th Airborne in Italy, 101st Pathfinders, JTF Bravo Honduras and 17th Aviation Pathfinders in Korea. Being a Paratrooper is about a hell of a lot more than five moronic training jumps. And if you ever served on status you would know that. I'm willing that you are the chairborne Ranger. BTW, 11B.
I'm was just saying , if your an infantry soldier both should be a breeze. what unit did you go to Honduras with? I was there at that time and I left korea in 87 just before the Olympics. Italian jumps wings from a exchange jump, no school. Honduran jump wings look like Navy jump wings never heard of anyone going to a school.
Graduated from both in the early 90’s. From a physical standpoint, I didn’t think either one was too bad. I was an infantryman and in really good shape, so it was no biggie. I got a bad case of “shin splints” the last week or Airborne School. It sucked, but I pushed on. I think Air Assault School was harder from an academic standpoint; learning all the sling load information for different vehicles, cargo, etc. Both were professionally run and had some challenges. Proud to have graduated from both.
This video does a very good job of objectively describing the skill sets that are taught at both schools. There’s one thing, however, that I have to mention. Going to these schools to earn a badge/tab without serving in a unit where these skills are applied and improved on is simply a waste. There’s nothing worse or more contemptible, in my opinion, than a soldier who does this to rack up promotion points or to look good in uniform.
I don’t see anything wrong with it. Let the POGS learn some new skills too, who cares? From my experience, combat MOS’s usually get priority for seats anyway, so if some infantry cat isn’t passing, but a POG is, that’s on the infantry kid to fix his shit and pass.
I can't believe I clicked on this. .... My only problem with Airborne was that my company was over-flow and we lived in barracks a long way away from where we held formation. So we had to get up way earlier than everyone else and march a long way to get to formation. The rest of it was easy..... okay that first jump was slightly scary, but not really.
I attended Air Assault School at Campbell in 1978. Gear has changed so much and most soldier's now have some type of transportation. We were in fatigues and standard issue boots and for me my barracks was far from the school, I humped it a few miles to school every day with my gear before training started. The school was mandatory in my Battalion, guys that could not pass or would not go for some reason had a hard go of it. Good memories for me, I'm grateful for that time.
Best part of jump school is the calmness of your first jump...2nd best part is the introduction of all the Sergeant Airbornes the first day as they end all movements slapping their thighs with their knife hands...
I arrived at Ft. Campbell Kentucky. Processed thru reception station, assigned to 3rd Brigade...Rakkasans....equipment still in bags from C.I.F....found myself in Air Assault School....I graduated and didn't even know where the exchange or bowling alley was....good times..
My father was in the 82nd Airborne and a combat vet of Operation Urgent Fury. He has both badges and told me a lot of what was said in this video and then some. I’m in limbo of either joining or not but if I do I’m probably going to follow his footsteps as an All American. Thanks for the video and your heroic service!!!
A HUGE SALUTE, from the bottom of my heart, for your dad, and for yourself, Brother !!! Love your videos ! Keep up the great work !!! Airborne and Air Assault !
1964 Benning grad. Airborne! All The Way! USAF Combat Controller. Worked with several Army Airborne units. 82nd, 101, 508th. USMC CH-46 pilot 1972. Oorah!
It is the pullup muscle, but I have heard it referred to as the pushup muscle as well. Funny how the Army never made the pullup exercise an event on the PT test. If it had, it would lose half its ranks.
I was referring to an old FM 57-230 that uses pull up muscle. Perhaps your JM was not using the proper terminology. Either way, push up muscle doesn’t even make sense. When performing a pull up one uses muscles in their back, which is the point of contact in the PLF. Push ups are done with chest muscles. That said, knees in the breeze.
moomtaz1 I get what you’re saying, but regardless what the reg says, we called it push up muscle. Even the Black hats at Benning were calling it that. I agree, chest and arms would be better characterized as “push up muscles”, versus the Lats. AATW
All through BAC and my entire time in Division, it was always called the "PUSH UP MUSCLE". This was from 84 to 91. Your comment is the first time I ever heard it called the PULL UP MUSCLE".
Both are fantastic schools! Yes, I passed both schools. MOS dealt with Chemical, nuclear and biological warfare. Combat support for 7th Group, they were in Fort Bragg.
i have done both..and both are excellent..i loved my time in Georgia and Kentucky ... biggest thing ..work on our cardio strength training....i praise all willing to push themselves.. 1-320th 101st ret 1sgt airborne. air assault sniper..
AA is more mental where Jump school is a lot of slow running more physical in a way. I went to Jump school in 2000 and their runs were hardest because if you fell behind over an arms length behind the soldier in front of you in formation you were considered a fallout and failed the run. So dumb I hat running on someone’s heels but you had to there at Benning.
AA grad in 11/78 at ft Campbell , was in the widowmakers Charlie co 2/502 the old argument whats better or harder , doesn't even compute, two different skill sets for 2 different scopes of operation , Air assault is a helicopter applied operation covers everything from climbing troop ladders to fast rappelling from helicopters to establishing TLP's and LZ's to logistical movements of equipment and troops from small to large ,in our day small were mules, jeeps, to larger gamma goats and 105 to 155 howitzers ,from a technical aspect AirAssault school was definitely more challenging simply based on you had to know and apply more know how than airborne school , while airborne troops still like referring to non airborne as legs in reality their just as much legs lol because after they jump they walk like most straight leg infantry at the time only difference was their insertion to the operations area, i never did go to airborne school seeing as i had already done sport parachuting before entering the service so i already knew how that worked and i could do it if need be ,a static line jump at 1250 feet is no big deal ,when looking at airborne you can quickly see the difference between qualification, jump wings which is the minimum qualification, to jump masters, senior parachutist 's where it starts getting more serious, many airborne guys like think their special their not ,unless you start getting into pathfinders and Halo , those guys are serious paratroopers and stay on jump status in active airborne units and it takes a little more than 5 jumps to qualify
airborne school 1999. 10 years jump status with 3-325 and 2-508. i saw countless females and cadets fall out of those weak runs and still graduate. same with the air assault 12 miler with that whopping 35lb ruck.
paul dosntmatter i saw that too when i went. Most females couldnt do the 20s flexed arm hang but they all graduated. A few got more than 3 strikes on falling out of runs. Kinda BS because guys who did the same got kicked out right away.
What month? I was there in '99, as well. I guess I was there around July, being that I arrived in basic in March. I remember just a few drops out of the hundreds that were there. Skinny little females and all...they graduated.
paul dosntmatter.... I too was in the 3/325 Inf.(Abn) Co."C" 82nd Abn. Div. at Bragg "65- '67. Then went to Co. "B" 1/501 Inf.(Abn) 101st Abn. at Campbell, then off to Nam for my tour of duty. Jump school was tough in my day and NOT EASY! All PT was done in boots and fatigues, time off was spent shining boots and washing fatigues and you couldn't leave post. Did log PT in sawdust pits, climbed ropes and the TAC NCO's did all they could to make you quit.NO woman would make it through as most of the men didn't. We jumped C-119s for jump week at Fryer DZ and had to double time off the DZ. We got our BLOOD WINGS punched on our chest for graduating on the DZ. Today, jump school and the Army sounds like a joke! Oh, my MOS was 11B4P! All the way!
john, 3-325 Bco 1999 till it disbanded to create 4th brigade. Iraq from the invasion till 2005. being infantry and a paratrooper is still not a joke but the schools are.
Paul...thanks, brother, for that fast reply! Didn't know they disbanded the 3/325 and never heard of a 4th bde. in the 82nd. I don't understand the TO&E of today's Army or how they do things. I'm an old school trooper and pretty set in my ways after 70 years.Regardless, if you ain't airborne....you ain't shit as we used to say. Did your unit crest say "Lets Go" on it? Thanks and have a blessed Memorial Day weekend.
Did rappelling training Chedju do Korea. Then Air Assault in Light fighter Brigade Ft Ord CA. Old school Cadre were hell smoking us. 12 miles road march was 107 that day. What a great time and challenges. Wear the wings is awesome blessing.
If you're going to airborne school right after basic like most people, it will seem easy for the most part. The only thing that was different physically was that airborne will require pull-ups, something that wasn't required in standard PT training back then in mid 80s. After the run, we'd line up at the pull-up bar and were required to do so many before you could proceed to the PT pit. If you couldn't do them, you were sent to the back of the line and given a second chance. after the second try, you were into the PT pit or out for good. I got through fine. I went through basic at Fort Bliss. During 3 weeks in the desert sleeping in pup tents and living out of a half buried duffel bag, one morning i was feeling just fine, but for the life of me I couldn't do one push-up during morning PT. I was confused and apologized to the drill sergeant, surprised he wasn't smoking me as he stood over me. Later the same day, classes were long and there was only one water source we shared with a class across the road. That day both classes had a break at the same time and there just wasn't time for everyone to fill their canteen, the line at least 75 yards and probably over 100 degrees Fahrenheit outside, I was happy to just find some tiny bit of shade. Back in class before the water line finished, I started hyperventilating and going into shock. A drill sergeant caught me as I collapsed and threw me into a chair and held my BDU cap over my face until hyperventilating stopped then asked how much water I had, i told him about the water situation and the drill sergeants all looked at each other. I think they knew they fucked up. He then required me to drink a full canteen of water, I drank two. Stay hydrated my friends. Drink even if you don't feel thirsty.
