Did this for 8 years, landed in trees, on runways, in the ocean and numerous dropzones around the world, worst injury I suffered was my own fault and I still at age 60, walk upright and noble, no knee pain or ankle pain and last but not least, am proud to have been a paratrooper!!!
I got 43 jumps within 4 years and half, most of them with combat load and my knees, ankles etc are perfectly fine. Paratroopers can't skip leg day and have to put in the work as often as possible. God bless the paratroopers all over the world. Greetings from Portugal
@@godbelow I'm 37 and yup they're fucked. I jumped with the older parachutes too. T 10deltas. The army wasnt soft back in my day. So I beat my body up and I wouldn't change a thing. 72 jumps and everyone was awsome. Some close calls but awsome. I was addicted. I jumped 4 times in one day once. My buddy was in charge of putting jumpers on the roster and he needed slots filled so I said I'd do it. Lol it sucked. 2 day jumps Hollywood and 2 nights full combat. I was so tired from adrenaline dumps. Good times.
Landed without being able to deploy rucksack, it beat me up good. Been dealing with back surgery, knee and ankle issues... 43 combat training jumps usually at night landing in Normandy DZ can be like landing on concrete. Even with it all, it was an awesome experience--Airborne!
That "feet and knees together" repetition is crucial. I had to chant that when I got close to the ground to fight that overwhelming urge to 'step down' with one foot. I'm sure it saved me from breaking something.
Jump school was the easiest school I every did. After Basic and infantry AIT. I went straight in to jump school. It was funny to be with marines, seals, pjs, and a bunch of high ranking people that just want their wings before retirement. Guess they gave up on the Towers. Those were scarier than jumping out of a plane. Airborne school I probably drank the most of in my life. 3 weeks of vacation. Before RIP. This was in mid 90s looks even easy.
Served 12 years as a medic in a paratrooper platoon - best time of my life. "Keep your feet and knees together" is exactly the same you hear all the time at German airborne school too. Love it :D "Glück Ab!" from Germany
@@pavelkolesnik9366 most anyone can go to the school. If you're going to an Airborne unit, the unit would need to have your MOS. A Bradley mechanic could go to Airborne school and get his/her wings, but they wouldn't be assigned to an Airborne unit.
I think it's crazy that humans can learn "unnatural" things like this so quickly. 3 weeks, only 1 of which is spent jumping out of an actual aircraft, and you're good to go. We can do a lot of incredible things when we put our minds to it.
Well. They only get a hang of the basics. They then graduate and become real soldiers. Active trqin constantly. Guard train once a month. They continue to learn and hone their skills.
When it comes to training, the military has no equal. They have to be able to train a variety of people with varying capacities and do it efficiently (usually weeks or less) and effectively since lives matter. If you want a solid trainer, look for someone who trained others in the military as their MOS/AFSC/Rate.
PLF's and the basics can be learned and practiced each day and should only take 7 days max to be ready to jump. That said, the final 2 weeks should be all jumps. We only got 4 day jumps and 1 night jump when i went through 30 years ago. And the night jump got called off and we had to wait another damn day to do it.
I graduated from Jump School at Benning in November, 1974. The training really hasn't changed much. Now I'm old and slow, but will always be part of the paratrooper brotherhood. Airborne!
Anyone in the military can basically take this course and never jump again, but unless they belong to a unit that is an airborne tasking, they won’t receive the monthly jump pay....
exactly, so many soldiers have to beg to get a jump to keep the pay. I've heard counless times that E4 and below can be excluded depending where you are at which is fucked.
@@rodneyhorsley8601 Former Paratrooper here: Unless you are serving in an Airborne Unit you are NOT going to receive Jump Pay. Even then you Have to Perform a minimum of One Jump per three months. Units carry names of paratroopers and the last day they made a Parachute Jump. Every effort will be made so they can make their Quarterly Jump and keep their Jump Pay. Rank is irrelevant. IF you are Airborne Qualified but in a Non-Airborne unit You Will NOT Receive Jump Pay. One Exception: For a Specific Job you can be on Jump Status for that One Particular Day and receive Jump Pay that will be Pro Rated. Anything else is pure hearsay.
@@shaidorsai4834 Former, and I guess still, Cherry here: lol, can confirm what a pain in the ass it is to get a jump slot if your job doesn't require it. I went through jump school at the beginning of 2006, spent the next 4 years with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), and could never get a jump slot. I thought maybe it was a seniority thing, or maybe missing additional training that would make me ineligible for a jump slot, but even after making E5 and completing SERE(C), still couldn't get a jump slot. Though, to be fair, I was a machinist, and unlike the 82nd, we didn't have air droppable machine shops. We would just FedEx all the tools and parts I made to whatever war they needed to get to, lol.
THANK YOU they need a veteran to proof read these final scripts, it's not they're bad, there's just these small attention to detail things they keep missing, i.e. The jump pay thing
@@shaidorsai4834 You are the perfect one to ask. My son graduates in three weeks from FT jackson he didn't have airborne school in his contract so he had to go back to meps to get qualified . Will he be asked during AIT? He got everything he asked for in his contract with that small hick up. 17 echo📡E3 with no college credits. 116 GT score . 🇺🇸🪂
Kudos to all the paratroopers who can get through without breaking a leg. What did I get out of Airborne School? A bad knee that stills pains me over 40 years later.
@@SJ-gd6bo wouldn't exactly call 82nd infantry having it made but aight lol. I was 173rd in Italy as well jumped plenty of shit terrain/climate there. 172nd in Germany before that. Not to mention a deployment to Ramadi and 2 deploymemts to afghanistan, both to the mountains of rc east on the pakistan border. All light. So like I said before, we all have bad knees
@@zerocooljpn so you wanna do this job because you can give women the "seal of approval"? You weirdo, would you like another doing that to your daughter?
I wish germany had the american parachutes. While you guys come down like feathers, we're playing "who's the fastest airborne fridge" over here. Greetings from germany.
I did the German jump course and your chutes have a rate of decent equal to the Canadian parachutes between 18 and 22' rate of decent, thats not an issue at all.
We used T-10’s when I was in the 82nd. It was as soft as jumping off a two floor building. Some Germans spent time with my unit at Bragg. Good soldiers, but I wouldn’t recommend trying to keep up with them drinking.
I went through jump school 42 years ago and all of this was familiar to me. So proud of the new jumpers. One difference from my time, tower week included the 250ft tower. Great job putting this together!
They still have the towers but currently the parachutes that were used for the towers are past their time of use and it's to expensive to replace them and it also helps cut down on the amount of chutes needing to be repacked every week.
Went thru 54 years ago. I remember the training cadre being a bit "rougher" than the ones in this video. We actually had five Navy SEALS in our class. They told us that someone looked at their records and said they did not have a jump school certificate. So they decided to send them to Army Jump School. Now these guys had more than a hundred HALO jumps, half of them wearing scuba gear. And after surviving SEAL training, they were out there running with us every morning. Great bunch of guys. If you want someone to "have your back", these are the guys. I wound up spending my active duty time with the 101st Airborne Division. Definitely was not going to be a "leg."
Somehow this was recommended to me and I’m glad it was, my grandfather served as a paratrooper with the 82nd airborne division. He recounted many times of how much he loved those years. He passed in 2009 but his memory lives on.
The place hasn't changed much in 20 years. Brings back a lot of memories. I graduated the week that they caught Sadam. My folks were happy, because they thought that meant the war was over. 3 or 4 weeks later, I was in Baghdad though.
My Airborne School lasted 5 weeks. We had two jumps followed by a whole bunch of nasty weather so we spent as much time just sitting in the rigger shed as we did actually training. Then one day, the weather cleared and we finally got those last three jumps! Man, this brings back some memories. I'm so blessed to have been (and always will be) a Paratrooper!
Sounds familiar. Ground Week was COLD. I saw a low of 15 Degrees later in the papers. Tower Week warmed up nicely. Jump Week and The Rains came. Two Jumps and no more Jumping due to Weather Holds. Day after day we'd get ready but eventually told No Jumping Today. Eventually things cleared up and jumps 3, 4 from C-141 Aircraft came around. Look put for those lakes on Fryar! Jump 5 from a C-123 and I earn my Wings! Those heading for Bragg left that afternoon. As I was heading for Vicenza I got to stick around for a while.
I graduated nearly 20 years ago, this is by far one of the best videos of Airborne training I've ever seen. Very well put together and loved the "leg" comments at the end!!! Airborne!!
Agreed. I did OSUT, Airborne, and RIP in the late 90s. Didn't think Jump School was anything but a good time. Slow runs, easy PT, and weekends off. What more could you ask from a military school? Honestly, RIP wasn't all that difficult then; not like RASP seems now. The hard parts came later. Fun times.
This is great to watch. My son is currently on his 3rd day of the 3 week school. Its amazing the amount of hours of training that was developed to make sure these soldiers get it right. As a parent, I'm very thankful to these instructors for their hours of dedication to getting it right. As an American.. I'm thankful for these brave soldiers that will go on and do this in missions around the world. God, please bless them.