On the swing landing trainer when I had to do a backward PLF I always kinda cracked my dome, but when I actually had to PLF backward in a real chute I didn't crack my dome one time.
I never went to air assault, but I’ll take the narrators word on it not being to physically demanding. I did airborne school and it would’ve been easy but I had a black hat that had it in for me. I was called out day one of training by my sections black hat and asked what unit I was with. I was fresh out of AIT. I didn’t have a unit yet, I was going to the ranger indoctrination program after completion of airborne school. I was still very wet behind the ears. And I soon realized this black hat was fresh out of 2-75 ranger battalion. He was now a jump instructor and I was part of his first class. I also identified to him my goals of soon joining a ranger battalion. From that day on that guy smoked me every second he could. He said if I was going to make it as a ranger then I’d have to prove to him I had what it took. So we get to tower week and I’ve handled the smokings pretty well. 34 foot tower jump day comes. He is my jump procedure/ aircraft exit procedure grader. First time I jump I was told not keeping tight body position next time hands not securely on side of reserve next didn’t jump out of tower far enough... so on and so forth. This goes on for about two hours and I’m starting to get frustrated and tired. It’s mid summer in Georgia and it’s hot. The rest of my group has moved on from individual exits from the tower to group exits. I’m still trying to get a go on my individual exit procedures. I probably jump from this tower 70 times that day. The entire jump class of 300 or so are waiting on me still. My grader gets up and need kd a restroom break. A new black hat replaces him. This black hat says give me two jumps in a row of good procedure. I jump twice both times are a go. I thought I was going to die of exhaustion that day, but I never quit. At the end of that training day my black hat group leader just nods at me as if to indicate I passed his test and I was tough enough to go onto the ranger indoctrination program. I still have nightmares of that stupid 34 foot jump tower at Benning. It haunts me worse then any other training. It was the only time I ever felt like quitting in the military. I’ve was in a Ranger Battalion 1-75 for 5 years. I’ve completed Ranger school and various other schools. Airborne school was easy but I had the worst day of my military career there as well.
I believe everything he did was to insure you were ready for Ranger school. He possibly saved your life and trained your body to take the pain. That was a great read!
Thanks for your service. Similar experience with that tower. I’m a pretty short dude and always got height discriminated going through schools as a cadet. Never gave up and went on to make O-4 before I got out.
I had fun at ya'lls Airborne school! I was 17 and had only been in the Marines for 10 months. There were 13 of us in our class. We wore boots and Utes when we ran PT. We do our own Mountain climbing training at fridgeport.
I'm going to say "No." None of the pilots in any of my commands (Navy) had jump wings of any kind. In fact, the only guy I saw who did, was when I was stationed on a base and a prior Army guy transferred to us and he had his Airborne Wings patch... On the light blue shirt. Had it not been so obscure, I probably wouldn't have noticed it. Much less remembered it.
My Identical Twin Brother John Rodriguez Who Served In The Army Was Air Assault, Airborne and Ranger Qualified While Having Served With The 75th Ranger Regiment USASOC USSOCOM. He Did The Damn Thing. I Love Him And Proud Of Him.
I was in the 101st and attended Air Assault School in 1980. I was fresh out of basic so I breezed through it. But we had a 50% washout rate. The instructors were tough and took it very seriously back then.
I met some of the coolest guys at jump school who went onto have amazing careers in the military. One was actually a Medal of Honor winner. Loved my time there. Was like a nice vacation tbh.
3:01 so you only need 5 successful jumps but my question is what does an "unsuccessful" jump look like? Wouldn't that mean your chute doesn't open and you essentially die? I mean it makes sense because ANY unsuccessful jump would mean death rip
I saw a video of a guy doing one of his jumps and he broke one or both of his legs. Just gonna go out on a limb and assume that classifies as a failed jump. I also assume not following proper procedure in either school's count as a fail. I'd hate to be the guy that has someone die in his class because he didn't learn to correct his equipment/procedure.
A successful jump is counted by you walking off the drop zone and dropping your chute at the drop point. If you are splayed out, unconscious or have to be medical evacuated, that jump doesn 't count.
I always tried to get a slot to Airborne School from Ft Campbell but the answer was always no. I graduated and got my wings from Air Assault School in class 54-85. Then I was given a slot to go to Jungle Expert School in Ft Sherman Panama and graduated with my Jungle Expert Tab Feb.14, 1986. Jungle Expert school was 3 weeks, trained with the 2nd of the 327th Airborne Infantry. The Cadre of Ft Shetman said theyll makevout class meet the 101st Airborne Standard. Think they pushed a little harder. Glad I did both of those but really wanted Parachutist wings too. Only the Riggers in our unit had them, they wore Riggers wings too.
I was in the 101st, and Air Assault School was the easiest 10 days of my career. It was almost like a vacation. It was a joke. A regular field prob was much more demanding then Air Assault School. LOL It was free chest candy though! It was also pretty fun.
Air Assault school was mentally exhausting to me. The amount of information that had to be processed was crazy. Jump School was only problematic because I couldn’t do a proper PLF to save my life. Lol
Have to agree with the opening statement. Airborne is a technique school. In 1970 it was basic training level PT and the 3 mile Airborne Shuffle. That was a jog while chanting all the airborne cadences. The only way to fail was refuse to jump. We made all 5 jumps with the main and reserve, no rucksack, equipment bags or weapons.
also in Airborne school I never used Towers once high winds so we never got to use them. I cannot believe they do not do the 5-mile run once a week anymore maybe I'm getting old but I could have sworn we ran 5 miles once a week and if you fell out more than one time you got sent packing. I was Airborne Infantry so 5 miles was it a big deal to me but the Dead Effect Airborne desk clerks mechanics and so on
Oh wow, I completely forgot about the 5 Miler in Ground and Tower weeks. It was always in reverse too, so that we were going uphill more. TBH, I never really noticed the "hill" they were talking about, but since you mentioned it, I do remember the 5 miles that if you fell out, you were a recycle.
I completed Jump school in the eighties. Didn’t get a chance to go to AA though I ended up doing rappels from a Blackhawk (Do they still use a carabiner with a rope harness?) which didn’t require the school then. Way more people dropped from Airborne than Air Assault school then. Air Assault was more of a professional school, but Jump school was more than that. Things have changed. A 2 mile of 18 minutes would get a 20 year old female bounced from the army. That’s ridiculous. The ruck march for AA I recall being shorter and much faster. There were no ability groups for runs in schools then. The head games and nonsense from the instructors got several people sent packing almost everyday until jump week. The swing trainer platform was well above my head, and if the instructor didn’t like you he dropped you right off the bat which virtually no one could do a PLF from. The troops hated by their instructors got a chance with a different instructor so many passed with no problems on the retest. Still a few more failed. Lots of us did enjoy the tower with the cable ride, though people afraid of heights dropped out. We almost dropped a Seal on that one. There was high standards for the door technique which none of the students could describe. I can’t recall what made you fail, but eventually we stood watching the remaining few guys that obviously couldn’t do it and the Seal that was afraid of heights get run through it over and over. Eventually, it looked like the only ones that didn’t pass simply were not jumping. The Seals talked their guy through it somehow. The Seals, and the leg rangers were pretty much the only ones who thought the School was physically easy. I could almost max the PT test at the time ( could only get my push-ups up to the mid sixties), I ran a 2 mile in 10:31, and I thought the school was pretty tough. I busted a disc in my back and they wouldn’t let me go to ranger school. I knew a couple guys who failed out that were in better shape than me, so saved me the embarrassment I guess. I think every generation is softer than the previous one until something drastic changes that. My dad was a civilian and was tougher than I ever was. I doubt very much combat has gotten easier, but I never had to get shot at so what do I know? Hooah.
As a former Army soldier I went to Airborne School but I also got an opportunity to go to the USMC Helicopter Rope Suspension Training Master Course (HRST Master) which was a 3 week course open only to NCO's. The course had 3 phases like Airborne and AA. However, IMHO HRST Master blew AA away on so many levels as I learned 17 different knots, personnel, helicopter and tower rigging, inspections and procedures. Fast Rope, Repelling, Spy Rigging, sling loading for all Marine Corps helicopters. Air week consisted of both day and night ops either fast roping or repelling from different helicopters while performing additional tasks to earn the master certification. Graduation day culminated in a mission to combat town where we fast roped onto the roof of city hall, tactically moved to an office and rappeled out of a window and down the side of a building engaging targets. Finally we moved to an LZ and Spy Rigged off the X along the Pacific coast back to the training field. One of the best courses I attended in the Army.