I don’t remember any staff members/instructors speaking in these calm conversational voices-EVER during my 3 weeks. But; this is a very well done piece.
Mad respect. I spent 4 years in the military, but I don’t know if I ever will find myself jumping out of planes. Obviously, I realize that these men and women get the best training in the world and mishaps are rare, but it would take a lot to overcome that fear of mine.
Mishaps are not rare at all. Extremely serious and even fatal mishaps exist and Those are rare, but injury in general is pretty common. That extra $150 a month might sound nice but every single jump will screw up your knees more and more and there's no going back from that.
FYI, the term "Leg" comes from WW2 when the first Army Airborne units formed from existing Army formations. The regular Army uniform at the time required the Trousers to be worn straight down on the outside of the boots, hence the name, straight leg Infantry. Paratroopers were authorized to "blouse" or tuck uniform trousers into the top of their boots, further identifying them as elite and separate from the other Army soldiers. This was in addition to wearing the parachutist wings and the Airborne insignia on the cap. Therefore, they were separate and distinct than their straight leg Infantry counterparts. And now you the rest of the story.
My father was one of the many hundreds who first went through this training. He was not old enough to enlist in time to be among the very first trainees, they jumped into Normandy the night before *D-Day.* My father and his regiment were replacement troops, replacing the souls lost to death or injury as the Allies progressed across Europe. Because of the gap from the very first Airborne Troops already in England and waiting for D-Day, my father and other paratroopers like him stayed state side and trained and trained ...and trained. Having written all that, less than 10% of Americans in Uniform saw Combat on the ground in WW2, the "hardened troops"" were proven fighters. They got breaks but we're back at it again later. I eventually learned how to spot the difference between a Combat Veteran versus a Veteran from the War. Combat Veterans were much quieter about the whole thing. My father was a machine gunner so he was both a target and he shot many but you would never know that had you met him later. My father was very eager to go to War as a young man. He didn't regret his service but he wasn't in love with War, especially after experiencing it first hand. We all should never love War. For more, I highly recommend learning about Decorated Combat Marine General Smedley Butler and listening to Eisenhower's Farewell Address from the White House.
Beautiful to read! Your father was a true hero. Maybe his paths crossed with other paratroopers who became celebrities like William Windom. He was with the 508th, 82nd AA. He jumped on D-Day and in the Netherlands. He even faked his own death when a sniper attacked his unit.He was a born actor!
@It puts the lotion on its skin My Comment was a follow up to the Video. An homage to the men (and women) in the training now, an homage to my father and to those he served with. It's also a statement against being in love with War from myself, my father and Decorated Combat Marine General Smedley Butler. That's far different from fearing it, in case anyone is keeping score. I prefer my privacy online from Clowms and identity theives versus compromising it to try and "prove" to anyone, a statement that I would have no logical reason to lie about. Your simplistic Comment is merely helping other people around the globe decide which Comments are worthwhile. I doubt that you're finished yet but I've encountered many (online only) "brave" idiots before most people knew there was an Internet.
> Combat Veterans were much quieter about the whole thing That's still true today about Iraq/Afghanistan veterans. No one who's seen the shit needs to prove anything, because they already have.
Since they didn’t really explain it, the spank is a non verbal communication that lets you know your gear is good to go. You can’t pat anywhere else because you’re covered in gear. Next, a “leg” is actually an acronym.. Low Entry Ground infantry, vs Airborne Infantry. Leg essentially means you deploy from a truck on the ground.
The "LEG" acronym you mention isn't really a thing. That sounds like something that was made up later because somebody complained that it was "hazing" to call non-Airborne personnel "legs." But the actual historical explanation is pretty simple. Back in WW2 (when the Army started the paratrooper program) the standard Army soldier wore leggings while the paratrooper wore combat boots and bloused his pants into his boots. You could always tell a paratrooper was different just by his shoes. Hence, standard soldiers were called "legs" in reference to the leggings that they wore.
Im scared of heights which i normally overcome but 1k feet seems extreme! Id it that hard? I want to go the airbone and ranger path in a couple years (2-4 years)
Spent 3 weeks getting used to yelling "AIRBORNE" any time we were called to attention. Then immediately followed by a week of deprogramming that while at replacement at Ft. Campbell, home of the 101st (Air Assault), where you guessed it, you have to yell "AIR ASSAULT" when called to attention, only to finally arrive at the 160th's Green Platoon where you yell "NIGHT STALKERS DON'T QUIT" when called to attention. Defiantly got smoked more than once for accidentally yelling the wrong thing, lol. Good times.
I was a Flight Medic (UH60) at 50th Med/MEDEVAC, right next to you Night Stalkers. I was also jump qualified due to a 2 1/2-year stint in 12th SFG(A). I know I am dating myself, both 50th Med and 12th Group have been deactivated. I just want to tell Andrew, and the other Jump Puppies here, thank you for your service. Andrew, you are HARDCORE... SERE(C) is a nutcruncher of a course. Thanks again for your service and sacrifices. AIRBORNE, All the way!
Completed the training the summer before entering my senior year at the United States Naval Academy in 1978. All of the drill instructors were Vietnam combat veterans and they kicked our butts for three weeks. Never had breaks and constantly on the run or doing pushups. I graduated in the best physical condition of my life and developed a deep respect for the Army. My son is currently in his third year at West Point and I hope he will have the opportunity to go. Airborne!!
It wasn't at all like that in the mid-90s. I was a Marine ANGLICO lieutenant. We had an intense pre-Airborne PT screening process before we got orders for school. When I got there, the PT was so easy that I worked out on my own in the evenings so I wouldn't get out of shape before I returned to ANGLICO. The only tough part was that first step out the door.
@@dallascorpio many were straight out of basic training, and not in great shape. But I can tell you from experience that those who were actually assigned to an Airborne unit like the 82nd were in MUCH better shape. The majority of those who go to Airborne School never jump again.
Thank you and to the brave that serve, for this video. My Wife's Dad served as a paratrooper and was champ in 2 different weight classes (in boxing). He was murdered in the States in 95. She didn't know a lot about her Dad until recently. She absolutely loved the video and I know it made her proud to see what her Dad had to go through. Tysm.
I went to Airborne school almost 2 decades ago. It was definitely 1 of the most fun schools the Army allowed me to go to. I wish they'd let us old timers go back just for kicks and giggles 😂🤣
I went through Airborne school in March 2020 right as Covid hit. They rushed us through the course in 10 days. Jumped 3 times on our first jumping day.
I did this back in May 2012. It was the best 3 weeks of my Army service. I was in Bravo Company alongside with Air Force, Marines, Navy, and even Polish and Iraqi forces. It was absolutely incredible!
I stumbled through the air after I jumped. My parachute twisted and cause my parachute not to fully open. Thank goodness for all the training I got. I was able to open it long enough to slowdown, I slow down a bit, and remember my role. I hit hard. I felt the energy run from my feet up the spinal cord, up to where we had our hands ... I broke nothing thanks to my instructors
@@edorofish Ha! Nice and early in the morning so you smelled delightful and were crunchy all day - I can't believe I didn't read comments about that! That new chute looks different that our T10...
Respect to all of them. I'm afraid of heights and would never willingly jump out of a perfectly good airplane. I'm very grateful for the men and women willing to do so for our freedom and safety.
Haha just shows how selective they can choose from the camera reels. Airborne school showed me just how scared I should be of the stupidity of my fellow comrades.
@@botherednickel5930 haha yeah, this! Some people somehow hear none of the directions given to us. They stick out like a sore thumb too usually. Footage here was pretty selective but you can still see a few dumb things people did.
In April while at work my machine tipped over and I was 40-45 feet high. Before I hit the ground I jumped from my basket and the training I received from airborne school over 20 years ago were still in my mind knees and feet together and roll. I'm sure it saved my life. I still broke my ankle and messed up my knee a bit but I'm sure it would have been much worse. A coworker said he couldn't believe I was conscious let alone alive
@@timothyjburton I had a couple good landings. Granted, it was probably 2 or 3, out of 30 jumps. Daytime Hollywood, with calm winds, and you've got a 50/50 chance at having a good jump.
The t10d was the chute that ended things for me. My ruck was over 100lbs, and me weighing over 200 some would say I was a little heavy. #7 jumper, first to hit the ground. Jacked up my lumbar spine. Several weeks of recovery helped but the constant running and more jumping made things worse. I would take a t11 night combat over a t10d daytime hollywood.
Officially 5th jump complete airborne school has been the best thing I've ever done, it's truly a strange feeling after 2 weeks of training and then going in the aircraft and taking off it doesn't feel real, I was so scared sitting in the plane watching my fellow jumpers exit the aircraft however when it was my pass my brain just turned off and my training kicked in and by the time I knew what was happening I was in the air with a great view. One thing is for sure I'm glad to no longer be a dirty nasty leg
Being airborne qualified in a leg unit means you're a leg. Even airborne units are just glorified leg units. The so called combat jump on oral wasn't even a combat jump they jumped into secure territory 😂
I graduated from US Army Airborne School way back in 2001. The three week course is relatively the same. There are a few aspects not shown in the video... 1. There is daily physical training and a 3-4 mile run afterwards at a 8:30 minute pace. If you 'fall out' (leave formation), it is grounds for recycle (send to new class) or failure from the course. 2. You do have nights and weekends off, but you must be disciplined. Showing up hung over or late is grounds for recycling or failure from the course. 3. The 250 foot tower still gets sporadic use. It is primarily for weaker members of the class to have a remedial chance to prove worthiness in second week before jumping from C-130 in third week. 4. The video shows daytime jumps. The final jump is at night with full equipment along with parachutes.
I did as well in 2001. Delta Co. Sgt Airborne Bailey. I'll never forget him. He was tabbed the hell out, looked like Cal Ripken Jr but mean as a rattlesnake.
I went through jump school back in 1972 and it's the best thing ever because it's not for everybody because you have to dedicate yourself to your training and trust in your ability and remember everything that you were taught and you'll be just fine
Jump school 2010. We had shit weather and only did daytime Hollywood, and we knew we were finishing on a specific day after many failed attempts. Me and buddies got hammered and showed up to the barracks at 0400 before the 0430 wake up and were so hungover we kept falling asleep 😂 One even threw up on his last jump and the cadre thought he got a concussion lol. Good times
I went through jump school in Spring of 1968. Older planes and equipment but fundamentally the same. Success is all about the great training. After jump school I was in a very small group selected to go to rigger school. It was one of the luckiest days of my life as most of my buddies went straight to infantry units in Vietnam. After rigger school I was sent to the 1st Air Cav in VN and worked in the new field of helicopter air support. We rappelled out of helicopters but never got to jump again after leaving the states.
I was an EMT, at Ft. Bragg. Our unit covered jumps for the XVIII ABN Corps, 44th Medical Brigade (ABN), Special Forces, Rangers, and on rare occasions the Marines. ::SALUTE:: to anyone who has earned their wings. God bless the A-I-R-B-O-R-N-E!
I was an air dispatcher and also did my parachute training. The main difference between air dispatchers and parachutists is that air dispatchers know how often parachutes don't open. One great example was a land rover (jeep) coming out the back of a C-130. A drogue chute pulled the pallet contaioning the vehicle out of the aircraft, and then the parachutes were supposed to open. WHAM!!! The only things that were the same shape were the steering wheel and the vehicle wheels. For some reason, a big drop out of a Caribou would see all pallets go out successfully, but for some unknown reason the parachutes on the last 4 pallets didn't open. A free drop of tyres was also interesting. We'd see the tyres go down into the trees, and then reappear above the trees before disappearing again.
In 1960, I joined the Army 2 weeks after graduation from high school ... FOR .. the 101st Airborne Division. I had a contract in hand. In December 1960, I did Jump School at Ft. Campbell, KY, and spent the next 3 years on Jump status with the 101st Screaming Eagles. At the end of my enlistment, I re-enlisted for MAAG-Vietnam. I did a 2nd Nam tour 69-71. I served 30 years .. Uncle Sam was good to me and I was good to him. AATW.
It's weird that this is 100% accurate. You have to be on the look out for other jumpers who you might be headed toward a crash with, and slip away if you can. But otherwise, it's the most peaceful 20 seconds of your life, followed by a rather terrifying last 2-3 seconds where you just hope your muscle memory takes over, so you can avoid going toes to ass.
@@AndrewHosford Can't slip a T-11. Good luck with that, MC-6 is the one you really need to watch out for sky sharks. Toes to Ass isn't the issue, it's the compound fracture.
@@timothyjburton ha, ya, luckily I never had to jump a T11. Those things look HUGE! I don't know how you'd push any air out the side of one of those unless you weight like 250lbs, lol. I went toes to ass on my first jump and messed up my ankle pretty badly. Pulled a slip to slow my horizontal momentum, about 30 feet off the ground, and must have overdone it, cause I lost all horizontal movement and came straight down. Luckily it wasn't broken or too badly sprained that I couldn't finish the next 4 jumps, but it messed with me pretty badly during Green Platoon, and finally finished healing a couple months after.
Proud to have been a US paratrooper 60 jumps, 58 great, 2 ,I crawled away from 73 years old, right knee replaced, shoulder rebuilt, and left ankle floats. I loved to wear the 82d and 101st patches.
My dad was 82nd Airborne out of Ft. Bragg during the Vietnam War. He has been gone 14 years, GOD i miss him. To my dad and all veterans, much respect and love.
I took a similar course while stationed in Germany back in 1965. The Army held a jump school for Artillery and Armor soldiers to familiarize and encourage going Airborne at Grafenbourg. Our class was from 8 AM to 1 Pm every day for 4 weeks. Hey, i got me out of KP and Guard duty while at Graf. I did three jumps over Southern Bavaria farm lands, plopping in freshly fertilized fields. I never did go Airborne, but did get to experience the jump.
Same here. I didn't get to go to Airborne until 2011 at the age of 34. Leg unit. It wasn't until 2013 I got to go on jump status in a real Airbone company
Not going to Airborne School was one of the biggest regrets I had when I was in the Army. If you are a fatherless young man who wants an adventure and learn how to be a man, the Army is for you. But it’s a serious job, not for the faint hearted. And if you want to be Infantry, it is definitely not for the faint hearted or weak minded. Make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into but I swear it’s a journey like no other. Be open minded to the world and be courteous of different cultures when you go. If you are an ignorant or dim person, it will be hard for you.
Developing the self-control to keep my eyes on the horizon, so that hitting the ground came as a surprise, was the key for me having better landings. (Class of 2013)
This is actually really good advice when it comes to skydiving too, but for the opposite reason you've stated hahaha. In skydiving when you're landing it's better to look at the horizon because it's easier to accurately guage your distance from the ground to flare on time.
"that 18 to 20 some seconds that you have, you are in your happy place", it's true, all the training for the 20 seconds of an adrenalin rush, it's amazing, is not about the money...
@@JiggsTheMonk02 I remember the boot black guy . I never used his service. 2 years ago the Army went to their new retro uniform from the 1940’s . The service hat visor, strap, low quarters and dress gloves are all brown leather . Not black! I’m not sure if Airborne units will continue with black or get the retro reddish- Brown Corcoran Jump Boot . They brought back the Garrison Hat with the Glider Patch. Back in 1989 I DEROS back to the States from Frankfurt to Ft. Fix in Class A’s with Jump Boots and a Glider Patch . I still have them .
I went through this in the summer of 1990...just before the start of the first Gulf War (Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm). The main difference between then and now is the different parachutes used in jumps. We used T10-C and MC1-1B parachutes, which were both round. The T10-C was a solid round chute with a small opening on the top, and no toggle knobs on the risers. The MC1-1B had a hole in the back of the chute that helped with forward movement in the air, and toggle knobs on the risers to make them easier to steer. The training is just about the same as it was back then. Congratulations to this class of paratroopers. AIRBORNE ALL THE WAY to all the current and former brothers and sisters of the silk.
I’d be scared shitless of jumping out of an aircraft but this actually makes me feel safe. From how seriously the riggers take their job to the amount of training you get and how you prepare for the jump… man this is good. I wonder how other countries like New Zealand compares to the level of training and SAFETY the US imposes.
SSG Fisher was one of my platoon's instructors when I went to Airborne School. He was a great guy, could teach the material well and shared a lot of his personal jump experience with us.
In my class which started 2 weeks ago they didn't test us until like day 1. I believe a short NCO was disqualified cuz she couldn't reach the static line. Poor lady came all the way from Germany . Idk if or when common sense will ever become a thing in there army 😮💨...
@@toluolaitan916 I wonder why she didn’t just serve in the german army? They have paratroopers there also. But the army making sense? Never gonna happen, sincerely, a MP on duty rn
This looks fun without a fear of heights, but I have fear of heights, and... that's only 3 week train, 5 successful jumps and u are qualified which is amazing.
@@just.jose.youtube Everything on a soldier's body come from companies and not only coming from the military industry, but the civil industry as well...when we talked about pizza for example, the military also eat pizza the same pizza we eat from the same company...
Airborne was great course, and very instructive. As an AF cadet, I learned almost as much about the Army as I did about the jump school. I’m happy to see that they have improved the program to help better weed out folks that won’t make it in their units. Airborne!
I never saw any fat cadre at Airborne School. Our head guy was named "Smokey" and he would get you out of bed at 3:00 AM for PT. After you were almost finished training they got more friendly. The cadre all looked tough as nails.
They would never send you Jump School with a requirement like that. They just wanted you to run 3 miles a day and have the heart to jump out of the plane. They spent too much money on your training to let you flunk out that easy.