Some Marines go to the Airborne Course if their MOS requires it, most all 03's (grunts) do what is required for Air Assault without attending the formal school and receive no badge.
Air Assault is "harder in all aspects" it actually requires effort not only physically but mentally "studying" Like most schools in the military Airborne is simple, show up, do the right thing, be at the right place right time, right uniform, go through the motions and meet the standards you will pass.
During the Battle of the Bulge 1944 Ardennes an entire Armor Div was retreating from the Germans, A Sgt . Commanding a Tank Destroyer spotted a lone G.I digging a foxhole and went over to investigate , PFC. Martin 325th Glider Infantry Regiment looked up at the SGT. and asked " You looking for a safe place ?" Sgt. on the Destroyer replied "Yeah" PFC. Martin told him " Just pull your vehicle in behind me , I'm the 82nd and this is as far as the Bastards are going "....True Story
Dt Glenn my nali(paternal grandfather) was 82nd back in ‘72. He has a poster with that story and a photo of one of the 82nd paratroopers in the Ardennes on our back door. Currently I am a junior in High School and I hope to qualify in Army basic trading then move on to Airborne school. All I’m doing now is working out and building up my strength and stamina. Going to talk to my counselors about the ASVAB test. The only problem is I’m not in the best physical shape to get into this. Pretty much this a really late start, if any tips feel free to offer them.
Rogred the counselor at my school is pretty...useless to put it nicely. Never has time to discuss me my score only to scold me about my lacking credits and tells me I’m going to be late for scalds when I ask for my ASVAB rest score. The recruiter hasn’t been around lately for me to ask what my options are. Guess I’ll just head into town over the weekend or something and talk to the recruiter at the mall.
Nice story. I went through Air Assault School in Vietnam at Camp Evans the hottest place in Vietnam it was called an Impact Award since I didn’t get my wings till I was wounded so bad I was operated on twice in Yokohama, Japan and then spent the next two years recovering from my wounds back at Ft Dix, NJ. I just got my Air assault wings last week from the Cav after 53 years!!!
3:03 “if you do this successfully five times, then you’re airborne qualified” If you fail one time, for sure, there’s nothing left for you to do cause you’re dead by that time.
or your legs bent backwards
doesnt have to be you can fuck up without hurting yourself seriously
Freidheim of Prussia r/woosh
Siro Stauffer r/woosh
This is not absolutely true...if one jump begins wrong you have the rest of your life to correct it, so there is a possibility. During my jumps all of them were bad twists, but I’m still here. I also have both, and Air Assault was definitely harder mentally and physically.
My Dad passed away in 2019. He was a Green Beret who served 3 tours in Vietnam. When I graduated jump school in 1989, he pinned his wings onto my uniform. I have never felt more proud in my life than on that day.
The guy pushing the people off at the 34 foot tower looked really happy
That's me, and I was. Except that was at Fort Bragg, not Fort Benning.
@@UH-60Driver2.0 you are a legend 😂
@@thegunslinger8806 retirement is hell disability at age 50 💯 u keep going
@@UH-60Driver2.0 rlly?
I completed both schools and air assault sucked more however neither school is hard. Anyone that completed MOS 11B should have no issue what so ever.
Were you ever scared about your knees not being able to take the Airborne jump?
It was a cake walk, and your there with all your boys.
Joshua Carlos took a beating from school or from the actual doing of it? Did you do it often ? Thinking of checking it when I go to MEPS
Joshua Carlos Im thinking of going either 88M or 88N , I have logistics management experience and.CDL as well so both fall into my background. I’m 30 though. If you 23 and already feeling like that not sure if I wanna pursue airborne. I was also reading up a lot of peoples experience and they all say they seen some sketchy shit.
Joshua Carlos thanks for the input I really want to join the army for the challenge of it. I hear guys say go air force I scored 68 on my asvab. But idk man I feel like army would push me more physically
I did AA at Rucker in 89 and Airborne at Benning in 90. AA was harder and we had more people sent home. I thought the AA instructors were PT gods. They could run circles around the students. Years down the road I got to know one of them and he let me in on the secret that their rucks were not full of equipment, but with air mattresses, on the ruck marches. I loved every minute of both schools.
I say this jokingly:
“Air-mobile, too afraid to jump, too lazy to walk.”
More like SOP is: "Penetrate 150 miles *_behind_* enemy lines, establish a FOB, and fight your way back to the front."
Not exactly ideal job for a paratrooper or foot soldier.
In Nam 71 all airborne went 1st Cav Air Mobile
Back in 1998 I was lucky, I got to go to both schools back to back with 2 weeks in between. I really enjoyed both, but the final Air Assault road march sucked. Honest truth, that was some heavy weight to carry for a 5'4 / 110lb girl. And my feet were soaked in blood squishing in my boots by the time I finished (ew). Trying to put my boots back on to go to graduation was just like that opening scene in Dances With Wolves LOL. But I still really had fun at both schools:) I found them to be equal in difficulty, just in different ways.
Anyone can go? Even if youre in a normal unit?
@@robertosanchez6803 you can go to both but it's probably not happening if it's not on your contract
@@robertosanchez6803 I made them put Airborne school in my contract, so I went right after AIT. And the 101st Airborne Division was my first unit so that's how I got to go to Air Assault School
@@sacha4566
Famous quote: The Army don’t make mistakes.
Nice I went to both at fort Campbell in 1998..air assault was more difficult of the 2.. when I went the 12 mile last day was full battle rattle up and down hills on sand.. and basically u jogged from 1 telephone pole to the next walked the next ..repeat
.maybe ot changed
Airborne school was 4 weeks long when I went thru it.Air assault?We got on the job trainning in Vietnam.
it still is 4 weeks I think. everybody just forgets the first week of nothing but grunt work and admin BS.
but you guys get to smoke cigaweed...kidding
3 weeks not 4.
It was 3 weeks when it was created during WWII, and it was 3 weeks when I went thru in 2002. AFAIK it has never changed.
@@charleschristianson2730 3 weeks when I went thru it in '70.........yeah I'm an old fart LOL
I was drunk most nights of Airborne School and ran a Half Marathon on one of the weekends. It's very easy. I saw some folks with an irrational fear of heights fail and that's about it.
Avi Ratica hahaha, this was the funniest comment ive ever read
let me guess... enjoying rounds at the HIDDEN Door!! lol that was the place to go when I was there
If you have fear of heights do you suggest to just jump and get it over with, or is that dangerous considering might be passing out mid air?
Did you go through in 99?
Eric Wolfe I was super nervous until I hit the door and after that, I loved jumping
A lot of comments about air assault has changed. Today my class of 173 had 30 pass the hands on phase 2 sling load inspection test on their first of two attempts.
I just passed first go on all tests so far, just waiting for rappelling to start
I graduated yesterday. We had over 70 fail our phase 2 test
Hardest part of airborne is not falling asleep.
Hardest part was hitting the frozen ground.
Big facts
@dee jay I Know a few battles that can help you with that lol
@@michiganskinny2033 Winter is coming.
the hardest part was a windy jump week putting off our jumps, then having to jump in windy conditions that had only gotten worse. Saw a few get pretty banged up. One officer going through the training said "thank you to whoever helped me back". He had banged his head so hard he couldn't remember anything between the landing and getting on the bus.
“A punk, or arrogant officer.”
Ha! You oh you officers! 😂
I remember in Air Assault school, moving my Rucksack every day because someone was dropped so your position in the squad changed. Also remember all the PT was done in combat boots, and anytime you were on school grounds you were double-timing and yelling Air Assault every time your left foot hit the ground. We learned a little hand to hand in a pit of bark mulch, so it ended up all down your shirt. The 12 mile march was a challenge, especially at FT Campbell, there were a couple long, gradual hills you had to get up, and when you made it back to the school, 10 pullups with all your gear, then you were done, you could walk on the school grounds. ahhhhh..good times!
I'm double stacked...Airborne and air assault...Hooah!
Vincent Hamilton aka: Badge Hunter
Lots of people are bud
Just double? Noob
Now that's what I'm talking about
Badass 😌
Airborne is the easiest course you’ll ever take. Just don’t fall asleep and pay attention to simple details. Gravity takes care of the rest.
We all give each other a hard time in the military theres Legs , Pog's ,Grunts , Armor , Aviation etc all claim to be the best it's called Espirit De Corps PRIDE ! But when shit hits the fan we come together as one , Anyone who has stood up and raised a hand to take the oath has my greatest respect and trust over any civilian anyday ....AATW !!!