This is my dream. I used to be terrified of heights, I learned that it was because I didn’t feel like i was in control. Watching the moment you hit freefall is the most unique experience. I never thought something so “scary” could be so beautiful and calm.
I miss being a Black Hat. Its only been about a year since but got to work with some great instructors, some of which are in this video. The hours are long but worth it when you put those soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen through and see them get their wings. Ive done three Instructor jobs in my career (Drill Sergeant, NCO Instructor, and Airborne Instructor). Being an Airborne Instructor was def memorable and fulfilling.
My dad jumped outta C-130's and he was terrified of height's, the dude can't be 3ft off the ground without peeing his pant's. He was so brave to do that, i honor him for his service.
My dad was an airborne Ranger and Special Forces advisor in Vietnam. When I came back from Nam with the 101st he asked me one day-"don't those jumps scare you,." He said jumping out of an airplane scared the hell out of him. I didn't think he was scared of anything.
Same here, I remember a Lt broke her leg on the 4th jump and the Sergeant Airborne asked to sign her cast, he signed it in big red letters, LEGG, she didn't like it very much, she was Recycled a few months later.
I went through in 86 and was assigned to most of the Airborne units as Airborne Ranger. I enjoyed 22 great years and loved every minute of it. I miss the camaraderie of the military and still keep in contact with my buddies. RLTW
The real hero is the cameraman who enlisted in the Army, Marine, Navy, and Airforce
and coast guard, they also made a bootcamp video in coast guard
Secret Service aswell
LMAO
and the Canadian Mounties
And the marine corps drill instructor.
Dude imagine dreaming of being a paratrooper your entire life and then you can’t reach the wire.
Crazy because I was in an airborne unit for 3 years and have NEVER heard of that 🤣🤣 must be new
@@willymot honestly. Lmao
When the cameras turned off they let her jump anyway 😹😹😹
@@chaddd0427 I mean, she’s gotta stand up on the seats anyway! 😂
We had a short commo Sgt who got too chubby to reach the wire. We always had to boost him up a little for pay jumps.
Did this for 8 years, landed in trees, on runways, in the ocean and numerous dropzones around the world, worst injury I suffered was my own fault and I still at age 60, walk upright and noble, no knee pain or ankle pain and last but not least, am proud to have been a paratrooper!!!
Well bless you. I got Airborne feet, ankles, knees and lower back. Those PLFs on Sicily DZ were rough.
@@ybgl7965 I can only imagine.
Thank you for your service.
AIRBORNE
All the way!
I got 43 jumps within 4 years and half, most of them with combat load and my knees, ankles etc are perfectly fine. Paratroopers can't skip leg day and have to put in the work as often as possible. God bless the paratroopers all over the world. Greetings from Portugal
Remind us how those knees are feeling come middle age :D
@@godbelow I'm 37 and yup they're fucked. I jumped with the older parachutes too. T 10deltas. The army wasnt soft back in my day. So I beat my body up and I wouldn't change a thing. 72 jumps and everyone was awsome. Some close calls but awsome. I was addicted. I jumped 4 times in one day once. My buddy was in charge of putting jumpers on the roster and he needed slots filled so I said I'd do it. Lol it sucked. 2 day jumps Hollywood and 2 nights full combat. I was so tired from adrenaline dumps. Good times.
@@godbelow you might be right, but til this day I don’t see any signs
@Jason
40 years later, my knees are just fine. 47 jumps in 3 yrs.
Landed without being able to deploy rucksack, it beat me up good. Been dealing with back surgery, knee and ankle issues... 43 combat training jumps usually at night landing in Normandy DZ can be like landing on concrete.
Even with it all, it was an awesome experience--Airborne!
That "feet and knees together" repetition is crucial. I had to chant that when I got close to the ground to fight that overwhelming urge to 'step down' with one foot. I'm sure it saved me from breaking something.
What bone name is something?
@@_salzberri Your ankles everything on your lower legs. Once you jump once you understand that feeling. 18 jumps later I still do.
Jump school was the easiest school I every did. After Basic and infantry AIT. I went straight in to jump school. It was funny to be with marines, seals, pjs, and a bunch of high ranking people that just want their wings before retirement. Guess they gave up on the Towers. Those were scarier than jumping out of a plane. Airborne school I probably drank the most of in my life. 3 weeks of vacation. Before RIP. This was in mid 90s looks even easy.
@@Turnb11 you must be new here?
@@_salzberri No, far from new.
Served 12 years as a medic in a paratrooper platoon - best time of my life.
"Keep your feet and knees together" is exactly the same you hear all the time at German airborne school too. Love it :D
"Glück Ab!" from Germany
Die ami ausbildung wirkt wie kindergarten
How are your knees? Does it wear out over time, or is the safety protocol is enough to avoid that?
Any MOS can become a paratrooper. Is that right?
@@gayleralan Ist die Bundeswehrausbildung härter? Hätte gedacht bei den Amis wäre der Ausbildungton deutlich rauer.
@@pavelkolesnik9366 most anyone can go to the school. If you're going to an Airborne unit, the unit would need to have your MOS. A Bradley mechanic could go to Airborne school and get his/her wings, but they wouldn't be assigned to an Airborne unit.
I think it's crazy that humans can learn "unnatural" things like this so quickly. 3 weeks, only 1 of which is spent jumping out of an actual aircraft, and you're good to go. We can do a lot of incredible things when we put our minds to it.
Well. They only get a hang of the basics. They then graduate and become real soldiers. Active trqin constantly. Guard train once a month. They continue to learn and hone their skills.
@@vyros.3234 the basics are all you need to jump out of a plane there guy it’s not hard at all
its not that difficult, you just have to follow basic instructions, the hardest part both literally and mentally is landing.
When it comes to training, the military has no equal. They have to be able to train a variety of people with varying capacities and do it efficiently (usually weeks or less) and effectively since lives matter. If you want a solid trainer, look for someone who trained others in the military as their MOS/AFSC/Rate.
PLF's and the basics can be learned and practiced each day and should only take 7 days max to be ready to jump. That said, the final 2 weeks should be all jumps. We only got 4 day jumps and 1 night jump when i went through 30 years ago. And the night jump got called off and we had to wait another damn day to do it.
I graduated from Jump School at Benning in November, 1974. The training really hasn't changed much. Now I'm old and slow, but will always be part of the paratrooper brotherhood. Airborne!
I graduated in October 74 from Ft Benning jump school, old and slow too but still a soldier at heart
Rock on Brother! A 4/325th 82nd ABN here. I jumped, I loved it and I stayed with it 6 years.
Thank you for your service.
42nd Company? Sgt Harris here, Tac NCO. We also had zero week and 2 drops from the 250 towers.
42nd Company? Sgt Harris, Tac NCO, PT Sgt@@greggdarbygregg9760
For something so dangerous, the training seems very well put together.
Except for parking a vehicle in the drop zone
@@Hotmaildotcomz well I don’t think it was in the “drop zone” she just over shot the perimeters.
Hi
Please how are you doing today I hope you are doing well
Please where are you from
Anyone in the military can basically take this course and never jump again, but unless they belong to a unit that is an airborne tasking, they won’t receive the monthly jump pay....
exactly, so many soldiers have to beg to get a jump to keep the pay. I've heard counless times that E4 and below can be excluded depending where you are at which is fucked.
@@rodneyhorsley8601 Former Paratrooper here: Unless you are serving in an Airborne Unit you are NOT going to receive Jump Pay. Even then you Have to Perform a minimum of One Jump per three months. Units carry names of paratroopers and the last day they made a Parachute Jump. Every effort will be made so they can make their Quarterly Jump and keep their Jump Pay. Rank is irrelevant.
IF you are Airborne Qualified but in a Non-Airborne unit You Will NOT Receive Jump Pay. One Exception: For a Specific Job you can be on Jump Status for that One Particular Day and receive Jump Pay that will be Pro Rated.
Anything else is pure hearsay.
@@shaidorsai4834 Former, and I guess still, Cherry here: lol, can confirm what a pain in the ass it is to get a jump slot if your job doesn't require it. I went through jump school at the beginning of 2006, spent the next 4 years with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), and could never get a jump slot. I thought maybe it was a seniority thing, or maybe missing additional training that would make me ineligible for a jump slot, but even after making E5 and completing SERE(C), still couldn't get a jump slot. Though, to be fair, I was a machinist, and unlike the 82nd, we didn't have air droppable machine shops. We would just FedEx all the tools and parts I made to whatever war they needed to get to, lol.
THANK YOU they need a veteran to proof read these final scripts, it's not they're bad, there's just these small attention to detail things they keep missing,
i.e. The jump pay thing
@@shaidorsai4834 You are the perfect one to ask. My son graduates in three weeks from FT jackson he didn't have airborne school in his contract so he had to go back to meps to get qualified . Will he be asked during AIT? He got everything he asked for in his contract with that small hick up. 17 echo📡E3 with no college credits. 116 GT score . 🇺🇸🪂
Kudos to all the paratroopers who can get through without breaking a leg. What did I get out of Airborne School? A bad knee that stills pains me over 40 years later.