I understand that you're proud of the military, but soldiers are nothing special morally. More so than patriotism, personal reasons concerning travel and essentially free training, steady income are predominant in people's reason for joining the military. Soldiers are caught every day committing crimes. Not too long ago, a green beret was murdered by two navy seals when he found out what they were doing. Did they not take the oath? Also, considering the way you speak, I'm guessing you're either a civilian poser or someone who just got into the fold.
@@varun009 lol
varun009
You seem to forget that the military is made up of people. Some are good, some are not. There are bad cops, Doctors, public officials. It all boils down to the person.
I judged each branch based off their Mess Halls, or Dining Facility for the Air Force folks and used our ARMY mess halls as the benchmark. Id have to say the nicest place I ever ate was the Navy Mess Hall at Pearl. I wonder what the Space Force mess halls will be like? Hmmmmmmm.
@@varun009 sorry you got flagged at MEPS and sent home.
My dad has told me many times that to him, the paratroopers were the best of the best. He was a kid during Vietnam War, and his family was in South Vietnam. One of his brother volunteered into the paratroopers. After sometime he stopped returning home, but my father always says that he always looked so awesome when he came home in the uniform.
In case you're wondering, I'm Vietnamese and we are still living in Vietnam. Life is nice, up and down, but still nice.
your father must have been a great man may he rest in peace
Which one are you still a leg after completing? Answer: Air Assault
Tyler Peters lmao NICE!!!
Tyler Peters looool
What’s so hard about strapping on a static line chute? Setting up a sling load/LZ and repelling is a thinking task.
hueyrotorhead I have both of mine, but that sounds like leg talk to me.
It's all good, however I do recall a phrase that went something like five jump chump :) I am partial to AA due to my many years spent as a crewchief.
Remember everyone deployed. Thank you for your service to this country.
I hate when people say air assault was easy because we lost half our people on 0 day
That's only because they didn't have everything
Kevin Webster nah we lost like 50 in the O Course
@@ElectroNomical the run or the course got most of them?
Kevin Webster I think 4 dropped out in the run.
Well, what is easy depends on many thing. The condition of the people in the couse at the time. Attituide of the body or people going through the course. I when through jump school in 1962. I was 22 years old. I met an colonel about 10 years ago. We started talking. I told him when I when through Airborne School. He said to me "you when through it back in the day". The training now is different today than what it was year ago. The soldiers to day have more sophisticated equipment. They are in many ways better train than soldier year ago. It iscalled evolution. that being said , take a look at the unites who fougt in all of the war you will fine that technology made a difference. How brave was the men in the 1776 walking side by side into gunfire. Lastly, Airsault school produce some very good soldier.
My dad called me ,the dumbass that jumps out of a perfectly good airplanes, lmao, days don't go by that I don't miss him,funny as hell.😞
Sounds like something my dad would say. Right up there along with "If humans were meant to fly, we'd have feathers and wings." Where the only thing worse than flying in a perfectly good airplane, is jumping out of one.
I went to both back in '82 and was honor grad at Air Assault School which was at Ft. Campbell. Not sure how it is now, but the first day of Airborne school there was a PT test and they failed about half of the almost 500 of us that were there. If you weren't a PT stud then you went to the "hold over battalion" till the next class. They did PT and all were basically used as labor to keep the airborne areas at Ft. Benning in top shape. I remember on the push-ups during the test the guy kept counting the second to last rep needed over and over about 30 times, I guess to see if I would quit...then he said whatever the standard was and I went over to the half that "passed." I got to jump out of a C-123, C-130 and a C-141...I think it was just before they phased out C-123's....it was a lot of fun exiting that bird. Also...we did PT in boots in those days...later we used to make jokes about how easy Airborne school was because they did PT in "tennis shoes" now. Air Assault school was fun I thought. One thing we did that you didn't mention was have to climb up into a Chinook on a ladder...that was the hardest thing I thought...it was high, we had on packs and the damn thing was moving all around. Also, we watched a Black Hawk, where were new then, crash about 300 yards away from us. We were tying repel harnesses and a student with us yelled..."that choppers going down" and started running towards it...the instructors yelled at him to come back it wasn't going down and he yelled as he ran "I was in Vietnam and know when a chopper is crashing". Sure enough he was the first on scene and pulled the crew chief away placing a tourniquet on the stump of his arm, probably saving his life. Afterwards when repelling out of the Blackhawks (we had to do it out of both Huey's and Blackhawks) we kept thinking these POS's were going to crash....
Flying Dutchman I’ve been through both I thought air born was more challenging... but its nothing compared the elites , Respect to all
+Flying Dutchman. Based on this comment, and others you've made, it's becoming clear that you and I were in some of the same places, at the same times. I also went through Airborne and Air Assault school back when Airborne PT was in boots. Like the video says, I found both schools to be easy and fun. I also agree with you that climbing a troop ladder into a hovering Chinook, with a weapon and full ruck, was one of the toughest tasks in Air Assault school -- it's SURPRISINGLY difficult. And I was also in the 101st when that UH-60 crashed into the trees near the old Air Assault school location (the school has moved to another part of Fort Campbell now.) I had completed flight school by that time, and often flew UH-60s in support of the Air Assault school, so my friends were all worried and began calling to make sure it wasn't me. The pilots both died. I thought the crew chief had died too but I guess not. What unit were you in at Campbell? I was in 2/17 Cav.
Hey Jimmy. I remember it hit a bus over by the NBC shack was that was next to the Air Assault School at that time. It killed the bus driver who happened to be asleep in the back of the bus...the Chief could have died later, we didn't get much follow-up and they herded us all away pretty quickly after the crash. I was just at Campbell TDY for the school. I did time with multiple units to include 1/23 Inf, 3/75th Inf, JSOC and a few others. I am thinking that back then, cause the UH-60's were new, there was some kind of a problem with the drive to the tail rotors or something like that...you probably know a lot more about those issues since you were flying um. I had a bunch of buddies that were in the 160th back in the day. Those were some of the best days...we were young, dumb and hard....the crazier it got the more we liked it.
Flying Dutchman Yes. Harmony Church for 16 weeks to jump school in 83. I remember a Lt. colonel failing the first run. Along with a company of recycles.
@flying Dutchman.. that's how it was in '94. Charlie Rock first day.. Capt Foley walked out.. announced we had twice the amount of students and we were going on a run..BDUs and Boots.. 1st week of July. We started at High noon about 5 hrs later.. those that didn't quit. Stayed in company. I was one of the few enlisted to make it. ( Thanks to a Ranger training me during hold over at my AIT ) I got lucky though. My squad..as you recall enlisted is the higest rank in jump school. Was myself followed by a Lt Col. Capt. 2 1st lt. one butter bar and co-idiots. All other chalks had 1 enlisted and the rest officers. Our down time.. was AWESOME>. but we worked the hell out of O's during duty hrs.
"3 days of quality training, spread over 3 weeks".
lol
That's about a best summation of jump school I've heard.
Been to both, air assault is much harder. But I’ve seen more people too scared to go to airborne school.
Exactly
Agreed
O shit it’s Jason Bourne
Stupid question - were they too scared to go to Airborne school because they thought it was too hard/too intense/too much exercise etc. or they were afraid of jumping out of a plane? Thanks!
@@Ser_Arthur_Dayne in my experience, too scared to jump out of a plane.
I did jump school in 71, i dont remember it being as easy as you portray it. I can remember lots of middle aged officers trying to earn their wings. Most of them had hell with the running and several fell out during the runs. Friday of tower week the ran us 3 miles in 18 minutes. I thought my lungs were going to explode. I am very proud of my wings and still have my certificate on the wall in my man cave. Out of 600 plus students that started only 360 made it thats alot of men not making the cut!!
I went through both schools, Jump school in 1979 and Air Assault in 1981 and things must have changed drastically. You make it sound like each school was a total no-brainer - like a caveman could do it. There was far, far more than PLF's and tower jumps and 5 static lines in Airborne training.
Back then we had to learn rigging and how to deal with Mae Wests, powerlines, water, high winds, steering the T-10 and MC1-1B. There were also the commands in flight and inspections and responses to the commands. We did night jumps and double timed to our rallying points. Just to name a few things I can remember after 40 years.
We had to learn quite a bit actually, and don't even get me started about Air Assault where we had to learn how to call for dust offs, medivacs, fire support and learn how to secure the LZ in night and day operations. Yes we did what you outlined, but we also did MUCH more!
Maybe things have changed, but I NEVER considered any of it easy. AIRBORNE!
Amen! I went through in 81! Things must’ve change a lot!
I went through both schools and Pathfinder. I will always have a soft spot in my heart forthe 101st Airborne Division as I served with it twice in a combat area. I was assigned to the 327th PIR and will never forget the other soldiers I was with or the experiences.