Try doing a other 50+ jumps in the 82nd with actual combat load. We all have bad knees lol
@@CH-qy5sn you had it made down south, I was 1/40 cav at Rich. Every jump left its mark. Should have picked mechanized..
@@SJ-gd6bo wouldn't exactly call 82nd infantry having it made but aight lol. I was 173rd in Italy as well jumped plenty of shit terrain/climate there. 172nd in Germany before that. Not to mention a deployment to Ramadi and 2 deploymemts to afghanistan, both to the mountains of rc east on the pakistan border. All light. So like I said before, we all have bad knees
@@CH-qy5sn I didn't get to go anywhere but Afghanistan, Paktika and Paktiya province's. Shit times
@@SJ-gd6bo yeah I was in paktika where abouts were you there
So proud of my Airborne son,
Brian J. Roth. 1990-2022 🌹
sorry for your loss.
Airborne All The Way!
Sorry, your loss airborne all the way
You raised a badass ❤
he's in Valhalla jumping with angels 🫡
The "Seal of Approval" is the only reason Sgt. Fischer wanted the job!!
Haha
SHARP has enter the chat
Didn’t have the seal of approval 30 years ago
rofl does he get to do that to female trainees too? maybe not such a bad job
@@zerocooljpn so you wanna do this job because you can give women the "seal of approval"? You weirdo, would you like another doing that to your daughter?
I wish germany had the american parachutes. While you guys come down like feathers, we're playing "who's the fastest airborne fridge" over here. Greetings from germany.
They recently changed them.
That means Germans gets into action faster 😁
I did the German jump course and your chutes have a rate of decent equal to the Canadian parachutes between 18 and 22' rate of decent, thats not an issue at all.
We used T-10’s when I was in the 82nd. It was as soft as jumping off a two floor building. Some Germans spent time with my unit at Bragg. Good soldiers, but I wouldn’t recommend trying to keep up with them drinking.
Brah i seen yalls chutes Nope im good lol
at this point insider should just enlist with the army lmao
Lol
Or change the channel's name to "Army Insider"...
There is NO WAY I'd serve under the Biden's Misadministration.
I am so very glad I'm out.
@@shaidorsai4834 Dont muddy this with your BS politics.
@@jlucas136 you think those 13 servicemembers deaths are bs?
Word is, even the pilots jump and the plane deploys it’s own shoots and lands flawlessly.
"But officer, I was just giving her the seal of approval".
@@ScumfuckMcDoucheface username checks out 😭😭😂
@@michelle2561 =)
We need daddy’s approval, we don’t want to be a disappointment and not get the seal of approval booty cheek smack
I’m willing to bet that the female students are paired up with female instructors during that portion of training.
HEY IF IT CHEEKS OUT IT CHECKS OUT NOT MY RULES ASK UNCLE SAM.
Just graduated Airborne School July 16th. It was good to see my B CO Sergeant Airborne’s in this video. All The Way!
Congrats, welcome to the Brotherhood 🪂
recover 🤺
My father was in 509th airborne. All the way!
Enjoy your knees and back while you can lol. My 31st jump is felt for life.
Gimmi that extra $150 you guys get?
I went through jump school 42 years ago and all of this was familiar to me. So proud of the new jumpers. One difference from my time, tower week included the 250ft tower. Great job putting this together!
They still have the towers but currently the parachutes that were used for the towers are past their time of use and it's to expensive to replace them and it also helps cut down on the amount of chutes needing to be repacked every week.
Oh, those towers! Specially the 250 footer !
I’ll never forget!
The Hot Summer of 1968.
I went about a decade ago and we still did the 250 ft tower. Seemed scarier than a real jump out of the aircraft
@@botherednickel5930 I was wondering why they did not show the 250 ft tower.
Went thru 54 years ago. I remember the training cadre being a bit "rougher" than the ones in this video. We actually had five Navy SEALS in our class. They told us that someone looked at their records and said they did not have a jump school certificate. So they decided to send them to Army Jump School. Now these guys had more than a hundred HALO jumps, half of them wearing scuba gear. And after surviving SEAL training, they were out there running with us every morning. Great bunch of guys. If you want someone to "have your back", these are the guys. I wound up spending my active duty time with the 101st Airborne Division. Definitely was not going to be a "leg."
Somehow this was recommended to me and I’m glad it was, my grandfather served as a paratrooper with the 82nd airborne division. He recounted many times of how much he loved those years. He passed in 2009 but his memory lives on.
Week 1: Separate the men from the boys.
Week 2: Separate the wise from the fools.
Week 3: The fools jump.
Lmao
lmao
lmao
True
This school is not that hard
The place hasn't changed much in 20 years. Brings back a lot of memories. I graduated the week that they caught Sadam. My folks were happy, because they thought that meant the war was over. 3 or 4 weeks later, I was in Baghdad though.
Cool story bro 😎
Thank you for your service man 🙏
@@andyds1 I went back in '07 for deployment #3, with a nice fat stoploss.
The baracks there sure look a whole lot nicer though lol
I graduated in July, 1986 #36-86. Still looks the same
My Airborne School lasted 5 weeks. We had two jumps followed by a whole bunch of nasty weather so we spent as much time just sitting in the rigger shed as we did actually training. Then one day, the weather cleared and we finally got those last three jumps!
Man, this brings back some memories. I'm so blessed to have been (and always will be) a Paratrooper!
Sounds familiar.
Ground Week was COLD. I saw a low of 15 Degrees later in the papers. Tower Week warmed up nicely. Jump Week and The Rains came. Two Jumps and no more Jumping due to Weather Holds. Day after day we'd get ready but eventually told No Jumping Today. Eventually things cleared up and jumps 3, 4 from C-141 Aircraft came around. Look put for those lakes on Fryar! Jump 5 from a C-123 and I earn my Wings!
Those heading for Bragg left that afternoon. As I was heading for Vicenza I got to stick around for a while.
mine was 5 weeks also we had a double zero week
AATW!!1 Yep, I remember the Black Hats........Glad I did it!!
Hey I jumped with you a time or two
A new circle of hell has been described
I graduated nearly 20 years ago, this is by far one of the best videos of Airborne training I've ever seen. Very well put together and loved the "leg" comments at the end!!!
Airborne!!
This school was like a vacation. So much fun.
😂 Ikr so much fun
I might not have said that in say week 2. However, during jump week, and now years later? Yeah, a lot of fun.
@@Analysta654 I suppose "Vacation" all depends on what your usual day to day grind was :P
Agreed. I did OSUT, Airborne, and RIP in the late 90s. Didn't think Jump School was anything but a good time. Slow runs, easy PT, and weekends off. What more could you ask from a military school? Honestly, RIP wasn't all that difficult then; not like RASP seems now. The hard parts came later. Fun times.
@@DocPicklez Semper Fi
Next: "Insider spent 5 days in a U.S. Army kitchen where we observed different courses created out of thin air."
I'll rejoin when the DEFAC gets a Michelin star!
Boil Bags. They will film 5 days of boiling bags.
I've eaten a lot of things in Army chow halls that tasted like thin air.
"Where we observe how the army doesn't fully cook its scrambled eggs serving it to soldiers 30-40% still liquid."
Uncle Sam wants you to scramble some wuebos together to muster in the military 🪖🎖️
This is great to watch. My son is currently on his 3rd day of the 3 week school. Its amazing the amount of hours of training that was developed to make sure these soldiers get it right. As a parent, I'm very thankful to these instructors for their hours of dedication to getting it right. As an American.. I'm thankful for these brave soldiers that will go on and do this in missions around the world. God, please bless them.
my son just finished his training.
Lol
Your son made the right choice. After 86 jumps and 8 years in the Army, I thank your son for his service.
Thank you for your service as well, sir.@@Capitan_Doug_Keith
I don’t remember any staff members/instructors speaking in these calm conversational voices-EVER during my 3 weeks. But; this is a very well done piece.
Mad respect. I spent 4 years in the military, but I don’t know if I ever will find myself jumping out of planes. Obviously, I realize that these men and women get the best training in the world and mishaps are rare, but it would take a lot to overcome that fear of mine.
Mishaps are not rare at all. Extremely serious and even fatal mishaps exist and Those are rare, but injury in general is pretty common. That extra $150 a month might sound nice but every single jump will screw up your knees more and more and there's no going back from that.
Lol do it
@@bestieswithtesties yeah my hips have arthritis bad. Was a tough school but I did it. Super Duper Paratrooper
Had many soldiers get cut. Marines and Academy grads. It was gnarly
You gotta do it while a youngster
FYI, the term "Leg" comes from WW2 when the first Army Airborne units formed from existing Army formations. The regular Army uniform at the time required the Trousers to be worn straight down on the outside of the boots, hence the name, straight leg Infantry. Paratroopers were authorized to "blouse" or tuck uniform trousers into the top of their boots, further identifying them as elite and separate from the other Army soldiers. This was in addition to wearing the parachutist wings and the Airborne insignia on the cap. Therefore, they were separate and distinct than their straight leg Infantry counterparts.