As a medic in the 82nd, I repelled out of a blackhawk, down walls, and hooked sling loads. There was an NCO that was air assault qualified who ran the operation. So, in my opinion...air assault school is not necessary. I repelled without going. Now...if you jumped without going to jump school....enjoy your landing. Jump school is designed to break you before you reach jump week.
Rappelled.
@@manuellabor2759 talk to all the rangers who never went to air assault school lol
It's funny you say that because my unit in Korea was changed from 1/503 Infantry to 1/503 air assault Infantry. A lot of us were not air assault qualified , they did send us to a repelling and mountaineering school but it wasn't actual air assault school.
@@jodyjesus870 Who or what did you repel?
It's always interesting to me to see how our counterparts do things (I'm a Brit Paratrooper, 1980s/90s). Worked with Brethren from the 82nd AB (exchange, they in the UK) and Fallschirmtruppen (West Germany).
To become a British Paratrooper, you have to pass P Coy selection (a minority qualify) and earn the Maroon Beret before you can attend parachute training. Other soldiers within the military don't have to do selection and don't earn the beret but they can do the same parachute course to become "military parachutists". Aside from commandos and airforce infantry, they used to be awarded the parachute badge without wings (aka the "lightbulb").
In Britain, being Airborne is earning and wearing the Maroon Beret - not just doing a Wings (parachuting) Course. We call the craphats (legs) who only do a wings course "masquerading 'hats". These days, they all wear "operational parachute wings" instead of the lightbulb and they often never jump again. Worlds apart from us, parachuting is just a method of transport - being a Paratrooper is about specialising in fighting against the odds in isolation behind enemy lines.
Our airforce trains parachuting: in my time it was 8 jumps in a 2 or 4 week course (former = reservists, latter = regulars). 1st jump from a balloon, 8th jump at night. The balloon was a nightmare. A physically undemanding course but, for me, incredibly stressful! A holiday camp compared to Depot PARA which is epic misery and graft.
In-battalion training generally covers most of the aspects of your "air assault" course but there are no tests. There's an additional fast-roping instructors' course and a helicopter handling course which are formally tested.
In Britain they feed you with marmite for ten days straight, then you're graduated. As easy as that. :D
SAS britânico é o pai das forças especiais modernas.
Air Assault school was not around when I went in. I enlisted for Airborne in 1957. After basic at Jackson and Infantry AIT at Dix, one plane went to Bragg and my plane landed at Campbell. Four days in replacement company. General Westmoreland got there the same day we came in April 1 1958.
We took jump school at Campbell after a six week wait Around 500 started and around 275 graduated. We ran in fatigues and boots and the PT was different than it is now. I heard Gen Westmoreland said to make it tough. Not everybody should get those wings.
After my fifth jump the General pinned our wings right on the DZ. We stayed in our Units while attending the school and were harassed so bad a lot of guys just quit.
jodan4.....that's how jump school was for me at Benning. We were real paratroopers back then!
Thx for your legacy;
ABN51C CSM/SGM
82nd JM
We had a higher failure rate in my Air Assault class than my Airborne class - I think it was because of the academic components and the sling loading practical exam. Both schools were great. I think Jumpmaster school was "harder" though; we had a very high first-time failure rate.
I agree that the sling-loading phase was the toughest part of Air Assault school.
"We like it here, we love it here, we finally found a home. A home. A home. A home away from home....." "hit it"... that is all I remember from Airborne school... I can't get that damned running cadence out of my head...
armychowmein preach
Lmao
thanks, I had forgotten that one and now I'll be singing it for months. Sang that in basic and airborne. I hated "yellow bird". My favorite (or the one that still is stuck in my head since 1993 when I got out) starts off with:
Up in the mornin at the break of day.
I don't like it, no way.
eat my breakfast, too soon.
hungry as hell, by noon.
Cause I'm Airborne, (chorus)
All the way!
super duper,
Paratrooper!
C-130 rolling down the strip,
mighty airborne company is gonna take a little trip.
Mission undetermined, destination unknown.
Don't even know if I'm coming home.
(chorus)
Stand up, hook up, shuffle to the door,
jump right out and count to four.
If my chute don't open wide,
I've got another one by my side.
If that chute should fail me too,
look out ground, I'm a comin through.
(chorus)
...
I never wanna hear that shit again
I'm 54 years old now. However, at 25, I took the US Army Air Assault course. I learned two life long lessons. Never ever show up late and Never give up. Showing up late had put me in an impossible situation. I was called before the entire training staff. I knew I was f'd when the Sergeant Major said to his staff. See this dirt bag? He thinks its okay to be late. Let's see if he really wants this. From that moment on, my life was a living hell. I had to do double what everyone else did. Every single staff member tried to get me to quit but I wasn't having it. I called upon the name of my God. Jesus. "No weapon formed against me shall prosper". And, I finished. The day that they punched my Blood Wings onto my chest was the proudest moment of my life. Even the staff who tried their best to fail me, had to admit, I was not a quitter. I was a warrior. The honor and right to wear the Air Assault badge is something no one will ever take away from me. Honestly, without my faith in God to sustain me, I would have given up. But with Jesus, all things are possible.
They smoked us everyday in air assault school, it was tough but manageable
We got back from Sinai(1994) and everyone had to go to AAS. Since we were infantry they smoked the shit out of us and a LOT failed the obstacle course. Myself and 3 others from my company got pushed back to another class. When we first started the cadre asked who were infantry and to step up. I told my buddy to stay still and say we were transportation if they asked. Two guys from the 187th stepped forward and got smoked for almost the entire duration of the school. They never really bothered us.
A sgt told me his experience in air assault was " You get smoked for 11 days, you should try it."
But did you do it?
Whoever said that, they're kinda spot-on.
Air Assault: Smoked daily and 10 pull-ups daily with the instructors standing at your feet so you don’t swing your legs.
@@victorleon3280 No pull-ups in my class. 101 push-ups were completed before the end of each training day, though.
I also have both badges and served in the 82nd and 101st. I went to airborne school in 89 and based on the comments it has definitely changed. We lost around 50 soldiers on rifle drills in the saw dust pit on zero day. Secondly, the males ran in one group and the females in another. That airborne shuffle only happened in the last mile. The first couple or so was a blistering pace that the black hats called gut checking. We started with more than 800 and graduated around 600. Maybe my time in the 82nd made air assault school seem like a piece of cake. .
wow. respect!. i went though in 2002 and oh man the airborne shuffle was slow. i had to go to the back and run in circles around the formation made the jump masters furious.
thats what im saying, i went to airborne school in 88 and morning sawdust training was no joke. Then if you werent able to touch the runner in front of you they would tap you and you were a fall out. Drop 2 runs= Gone. Friday run was mile one 9 mins mile 2 8mins and mile three 7 mins.. fall out of a friday run = gone
I graduated airborne School in 1990. can somebody please tell me what the fuck and airborne shuffle is? We ran our guts out everywhere we went to. The first day they ran us until a hundred people dropped out and quit. I believe it was called the snake? if you couldn't touch the guy in front of you you were done. Our company started with 300 people graduated 150. "DELTA ROCK" AIRBORNE
Aco started Dec 1988 Had a Black Hat that would rip you out of formation if you fell one step behind the guy in front of you :)
Agreed... I graduated in mid 1990, and the dropout rate was fairly high, and WE RAN... Still remember in the sawdust pits "you quit, take a buddy"... And as for being an "arrogant officer"... My Ass; I was a laid-back LT with the Black Hat given nickname 'Tumbleweed'... They just loved to slam ANY officer, and I can confirm they dropped me 4' flat on my back from the SLT... I also miss the C-141... BTW, jumpers on the brown bench HIT IT!!!
I like how you clarify if someone is a punk or arrogant officer they get the extra special drop. Hooyah!
I spent 6 years in the army. My first unit was in the 82nd where I was jump qualified. Then I went to Hawaii where air assault was kinda big but not everything like airborne is to the 82nd. From everything I've heard, air assault is much harder than jump school.
25th ID. Bobcats "I'll Try Sir"!
Day 0 as of March 2020
-Zero tolerance layout
-2 mile run
-Obstacle course instruction/demonstrations
-smoking session for 20 to 30 straight minutes
-Complete Obstacle course
-learn how to form up and enter classroom air assault style
-Run about a quarter mile trying to catch the guide on/flag bearer every time there was a fuck up until we got right.
-take notes in classroom
Done
We didnt do normal pt either. Cuz you would hear ''Go get him'' like 5 times a day and that was our pt.
I was sent to jump school at Benning in '75 as a young Battalion Recon Marine...it really was like a walk in the park, which I needed because I had just completed Pre Combat Diver (a 2 week swimming assessment hell hole before you get selected for Combat Diver) and I was pretty worn out...no idea what army Air Assault school, but jump school is a no brainer.
I will never have the chance to do either of these but I found the video very good at what our troops go through to be the best. What struck me is how proud your father was of you. I’m retired military and my motivation was always to not disappoint or disrespect my family by failing. I’m not so sure you realized how much your achievements meant to your father. Congratulations on making it through these courses and a successful military career.
Tower week was pretty much Magic Mountain week. Spread eagle baby!!!!
I'm so ready to do this!!! Both airborne and air assault
Air assault school is a challenging academic program more than anything else. People fail their written tests often enough. All pushups are diamonds only. While doing the obstacle course you have to do pushups after completing an obstacle. Many soldiers get injured doing this because of muscle fatigue. The 12 mile road March in three hours is not a casual stroll. It is having to jog down the hills and run up the hills. We actually had a soldier die durring durring my class from some sort of heart condition because of this.
We were smoked from 4am until we completed the o-course. Including between obstacles. Stupid lol
I went through Jump School at Ft Campbell in 1961. We had twice as many jump school students as the division needed for recruitment so the cadre were always working on attrition. They were trying to get 50% of the class to drop out. It worked. In 1968 I got my air assault training OJT in Vietnam. The first day I took over a platoon we loaded up on Hueys outside LZ Sally and went into an air assault on a hot LZ. I had no air assault training per se, but I had previously been the S3 Air NCO with the 1/503, 173rd Abn Bde (Sep) and had written the air loading SOP for the battalion. I knew about load distribution for equipment and personnel so I applied it here. The rest was tactical common sense about what to do when we landed. It all worked well that time and several more times after that. I'm sure it is good to get all the extra training of Air Assault School. But a lot of it is unnecessary for actual implementation in a combat situation, as we proved in the 2/501 Abn Inf of the 101st Abn Div. Each of us had multiple awards of the Air Medal for combat assaults on hot LZs and Air Assault School had not even been thought of at that time.
The biggest thing people forget is Airborne is just a basic qualification required to serve in an Airborne Unit. You can serve in the 101st and not be Air Assault Qualified. But you cannot (at least when I served) serve in an airborne unit unless you are Airborne Qualified. When you graduate Airborne school you are NOT a paratrooper, you are airborne qualified. Paratroopers are those assigned to active Airborne Units.
Just like a Ranger Tab does not make you a Ranger. Being assigned to 75th Ranger Regiment does. I was in a LRS unit in '94 and '95 so I did collect my $120 monthly jump pay earned by at least 1 jump per quarter. Got 8 jumps in 2 years.
Yep..they take candidates from all branches for specialty schools and send them back when done. You can only be a member of your own branches unit excluding Delta
Jump school 1984 and Air Assault 1985, both were easy. And every 5 jump chump is indeed a Paratrooper and if a soldier earned a Ranger tab he is a Ranger. I guess a pilot serving in an admin position is not a pilot because he's not in a CAV unit? so what your saying sounds like Bullshit!!! I get it, you scream CHAIR ASSAULT!!!!
Well tough guy, Airborne 1981 ,Belgium Para Commando School 1982, Air Assault 1983, Recondo 1984, Pathfinder 1984, Jump Master School 1985, Honduran Airborne School 1985, Korean Airborne School, 1987, ROK Ranger School 1987. 168 Jumps, seven years on status with the Master Parachutist Badge. Served with the 1/509th Airborne in Italy, 101st Pathfinders, JTF Bravo Honduras and 17th Aviation Pathfinders in Korea.
Being a Paratrooper is about a hell of a lot more than five moronic training jumps. And if you ever served on status you would know that. I'm willing that you are the chairborne Ranger. BTW, 11B.
I'm was just saying , if your an infantry soldier both should be a breeze. what unit did you go to Honduras with? I was there at that time and I left korea in 87 just before the Olympics. Italian jumps wings from a exchange jump, no school. Honduran jump wings look like Navy jump wings never heard of anyone going to a school.
Graduated from both in the early 90’s. From a physical standpoint, I didn’t think either one was too bad. I was an infantryman and in really good shape, so it was no biggie. I got a bad case of “shin splints” the last week or Airborne School. It sucked, but I pushed on. I think Air Assault School was harder from an academic standpoint; learning all the sling load information for different vehicles, cargo, etc.
Both were professionally run and had some challenges. Proud to have graduated from both.
You left out how if you don't yell "Air Assault" before and after literally every single thing you do, you have to start over.
Also true.
Amen!!!
This video does a very good job of objectively describing the skill sets that are taught at both schools. There’s one thing, however, that I have to mention. Going to these schools to earn a badge/tab without serving in a unit where these skills are applied and improved on is simply a waste. There’s nothing worse or more contemptible, in my opinion, than a soldier who does this to rack up promotion points or to look good in uniform.
I don’t see anything wrong with it. Let the POGS learn some new skills too, who cares? From my experience, combat MOS’s usually get priority for seats anyway, so if some infantry cat isn’t passing, but a POG is, that’s on the infantry kid to fix his shit and pass.
I can't believe I clicked on this. .... My only problem with Airborne was that my company was over-flow and we lived in barracks a long way away from where we held formation. So we had to get up way earlier than everyone else and march a long way to get to formation. The rest of it was easy..... okay that first jump was slightly scary, but not really.
I attended Air Assault School at Campbell in 1978. Gear has changed so much and most soldier's now have some type of transportation. We were in fatigues and standard issue boots and for me my barracks was far from the school, I humped it a few miles to school every day with my gear before training started. The school was mandatory in my Battalion, guys that could not pass or would not go for some reason had a hard go of it. Good memories for me, I'm grateful for that time.
Was in the 2/503 in 78 . Rigjt next to the Tower .
Best part of jump school is the calmness of your first jump...2nd best part is the introduction of all the Sergeant Airbornes the first day as they end all movements slapping their thighs with their knife hands...
I arrived at Ft. Campbell Kentucky. Processed thru reception station, assigned to 3rd Brigade...Rakkasans....equipment still in bags from C.I.F....found myself in Air Assault School....I graduated and didn't even know where the exchange or bowling alley was....good times..
Bro who is this guy he’s got every badge/patch/medal/killstreak/camo??
Btw, having both is not uncommon. Sincerely, a frmr. Sgt. in the 82nd. (Air Assault, Airborne, Flight Crew, CIB.).
@@sgt.airborne3733 Yeah, but he's a diver too
@@gripho3589 and Ranger and SF qualified
Dude probably has the gold camo on every gun
@@awsomecfstc4845 hes in the 20th prestige
My father was in the 82nd Airborne and a combat vet of Operation Urgent Fury. He has both badges and told me a lot of what was said in this video and then some. I’m in limbo of either joining or not but if I do I’m probably going to follow his footsteps as an All American. Thanks for the video and your heroic service!!!
A HUGE SALUTE, from the bottom of my heart, for your dad, and for yourself, Brother !!!
Love your videos !
Keep up the great work !!!
Airborne and Air Assault !
1964 Benning grad. Airborne! All The Way! USAF Combat Controller. Worked with several Army Airborne units. 82nd, 101, 508th. USMC CH-46 pilot 1972. Oorah!
Jump school Fort Campbell KY 1954 . jumped C 119 Good times .
Back in 2007 I completed the airborne course. I was 35. Best experience ever for me!!!!
Fifth point of contact is the “Pull-up muscle” not the “Push-up muscle.”
It’s covered in every pre-jump.
It is the pullup muscle, but I have heard it referred to as the pushup muscle as well. Funny how the Army never made the pullup exercise an event on the PT test. If it had, it would lose half its ranks.
It might be pull-up muscle now, but from early 90s on back, it was called push up muscle.
I was referring to an old FM 57-230 that uses pull up muscle. Perhaps your JM was not using the proper terminology.
Either way, push up muscle doesn’t even make sense. When performing a pull up one uses muscles in their back, which is the point of contact in the PLF. Push ups are done with chest muscles.
That said, knees in the breeze.
moomtaz1 I get what you’re saying, but regardless what the reg says, we called it push up muscle. Even the Black hats at Benning were calling it that.
I agree, chest and arms would be better characterized as “push up muscles”, versus the Lats.
AATW
All through BAC and my entire time in Division, it was always called the "PUSH UP MUSCLE". This was from 84 to 91. Your comment is the first time I ever heard it called the PULL UP MUSCLE".
Your video was SO spot on!! My dad was the exact same way!. I did all of this back in 89-92, thanks for the refresher/memories. Im proud of both.
Love your videos bro, Air Assault!!! 👍 broke my foot in the 12 ruckmarch but still made it
Both are fantastic schools! Yes, I passed both schools. MOS dealt with Chemical, nuclear and biological warfare. Combat support for 7th Group, they were in Fort Bragg.
I did have an enjoyable time going through Airborne School.
i have done both..and both are excellent..i loved my time in Georgia and Kentucky ... biggest thing ..work on our cardio strength training....i praise all willing to push themselves.. 1-320th 101st ret 1sgt airborne. air assault sniper..