And now you the rest of the story.
My father was one of the many hundreds who first went through this training. He was not old enough to enlist in time to be among the very first trainees, they jumped into Normandy the night before *D-Day.* My father and his regiment were replacement troops, replacing the souls lost to death or injury as the Allies progressed across Europe.
Because of the gap from the very first Airborne Troops already in England and waiting for D-Day, my father and other paratroopers like him stayed state side and trained and trained ...and trained.
Having written all that, less than 10% of Americans in Uniform saw Combat on the ground in WW2, the "hardened troops"" were proven fighters. They got breaks but we're back at it again later. I eventually learned how to spot the difference between a Combat Veteran versus a Veteran from the War. Combat Veterans were much quieter about the whole thing.
My father was a machine gunner so he was both a target and he shot many but you would never know that had you met him later.
My father was very eager to go to War as a young man. He didn't regret his service but he wasn't in love with War, especially after experiencing it first hand. We all should never love War. For more, I highly recommend learning about Decorated Combat Marine General Smedley Butler and listening to Eisenhower's Farewell Address from the White House.
Your father sounds like a very interesting man. I thank him for his service!
I thank him for his service as well.
Beautiful to read! Your father was a true hero. Maybe his paths crossed with other paratroopers who became celebrities like William Windom. He was with the 508th, 82nd AA. He jumped on D-Day and in the Netherlands. He even faked his own death when a sniper attacked his unit.He was a born actor!
@It puts the lotion on its skin My Comment was a follow up to the Video. An homage to the men (and women) in the training now, an homage to my father and to those he served with. It's also a statement against being in love with War from myself, my father and Decorated Combat Marine General Smedley Butler. That's far different from fearing it, in case anyone is keeping score.
I prefer my privacy online from Clowms and identity theives versus compromising it to try and "prove" to anyone, a statement that I would have no logical reason to lie about. Your simplistic Comment is merely helping other people around the globe decide which Comments are worthwhile. I doubt that you're finished yet but I've encountered many (online only) "brave" idiots before most people knew there was an Internet.
> Combat Veterans were much quieter about the whole thing
That's still true today about Iraq/Afghanistan veterans. No one who's seen the shit needs to prove anything, because they already have.
My son just graduated boot and is heading to airborne school tomorrow. I am so proud of him.
Since they didn’t really explain it, the spank is a non verbal communication that lets you know your gear is good to go. You can’t pat anywhere else because you’re covered in gear.
Next, a “leg” is actually an acronym.. Low Entry Ground infantry, vs Airborne Infantry. Leg essentially means you deploy from a truck on the ground.
In AIT a friend and I got told to call one of our Airborne DS a dirty leg by another Airborne DS, boy the smoking we got, 😆.
Danteelite, you are wrong. Let me know if you need some Airborne history bestowed upon you.
The "LEG" acronym you mention isn't really a thing. That sounds like something that was made up later because somebody complained that it was "hazing" to call non-Airborne personnel "legs." But the actual historical explanation is pretty simple.
Back in WW2 (when the Army started the paratrooper program) the standard Army soldier wore leggings while the paratrooper wore combat boots and bloused his pants into his boots. You could always tell a paratrooper was different just by his shoes. Hence, standard soldiers were called "legs" in reference to the leggings that they wore.
Sry I’ll stay a leg lol jumping out of perfectly fine airplanes seems ridiculous
Im scared of heights which i normally overcome but 1k feet seems extreme! Id it that hard? I want to go the airbone and ranger path in a couple years (2-4 years)
Spent 3 weeks getting used to yelling "AIRBORNE" any time we were called to attention. Then immediately followed by a week of deprogramming that while at replacement at Ft. Campbell, home of the 101st (Air Assault), where you guessed it, you have to yell "AIR ASSAULT" when called to attention, only to finally arrive at the 160th's Green Platoon where you yell "NIGHT STALKERS DON'T QUIT" when called to attention. Defiantly got smoked more than once for accidentally yelling the wrong thing, lol. Good times.
I was a Flight Medic (UH60) at 50th Med/MEDEVAC, right next to you Night Stalkers. I was also jump qualified due to a 2 1/2-year stint in 12th SFG(A). I know I am dating myself, both 50th Med and 12th Group have been deactivated. I just want to tell Andrew, and the other Jump Puppies here, thank you for your service. Andrew, you are HARDCORE... SERE(C) is a nutcruncher of a course. Thanks again for your service and sacrifices. AIRBORNE, All the way!
Defiantly or Definitely? I think you mean the latter.
Completed the training the summer before entering my senior year at the United States Naval Academy in 1978. All of the drill instructors were Vietnam combat veterans and they kicked our butts for three weeks. Never had breaks and constantly on the run or doing pushups. I graduated in the best physical condition of my life and developed a deep respect for the Army. My son is currently in his third year at West Point and I hope he will have the opportunity to go. Airborne!!
It wasn't at all like that in the mid-90s. I was a Marine ANGLICO lieutenant. We had an intense pre-Airborne PT screening process before we got orders for school. When I got there, the PT was so easy that I worked out on my own in the evenings so I wouldn't get out of shape before I returned to ANGLICO. The only tough part was that first step out the door.
@@shawnbasil1600 LOL what did you expect? They do not need to be superhuman but competent.
@@dallascorpio many were straight out of basic training, and not in great shape. But I can tell you from experience that those who were actually assigned to an Airborne unit like the 82nd were in MUCH better shape. The majority of those who go to Airborne School never jump again.
How were you able to go to both schools?
Thank you and to the brave that serve, for this video. My Wife's Dad served as a paratrooper and was champ in 2 different weight classes (in boxing). He was murdered in the States in 95. She didn't know a lot about her Dad until recently. She absolutely loved the video and I know it made her proud to see what her Dad had to go through. Tysm.
I went to Airborne school almost 2 decades ago. It was definitely 1 of the most fun schools the Army allowed me to go to. I wish they'd let us old timers go back just for kicks and giggles 😂🤣
38 years ago....
Went through in ‘94. Would go again in a second. You should check out the “Phantom Airborne Brigade”. Group of prior airborne who still jump monthly.
@@Aaron_Stuff_ Oh man that's awesome!! I just had foot surgery, but I hope to meet up with them and jump some time in the future!
We do, it’s called BAR! Lol Basic Airborne Refresher. 3 weeks crammed into 1-2 days.
@@Chabeaux4bayouboy I know hahaha 😂🤣 I recently retired so I know they aren't gonna let my broken butt jump anymore
I went through Airborne school in March 2020 right as Covid hit. They rushed us through the course in 10 days. Jumped 3 times on our first jumping day.
That doesn’t sound good……
Cool story pfc cherry
hey, how much do you ruck march back to your destination after you jump ?
@@sofakingj5498 depends on where you land. Fryer is small though so I’d say a klick at most. Now Sicily DZ on Bragg that’s a big boy
Damn, 3 times in one day.
I did this back in May 2012. It was the best 3 weeks of my Army service. I was in Bravo Company alongside with Air Force, Marines, Navy, and even Polish and Iraqi forces. It was absolutely incredible!
Saw all 5 on my son's jumps...proud I was...proud I am....
I stumbled through the air after I jumped. My parachute twisted and cause my parachute not to fully open. Thank goodness for all the training I got. I was able to open it long enough to slowdown, I slow down a bit, and remember my role. I hit hard. I felt the energy run from my feet up the spinal cord, up to where we had our hands ... I broke nothing thanks to my instructors
wow what happened exactly
cap
The course has changed over the years but the outcome is the same. I graduated Airborne School in 1985. Good times!
Props, you guys got some balls
AATW! What unit did you graduate from? I graduated 28 MAR 2021 from B Co 1-507th PIR
Why is no one mentioning the gig pit?
@@dougsnavely847 I was a regular at the gig pit! I ain't doing no boot black! What a scam!🤣
@@edorofish Ha! Nice and early in the morning so you smelled delightful and were crunchy all day - I can't believe I didn't read comments about that! That new chute looks different that our T10...
Respect to all of them. I'm afraid of heights and would never willingly jump out of a perfectly good airplane. I'm very grateful for the men and women willing to do so for our freedom and safety.
I really do enjoy how specific everyone is being in this video, showing how badass and well trained the US military is and can be.
This isn’t the military
And it gets stupid right after
Haha just shows how selective they can choose from the camera reels. Airborne school showed me just how scared I should be of the stupidity of my fellow comrades.
@@botherednickel5930 haha yeah, this! Some people somehow hear none of the directions given to us. They stick out like a sore thumb too usually. Footage here was pretty selective but you can still see a few dumb things people did.