AA is more mental where Jump school is a lot of slow running more physical in a way. I went to Jump school in 2000 and their runs were hardest because if you fell behind over an arms length behind the soldier in front of you in formation you were considered a fallout and failed the run. So dumb I hat running on someone’s heels but you had to there at Benning.
AA grad in 11/78 at ft Campbell , was in the widowmakers Charlie co 2/502 the old argument whats better or harder , doesn't even compute, two different skill sets for 2 different scopes of operation , Air assault is a helicopter applied operation covers everything from climbing troop ladders to fast rappelling from helicopters to establishing TLP's and LZ's to logistical movements of equipment and troops from small to large ,in our day small were mules, jeeps, to larger gamma goats and 105 to 155 howitzers ,from a technical aspect AirAssault school was definitely more challenging simply based on you had to know and apply more know how than airborne school , while airborne troops still like referring to non airborne as legs in reality their just as much legs lol because after they jump they walk like most straight leg infantry at the time only difference was their insertion to the operations area, i never did go to airborne school seeing as i had already done sport parachuting before entering the service so i already knew how that worked and i could do it if need be ,a static line jump at 1250 feet is no big deal ,when looking at airborne you can quickly see the difference between qualification, jump wings which is the minimum qualification, to jump masters, senior parachutist 's where it starts getting more serious, many airborne guys like think their special their not ,unless you start getting into pathfinders and Halo , those guys are serious paratroopers and stay on jump status in active airborne units and it takes a little more than 5 jumps to qualify
airborne school 1999. 10 years jump status with 3-325 and 2-508. i saw countless females and cadets fall out of those weak runs and still graduate. same with the air assault 12 miler with that whopping 35lb ruck.
paul dosntmatter i saw that too when i went. Most females couldnt do the 20s flexed arm hang but they all graduated. A few got more than 3 strikes on falling out of runs. Kinda BS because guys who did the same got kicked out right away.
What month? I was there in '99, as well. I guess I was there around July, being that I arrived in basic in March. I remember just a few drops out of the hundreds that were there. Skinny little females and all...they graduated.
paul dosntmatter.... I too was in the 3/325 Inf.(Abn) Co."C" 82nd Abn. Div. at Bragg "65- '67. Then went to Co. "B" 1/501 Inf.(Abn) 101st Abn. at Campbell, then off to Nam for my tour of duty. Jump school was tough in my day and NOT EASY! All PT was done in boots and fatigues, time off was spent shining boots and washing fatigues and you couldn't leave post. Did log PT in sawdust pits, climbed ropes and the TAC NCO's did all they could to make you quit.NO woman would make it through as most of the men didn't. We jumped C-119s for jump week at Fryer DZ and had to double time off the DZ. We got our BLOOD WINGS punched on our chest for graduating on the DZ.
Today, jump school and the Army sounds like a joke! Oh, my MOS was 11B4P!
All the way!
john, 3-325 Bco 1999 till it disbanded to create 4th brigade. Iraq from the invasion till 2005. being infantry and a paratrooper is still not a joke but the schools are.
Paul...thanks, brother, for that fast reply! Didn't know they disbanded the 3/325 and never heard of a 4th bde. in the 82nd. I don't understand the TO&E of today's Army or how they do things. I'm an old school trooper and pretty set in my ways after 70 years.Regardless, if you ain't airborne....you ain't shit as we used to say. Did your unit crest say "Lets Go" on it? Thanks and have a blessed Memorial Day weekend.
Did rappelling training Chedju do Korea. Then Air Assault in Light fighter Brigade Ft Ord CA.
Old school Cadre were hell smoking us. 12 miles road march was 107 that day. What a great time and challenges. Wear the wings is awesome blessing.
If you're going to airborne school right after basic like most people, it will seem easy for the most part. The only thing that was different physically was that airborne will require pull-ups, something that wasn't required in standard PT training back then in mid 80s. After the run, we'd line up at the pull-up bar and were required to do so many before you could proceed to the PT pit. If you couldn't do them, you were sent to the back of the line and given a second chance. after the second try, you were into the PT pit or out for good. I got through fine.
I went through basic at Fort Bliss. During 3 weeks in the desert sleeping in pup tents and living out of a half buried duffel bag, one morning i was feeling just fine, but for the life of me I couldn't do one push-up during morning PT. I was confused and apologized to the drill sergeant, surprised he wasn't smoking me as he stood over me. Later the same day, classes were long and there was only one water source we shared with a class across the road. That day both classes had a break at the same time and there just wasn't time for everyone to fill their canteen, the line at least 75 yards and probably over 100 degrees Fahrenheit outside, I was happy to just find some tiny bit of shade. Back in class before the water line finished, I started hyperventilating and going into shock. A drill sergeant caught me as I collapsed and threw me into a chair and held my BDU cap over my face until hyperventilating stopped then asked how much water I had, i told him about the water situation and the drill sergeants all looked at each other. I think they knew they fucked up. He then required me to drink a full canteen of water, I drank two. Stay hydrated my friends. Drink even if you don't feel thirsty.
On the swing landing trainer when I had to do a backward PLF I always kinda cracked my dome, but when I actually had to PLF backward in a real chute I didn't crack my dome one time.
When I went to Air Assault school, it was not a 2 mile run in under 20 minutes. It was a 2 1/2 mile run in under 16 minutes.
Who the fuck can do that.
@@toast5802 maybe SF? Lol
The standard was a 6 minute mile? I call bullshit.
I did 2 miles in 12:33 seconds back in the day.
Hard to believe the standard for air assault is literally faster than that for buds. Which is a 9:30 1.5 mile.
Being a paratrooper seems like an amazing accomplishment to me!
So you went through ranger, special forces q course, airborne, and air assault school... damn dude
This dude is badass
Many less known, non-skill badge schools too I’m sure. Which are likely more difficult and warrant little recognition. Things like master breacher
Phenomenal video, my son goes to Ft. Benning in 3 weeks . I will forward him this video. thank you for your service.
I never went to air assault, but I’ll take the narrators word on it not being to physically demanding. I did airborne school and it would’ve been easy but I had a black hat that had it in for me. I was called out day one of training by my sections black hat and asked what unit I was with. I was fresh out of AIT. I didn’t have a unit yet, I was going to the ranger indoctrination program after completion of airborne school.
I was still very wet behind the ears. And I soon realized this black hat was fresh out of 2-75 ranger battalion. He was now a jump instructor and I was part of his first class. I also identified to him my goals of soon joining a ranger battalion. From that day on that guy smoked me every second he could. He said if I was going to make it as a ranger then I’d have to prove to him I had what it took.
So we get to tower week and I’ve handled the smokings pretty well. 34 foot tower jump day comes. He is my jump procedure/ aircraft exit procedure grader. First time I jump I was told not keeping tight body position next time hands not securely on side of reserve next didn’t jump out of tower far enough... so on and so forth. This goes on for about two hours and I’m starting to get frustrated and tired. It’s mid summer in Georgia and it’s hot. The rest of my group has moved on from individual exits from the tower to group exits. I’m still trying to get a go on my individual exit procedures. I probably jump from this tower 70 times that day. The entire jump class of 300 or so are waiting on me still. My grader gets up and need kd a restroom break. A new black hat replaces him. This black hat says give me two jumps in a row of good procedure. I jump twice both times are a go.
I thought I was going to die of exhaustion that day, but I never quit. At the end of that training day my black hat group leader just nods at me as if to indicate I passed his test and I was tough enough to go onto the ranger indoctrination program.
I still have nightmares of that stupid 34 foot jump tower at Benning. It haunts me worse then any other training. It was the only time I ever felt like quitting in the military. I’ve was in a Ranger Battalion 1-75 for 5 years. I’ve completed Ranger school and various other schools. Airborne school was easy but I had the worst day of my military career there as well.
I believe everything he did was to insure you were ready for Ranger school. He possibly saved your life and trained your body to take the pain. That was a great read!
Thanks for your service. Similar experience with that tower. I’m a pretty short dude and always got height discriminated going through schools as a cadet. Never gave up and went on to make O-4 before I got out.
I had fun at ya'lls Airborne school! I was 17 and had only been in the Marines for 10 months. There were 13 of us in our class. We wore boots and Utes when we ran PT. We do our own Mountain climbing training at fridgeport.
Question: Do Air Force pilots and Naval aviators have to go through jump school?
I'm going to say "No." None of the pilots in any of my commands (Navy) had jump wings of any kind. In fact, the only guy I saw who did, was when I was stationed on a base and a prior Army guy transferred to us and he had his Airborne Wings patch... On the light blue shirt. Had it not been so obscure, I probably wouldn't have noticed it. Much less remembered it.
My Identical Twin Brother John Rodriguez Who Served In The Army Was Air Assault, Airborne and Ranger Qualified While Having Served With The 75th Ranger Regiment USASOC USSOCOM. He Did The Damn Thing. I Love Him And Proud Of Him.
I was in the 101st and attended Air Assault School in 1980. I was fresh out of basic so I breezed through it. But we had a 50% washout rate. The instructors were tough and took it very seriously back then.
I met some of the coolest guys at jump school who went onto have amazing careers in the military. One was actually a Medal of Honor winner. Loved my time there. Was like a nice vacation tbh.
3:01 so you only need 5 successful jumps but my question is what does an "unsuccessful" jump look like? Wouldn't that mean your chute doesn't open and you essentially die? I mean it makes sense because ANY unsuccessful jump would mean death rip
I saw a video of a guy doing one of his jumps and he broke one or both of his legs. Just gonna go out on a limb and assume that classifies as a failed jump. I also assume not following proper procedure in either school's count as a fail. I'd hate to be the guy that has someone die in his class because he didn't learn to correct his equipment/procedure.
A successful jump is counted by you walking off the drop zone and dropping your chute at the drop point. If you are splayed out, unconscious or have to be medical evacuated, that jump doesn 't count.
A refusal in the aircraft is a failed jump. You stand in the door and decide it's not for you.
@@johnschilz215 We had a a guy in our stick do that on his second jump in BAC.
I always tried to get a slot to Airborne School from Ft Campbell but the answer was always no. I graduated and got my wings from Air Assault School in class 54-85. Then I was given a slot to go to Jungle Expert School in Ft Sherman Panama and graduated with my Jungle Expert Tab Feb.14, 1986. Jungle Expert school was 3 weeks, trained with the 2nd of the 327th Airborne Infantry. The Cadre of Ft Shetman said theyll makevout class meet the 101st Airborne Standard. Think they pushed a little harder.
Glad I did both of those but really wanted Parachutist wings too. Only the Riggers in our unit had them, they wore Riggers wings too.
I heard that paratroopers are quite well-thought-of, and are often considered quality troops…elite troops.
We had someone from our company complete jump school with a broken ankle. Our Top told us Sappers weren't allowed to have broken ankles or frostbite.
I was in the 101st, and Air Assault School was the easiest 10 days of my career. It was almost like a vacation. It was a joke. A regular field prob was much more demanding then Air Assault School. LOL It was free chest candy though! It was also pretty fun.
Air Assault school was mentally exhausting to me. The amount of information that had to be processed was crazy. Jump School was only problematic because I couldn’t do a proper PLF to save my life. Lol
Have to agree with the opening statement. Airborne is a technique school. In 1970 it was basic training level PT and the 3 mile Airborne Shuffle. That was a jog while chanting all the airborne cadences. The only way to fail was refuse to jump. We made all 5 jumps with the main and reserve, no rucksack, equipment bags or weapons.
also in Airborne school I never used Towers once high winds so we never got to use them. I cannot believe they do not do the 5-mile run once a week anymore maybe I'm getting old but I could have sworn we ran 5 miles once a week and if you fell out more than one time you got sent packing. I was Airborne Infantry so 5 miles was it a big deal to me but the Dead Effect Airborne desk clerks mechanics and so on
I was lucky and was able to do two "jumps" from the tower, what a gass!
Oh wow, I completely forgot about the 5 Miler in Ground and Tower weeks. It was always in reverse too, so that we were going uphill more. TBH, I never really noticed the "hill" they were talking about, but since you mentioned it, I do remember the 5 miles that if you fell out, you were a recycle.
I completed Jump school in the eighties. Didn’t get a chance to go to AA though I ended up doing rappels from a Blackhawk (Do they still use a carabiner with a rope harness?) which didn’t require the school then. Way more people dropped from Airborne than Air Assault school then. Air Assault was more of a professional school, but Jump school was more than that.
Things have changed. A 2 mile of 18 minutes would get a 20 year old female bounced from the army. That’s ridiculous. The ruck march for AA I recall being shorter and much faster. There were no ability groups for runs in schools then.
The head games and nonsense from the instructors got several people sent packing almost everyday until jump week. The swing trainer platform was well above my head, and if the instructor didn’t like you he dropped you right off the bat which virtually no one could do a PLF from. The troops hated by their instructors got a chance with a different instructor so many passed with no problems on the retest. Still a few more failed.
Lots of us did enjoy the tower with the cable ride, though people afraid of heights dropped out. We almost dropped a Seal on that one. There was high standards for the door technique which none of the students could describe. I can’t recall what made you fail, but eventually we stood watching the remaining few guys that obviously couldn’t do it and the Seal that was afraid of heights get run through it over and over. Eventually, it looked like the only ones that didn’t pass simply were not jumping. The Seals talked their guy through it somehow.
The Seals, and the leg rangers were pretty much the only ones who thought the School was physically easy. I could almost max the PT test at the time ( could only get my push-ups up to the mid sixties), I ran a 2 mile in 10:31, and I thought the school was pretty tough. I busted a disc in my back and they wouldn’t let me go to ranger school. I knew a couple guys who failed out that were in better shape than me, so saved me the embarrassment I guess.
I think every generation is softer than the previous one until something drastic changes that. My dad was a civilian and was tougher than I ever was. I doubt very much combat has gotten easier, but I never had to get shot at so what do I know?
Hooah.
@4:49 is my current 1SGT
Romario Whyte the badass asian guy?
Romario Whyte Thank You for your sacrifice & service!
guitarhamster the grader
Shawn b thank you for your support
As a former Army soldier I went to Airborne School but I also got an opportunity to go to the USMC Helicopter Rope Suspension Training Master Course (HRST Master) which was a 3 week course open only to NCO's. The course had 3 phases like Airborne and AA. However, IMHO HRST Master blew AA away on so many levels as I learned 17 different knots, personnel, helicopter and tower rigging, inspections and procedures. Fast Rope, Repelling, Spy Rigging, sling loading for all Marine Corps helicopters. Air week consisted of both day and night ops either fast roping or repelling from different helicopters while performing additional tasks to earn the master certification. Graduation day culminated in a mission to combat town where we fast roped onto the roof of city hall, tactically moved to an office and rappeled out of a window and down the side of a building engaging targets. Finally we moved to an LZ and Spy Rigged off the X along the Pacific coast back to the training field. One of the best courses I attended in the Army.
“If your a punk” his tonality threw me off hahah
Honestly, impressive. Airborne, air assault, special forces, and ranger too. I must meet you in person! I wish I could have become a soldier too.
Double stacked heart attack! I got both, too.
Hooah!
Some Marines go to the Airborne Course if their MOS requires it, most all 03's (grunts) do what is required for Air Assault without attending the formal school and receive no badge.
Air Assault is "harder in all aspects" it actually requires effort not only physically but mentally "studying" Like most schools in the military Airborne is simple, show up, do the right thing, be at the right place right time, right uniform, go through the motions and meet the standards you will pass.
I've had people ask me about the difficulty of Airborne School. I always say, "If you can run and fall down, you'll do fine."
I did both Schools with one difference, Air Assault School was at Fort Ord, California... great times..
paratroopers were trained to drop behind enemy line and fight with enemies surrounding them. i can see why you dad is so proud of that.
During the Battle of the Bulge 1944 Ardennes an entire Armor Div was retreating from the Germans, A Sgt . Commanding a Tank Destroyer spotted a lone G.I digging a foxhole and went over to investigate , PFC. Martin 325th Glider Infantry Regiment looked up at the SGT. and asked " You looking for a safe place ?" Sgt. on the Destroyer replied "Yeah" PFC. Martin told him " Just pull your vehicle in behind me , I'm the 82nd and this is as far as the Bastards are going "....True Story
Dt Glenn my nali(paternal grandfather) was 82nd back in ‘72. He has a poster with that story and a photo of one of the 82nd paratroopers in the Ardennes on our back door. Currently I am a junior in High School and I hope to qualify in Army basic trading then move on to Airborne school. All I’m doing now is working out and building up my strength and stamina. Going to talk to my counselors about the ASVAB test. The only problem is I’m not in the best physical shape to get into this. Pretty much this a really late start, if any tips feel free to offer them.
@@dustypluskrat7423 How did it go?
Rogred the counselor at my school is pretty...useless to put it nicely. Never has time to discuss me my score only to scold me about my lacking credits and tells me I’m going to be late for scalds when I ask for my ASVAB rest score. The recruiter hasn’t been around lately for me to ask what my options are. Guess I’ll just head into town over the weekend or something and talk to the recruiter at the mall.
Nice story. I went through Air Assault School in Vietnam at Camp Evans the hottest place in Vietnam it was called an Impact Award since I didn’t get my wings till I was wounded so bad I was operated on twice in Yokohama, Japan and then spent the next two years recovering from my wounds back at Ft Dix, NJ. I just got my Air assault wings last week from the Cav after 53 years!!!