@@manuelbaut1044 If not the military, what is it?
As someone who never served in the military, I give a sincere thank you to all of those who have!
Training hasn't changed much in 50 years, but the equipment and pay sure has. Class of Aug 1975, All the Way!
August of '76 here.
Stand up, hook up, shuffle to the door, jump right out and count to four! If you know, you know. Lol
It’s cool to see enlisted, NCOs, and commissioned officers all learning together
I'm going airborne this summer at fort Benning after I complete high-school I'm honestly super excited
Good luck kid I went through a few years ago and it's still one of the coolest experiences I've ever had.
jrotc kid lmao
Don’t lol
Join the air force
Good luck, pay attention and have fun in the gig pit😎
In April while at work my machine tipped over and I was 40-45 feet high. Before I hit the ground I jumped from my basket and the training I received from airborne school over 20 years ago were still in my mind knees and feet together and roll. I'm sure it saved my life. I still broke my ankle and messed up my knee a bit but I'm sure it would have been much worse. A coworker said he couldn't believe I was conscious let alone alive
Would've been much worse if they had used the older canopy versions.
T10D’s
Almost every t10 landing hurts
@@jasonarcher7268 All, unless you are counting water jumps.
@@timothyjburton I had a couple good landings. Granted, it was probably 2 or 3, out of 30 jumps. Daytime Hollywood, with calm winds, and you've got a 50/50 chance at having a good jump.
The t10d was the chute that ended things for me. My ruck was over 100lbs, and me weighing over 200 some would say I was a little heavy. #7 jumper, first to hit the ground. Jacked up my lumbar spine. Several weeks of recovery helped but the constant running and more jumping made things worse. I would take a t11 night combat over a t10d daytime hollywood.
Officially 5th jump complete airborne school has been the best thing I've ever done, it's truly a strange feeling after 2 weeks of training and then going in the aircraft and taking off it doesn't feel real, I was so scared sitting in the plane watching my fellow jumpers exit the aircraft however when it was my pass my brain just turned off and my training kicked in and by the time I knew what was happening I was in the air with a great view. One thing is for sure I'm glad to no longer be a dirty nasty leg
Are the 250 feet towers still in use?
Being airborne qualified in a leg unit means you're a leg. Even airborne units are just glorified leg units. The so called combat jump on oral wasn't even a combat jump they jumped into secure territory 😂
@@CubeInspector *me being in an airborne unit* this guys funny
Graduated a month ago! Saw some old peers that got recycled in this video! Really great training and an amazing experience! AALTW!
Lt Col Henderson is a mood. What a cheery chap!
I graduated from US Army Airborne School way back in 2001. The three week course is relatively the same. There are a few aspects not shown in the video...
1. There is daily physical training and a 3-4 mile run afterwards at a 8:30 minute pace. If you 'fall out' (leave formation), it is grounds for recycle (send to new class) or failure from the course.
2. You do have nights and weekends off, but you must be disciplined. Showing up hung over or late is grounds for recycling or failure from the course.
3. The 250 foot tower still gets sporadic use. It is primarily for weaker members of the class to have a remedial chance to prove worthiness in second week before jumping from C-130 in third week.
4. The video shows daytime jumps. The final jump is at night with full equipment along with parachutes.
I did as well in 2001. Delta Co. Sgt Airborne Bailey. I'll never forget him. He was tabbed the hell out, looked like Cal Ripken Jr but mean as a rattlesnake.
I went through jump school back in 1972 and it's the best thing ever because it's not for everybody because you have to dedicate yourself to your training and trust in your ability and remember everything that you were taught and you'll be just fine
Jump school 2010. We had shit weather and only did daytime Hollywood, and we knew we were finishing on a specific day after many failed attempts. Me and buddies got hammered and showed up to the barracks at 0400 before the 0430 wake up and were so hungover we kept falling asleep 😂 One even threw up on his last jump and the cadre thought he got a concussion lol. Good times
Around the world there are AIRBORNE Brothers and Sisters. AIRBORNE ALL THE WAY.
I went through jump school in Spring of 1968. Older planes and equipment but fundamentally the same. Success is all about the great training. After jump school I was in a very small group selected to go to rigger school. It was one of the luckiest days of my life as most of my buddies went straight to infantry units in Vietnam. After rigger school I was sent to the 1st Air Cav in VN and worked in the new field of helicopter air support. We rappelled out of helicopters but never got to jump again after leaving the states.
My dad was in the 82nd airborne division and he said it was the best thing he’s ever experienced
I thank him for his service my great grandfather was in the 82nd airborne in ww2.
I was an EMT, at Ft. Bragg. Our unit covered jumps for the XVIII ABN Corps, 44th Medical Brigade (ABN), Special Forces, Rangers, and on rare occasions the Marines. ::SALUTE:: to anyone who has earned their wings. God bless the A-I-R-B-O-R-N-E!
This must’ve been a while ago, I just left the 44th and they haven’t been airborne for a while
I was an air dispatcher and also did my parachute training. The main difference between air dispatchers and parachutists is that air dispatchers know how often parachutes don't open. One great example was a land rover (jeep) coming out the back of a C-130. A drogue chute pulled the pallet contaioning the vehicle out of the aircraft, and then the parachutes were supposed to open. WHAM!!! The only things that were the same shape were the steering wheel and the vehicle wheels. For some reason, a big drop out of a Caribou would see all pallets go out successfully, but for some unknown reason the parachutes on the last 4 pallets didn't open. A free drop of tyres was also interesting. We'd see the tyres go down into the trees, and then reappear above the trees before disappearing again.
In 1960, I joined the Army 2 weeks after graduation from high school ... FOR .. the 101st Airborne Division. I had a contract in hand. In December 1960, I did Jump School at Ft. Campbell, KY, and spent the next 3 years on Jump status with the 101st Screaming Eagles. At the end of my enlistment, I re-enlisted for MAAG-Vietnam. I did a 2nd Nam tour 69-71. I served 30 years .. Uncle Sam was good to me and I was good to him. AATW.
Airborne
I went through jump school.also in 1960 Ft. Campbell 502nd inf.Thanks for your service All The Way
Welcome Home!
"that 18 to 20 something seconds you have falling out of the sky, you're in your happy place"
that's it!
that right there is why I want to sky dive
It's weird that this is 100% accurate. You have to be on the look out for other jumpers who you might be headed toward a crash with, and slip away if you can. But otherwise, it's the most peaceful 20 seconds of your life, followed by a rather terrifying last 2-3 seconds where you just hope your muscle memory takes over, so you can avoid going toes to ass.
@@AndrewHosford Can't slip a T-11. Good luck with that, MC-6 is the one you really need to watch out for sky sharks. Toes to Ass isn't the issue, it's the compound fracture.
@@timothyjburton ha, ya, luckily I never had to jump a T11. Those things look HUGE! I don't know how you'd push any air out the side of one of those unless you weight like 250lbs, lol.
I went toes to ass on my first jump and messed up my ankle pretty badly. Pulled a slip to slow my horizontal momentum, about 30 feet off the ground, and must have overdone it, cause I lost all horizontal movement and came straight down. Luckily it wasn't broken or too badly sprained that I couldn't finish the next 4 jumps, but it messed with me pretty badly during Green Platoon, and finally finished healing a couple months after.
@@AndrewHosford Yea, at least they fixed the widow maker T-11, but you aren't slipping it, definitely prefer the MC-6
You won‘t be happy if you have to use the older chute, those can get you killed by chance. It is basically russian roulette
"You have shown that you can jump out of a moving aircraft."
Alternatively,
"You have shown that you can jump out of a perfectly good aircraft."
perfectly good aircraft---- no such thing
Paratroopers are soldiers too impatient to let the plane land.
From jumping out of planes, to now flying them…there’s no such thing as a “perfectly” good airplane.
It's not about jumping out, it's about surviving the fall to jump again.
The engine caught fire when I was there. Load up, take off, catch fire, paratroopers exit, land, put out fire, repeat. HOOAH! 🤪👍
Proud to have been a US paratrooper 60 jumps, 58 great, 2 ,I crawled away from 73 years old, right knee replaced, shoulder rebuilt, and left ankle floats. I loved to wear the 82d and 101st patches.
All the way!
I was in ground week and definitely didn’t realize they were filming. 🤣
I see they missed the part about trainees, that refuse to jump, or puke prior to jumping. Always fun.
You’re an angry human being! It’s ok. Life doesn’t always go how you planned. We’ll be ok brother.
@@miken5261 you obviously have no clue what you’re talking about
My dad was 82nd Airborne out of Ft. Bragg during the Vietnam War. He has been gone 14 years, GOD i miss him. To my dad and all veterans, much respect and love.
I took a similar course while stationed in Germany back in 1965. The Army held a jump school for Artillery and Armor soldiers to familiarize and encourage going Airborne at Grafenbourg. Our class was from 8 AM to 1 Pm every day for 4 weeks. Hey, i got me out of KP and Guard duty while at Graf. I did three jumps over Southern Bavaria farm lands, plopping in freshly fertilized fields. I never did go Airborne, but did get to experience the jump.
When your mom calls you a “dirty, nasty leg”, you know you got to go Airborne. 🤣
Lol and when you graduate, mom calls you a FN Cherry!
I didn't see her shoulder sleeve insignia. Will she be a paratrooper or an FJC?
@@loganwgriffith
That can change. I wasn’t assigned to an airborne unit until a few years later.
Same here. I didn't get to go to Airborne until 2011 at the age of 34. Leg unit. It wasn't until 2013 I got to go on jump status in a real Airbone company
Great job mom ❕ Good job soldier thank you for your service
Not going to Airborne School was one of the biggest regrets I had when I was in the Army. If you are a fatherless young man who wants an adventure and learn how to be a man, the Army is for you. But it’s a serious job, not for the faint hearted. And if you want to be Infantry, it is definitely not for the faint hearted or weak minded. Make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into but I swear it’s a journey like no other. Be open minded to the world and be courteous of different cultures when you go. If you are an ignorant or dim person, it will be hard for you.
Nah, all it takes is enough brainwashing, after that you can't tell your heart from your ass or your brain anymore.
@@zazzyboy8592 Too late, I did that 20 years ago. Including jumping out of an airplane.
@@Kalumbatsch then you’re just as brainwashed as me
AIRBORNE
@The505Guys yes it’s a very serious job.
Developing the self-control to keep my eyes on the horizon, so that hitting the ground came as a surprise, was the key for me having better landings.
(Class of 2013)
This is actually really good advice when it comes to skydiving too, but for the opposite reason you've stated hahaha.
In skydiving when you're landing it's better to look at the horizon because it's easier to accurately guage your distance from the ground to flare on time.
That $75 more every 2 weeks pays for the beer. But the badge opens so many doors if you choose to make a career.
"that 18 to 20 some seconds that you have, you are in your happy place", it's true, all the training for the 20 seconds of an adrenalin rush, it's amazing, is not about the money...
That honestly makes it worth it every time
Best Service School the Army has to offer . Best 3 weeks of your life !
do they still have the boot black service for jump school at Benning?
@@JiggsTheMonk02 I remember the boot black guy . I never used his service. 2 years ago the Army went to their new retro uniform from the 1940’s . The service hat visor, strap, low quarters and dress gloves are all brown leather . Not black! I’m not sure if Airborne units will continue with black or get the retro reddish- Brown Corcoran Jump Boot . They brought back the Garrison Hat with the Glider Patch. Back in 1989 I DEROS back to the States from Frankfurt to Ft. Fix in Class A’s with Jump Boots and a Glider Patch . I still have them .
Lmfao your username
@Akejfuchdbr All Army Personnel . All US Branches . All US Allies .
I went through this in the summer of 1990...just before the start of the first Gulf War (Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm). The main difference between then and now is the different parachutes used in jumps. We used T10-C and MC1-1B parachutes, which were both round. The T10-C was a solid round chute with a small opening on the top, and no toggle knobs on the risers. The MC1-1B had a hole in the back of the chute that helped with forward movement in the air, and toggle knobs on the risers to make them easier to steer.
The training is just about the same as it was back then. Congratulations to this class of paratroopers. AIRBORNE ALL THE WAY to all the current and former brothers and sisters of the silk.
I went through May 1990 Delta Company "The Rock"
I’d be scared shitless of jumping out of an aircraft but this actually makes me feel safe. From how seriously the riggers take their job to the amount of training you get and how you prepare for the jump… man this is good. I wonder how other countries like New Zealand compares to the level of training and SAFETY the US imposes.
That looks like so much fun.
It was.
Not the part when you sit in the harness shed for eight hours attached to your harness waiting to jump.
Till your knees get destroyed
It is until your parachute fails
I had a pretty good time there
SSG Fisher was one of my platoon's instructors when I went to Airborne School. He was a great guy, could teach the material well and shared a lot of his personal jump experience with us.
You'd think that they would test someone's reach well before airborne school, and then recommend a different role.
Stop making sense. That’s not very army like
Naw thats too much like right son. The US Army is trash. And dear God don't think for yourself
In my class which started 2 weeks ago they didn't test us until like day 1. I believe a short NCO was disqualified cuz she couldn't reach the static line. Poor lady came all the way from Germany .
Idk if or when common sense will ever become a thing in there army 😮💨...
@@toluolaitan916 I wonder why she didn’t just serve in the german army? They have paratroopers there also. But the army making sense? Never gonna happen, sincerely, a MP on duty rn
@@user-gb8yu6kq3r she wasn't literally from Germany dude lol. She was definitely deployed there from the US Army
This looks fun without a fear of heights, but I have fear of heights, and... that's only 3 week train, 5 successful jumps and u are qualified which is amazing.
Graduated Airborne April 30th, 2021. This brings back memories.
Of what? Last week?
I graduated aug 16th! Airborne!
@@lukewarrensgarage congratulations.
Congrats. 1988 for me. I barely remember any of it.
@@1mustardstain April '89 here.
"Business Insider"? More like "Military Insider"
Do you know that business and military today is the same thing?
@@MizanQistina I know war is a business, it's been for a long time. But happily there are more interesting business to cover!
@@just.jose.youtube Everything on a soldier's body come from companies and not only coming from the military industry, but the civil industry as well...when we talked about pizza for example, the military also eat pizza the same pizza we eat from the same company...
Bro, that would actually be epic! 😆
@@MizanQistina the military is practically the government, you know that right?
My dad went to jump school in 1941 and those guys had it hard. A big thank you for serving and blue skies.
Airborne was great course, and very instructive. As an AF cadet, I learned almost as much about the Army as I did about the jump school. I’m happy to see that they have improved the program to help better weed out folks that won’t make it in their units. Airborne!
Are you usafa or rotc
@@Anonymous-zz4fy usafa
That's great to hear she was the last in her whole family to be a leg. The whole family is airborne !
I never saw any fat cadre at Airborne School. Our head guy was named "Smokey" and he would get you out of bed at 3:00 AM for PT. After you were almost finished training they got more friendly. The cadre all looked tough as nails.
They would never send you Jump School with a requirement like that. They just wanted you to run 3 miles a day and have the heart to jump out of the plane. They spent too much money on your training to let you flunk out that easy.
This is my dream.
I used to be terrified of heights, I learned that it was because I didn’t feel like i was in control.
Watching the moment you hit freefall is the most unique experience. I never thought something so “scary” could be so beautiful and calm.
Keep your feet and knees together, and don't break your ankle while jogging a day before graduation...
I miss being a Black Hat. Its only been about a year since but got to work with some great instructors, some of which are in this video. The hours are long but worth it when you put those soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen through and see them get their wings. Ive done three Instructor jobs in my career (Drill Sergeant, NCO Instructor, and Airborne Instructor). Being an Airborne Instructor was def memorable and fulfilling.
My dad jumped outta C-130's and he was terrified of height's, the dude can't be 3ft off the ground without peeing his pant's. He was so brave to do that, i honor him for his service.
My dad was an airborne Ranger and Special Forces advisor in Vietnam. When I came back from Nam with the 101st he asked me one day-"don't those jumps scare you,." He said jumping out of an airplane scared the hell out of him. I didn't think he was scared of anything.
It must be an honor to be part of the Airborne
Respect to all these folks, thank you for serving.
The LTC was like it ain’t scary!? Crap when I went through we would loose like 5 to 10 people a jump to injuries!
Same here, I remember a Lt broke her leg on the 4th jump and the Sergeant Airborne asked to sign her cast, he signed it in big red letters, LEGG, she didn't like it very much, she was Recycled a few months later.
Feet and knees together, it ain't hard.
When they asked the camera man what he was doing after that first jump he should have just said “my job”
**Extreme Shark Attack Noises**
Next, we need to see a video on cameraman training academy lol
Just enlisted in Airborne, excited for what comes forward! Always loved the thrill and adventure!
Just finished airborne school and one of the most fun experience I’ve ever had for a military training environment
I went through in 86 and was assigned to most of the Airborne units as Airborne Ranger. I enjoyed 22 great years and loved every minute of it. I miss the camaraderie of the military and still keep in contact with my buddies. RLTW
1st LT Davis: I earned my wings today!
1st LT Davis's guardian angel: Me too!
1st LT Davis's backup guardian angel: Me three!
Well said
My total respect for these brave folks who do some of this. I was in the Army but Airborne is totally different level.
“Is everybody happy?” Cried the Sergeant looking up.
Our Hero feebly answered "Yes," and then they stood him up
He ain’t gonna jump no more!
Gory, Gory what a helluva way to die!
Gory, gory what a hell of a way to die!
gory, gory what a hell of a way to die!
Remind me 20 years ago , a lot of memories.
Over 95 jumps, proud be a paratrooper.