When I went to Airborne Training in the late 60's, we did not get to make night jumps until we arrived at our units. I loved the night jumps. It was much cooler and when one is humping all the gear, the cool air is quite refreshing.
Night jumps were the best to me because couldn’t see the ground haha. Brained washed myself to just think of it as a ten foot step off into the darkness
I remember in 91 my class was going to do the first night jump in 20+ years. It was such an event that all sorts of brass showed up wanting to make the jump. They were in the first stick, it was very windy and quite sketchy. They decided to let the first stick go and every one of them got blown off the drop zone. Some of them got seriously injured. They canceled the rest of the jump and we went back to the airfield.
they look really fresh and energetic. i was in delta company, and there was almost nothing left of us by the time we got to jump week. our instructors pounded us all day for two weeks from 0500-1800. we didnt do any smiling till graduation
I spent 22 years in the Army, I started when I was 17, I new it all till I walked in the boot camp, then I found out I did not know a thing! that was when I know I would stay in! I have a great life and 2 great kids, It may not be for every one but I feel the same way if you like all the freedom in the USA you should give 2 years in the military! it is just 2 years, but the one's that would not make it in the military are the ones that 70% of the time end up on out of jobs! but not all the time.
The most memorable moment for anybody just to make those 5 jumps to earn their Jump Wings.You will never forget those jumps to include the other ones you make with your unit.JUST FUCKING AWESOME!!!Scaring the shit out of you is a story of a lifetime once you get old as i am or older than me.I never forgot Jump School 30 years ago....Always and forever....
They don't mention that ur stuck sitting in that shed for hours, not talking, sleeping, getting up to use the head, or have electronics. It was extremely boring and marines get blood wings by the instructors on graduation day :)
I remember having this tiny little female jumper in my stick. She couldn't have weighed 90 pounds soaking wet. We would all be on the ground packing up our chutes and she will still have a third of the way down to go. The Black Hats used to yell at her through the megaphones and tell her to quit sightseeing and get down here. It was pretty hilarious.
Ok so i have a few questions: 1) from what i gathered so far, i understand that you complete basic training and then you can ask your nco about going to airborne school. Is that correct? 2) also, if you finish airborne school, do you HAVE to become a paratrooper? 3) what are the chances of being deployed as a paratrooper
On my first jump, when the first stick exited, the rest of us had that c-130 rocking!! First time in my life goose bumps covered my entire body!! What a rush...
When I went through in 1968 there was Navy, Air Force & Marines all going through at the same time. Also officers went through the same training with enlisted. Everyone was treated the same. It has been 44 years since I was at Fort Benning but from what I have seen the training is still basically the same.
I went through in July 71. We had Navy, Marines and Air Force, too. We also had foreign nationals, Thai, Korean, Panamanian. We had the old wooden barracks. The newer cinder block barracks shown in the film across the street from the towers were some of the Infantry NCOCS barracks then. The one right on the corner was where 70th Company was quartered. My first night jump was at Ft. Bragg a few months later.
When I was in they offered airborne training only to active enlisted. I really wished I'd done it, but 3 weeks of black hats or graduate and go home? I had enough of drill sergeants and heard stories of how much worse the black hats were. I remember at AIT graduation the guys going to jump school didn't have but 15 minutes to celebrate and were rounded up and shipped off to Benning. Should have done it since I was already in shape from basic but as I was drinking a beer and smoking a cigarette bummed off of Dad on the way home I didn't mind at the time.
There is no 'airborne' tab. It is a unit identifier that is part of the shoulder sleeve insignia, or unit patch. Graduates of jump school receive wings. AB/ATW
1969..my first two jumps were from a C-119 followed by three from a C-141. Jeebus, what an experience for a 19 year old. This was Uber Boy Scouts! No longer a Leg!
go for it bro! I just joined. my MOS (job) is 11 x-ray (infantry). there are two types of infantry. 11 bravo which is the normal type of infantry and 11 charlie which is indirect fire infantry which does like mortars and stuff. both are really cool and I can't wait to get to basic and find out which one i'm going to be. by the way a little advise.. if you want to have airborne school guaranteed try to get an option 4 contract. remember that. that's the airborne contract. ship date: june 2, 2013
Going to MEPS next week to complete my enlistment ! wont sign without AIRBORNE! My grandfather was 82nd Airborne during Korea and I will be reliving his legacy ! Jump week is were you get to be part of RED DAWN! or GREEN DAWN for army that is !!
I will say something here that I sure will cause a lot of disagreements. I believe every man and woman should spend 2 years in the military in some fashion. It will make a better person out of you and if nothing else maybe teach some respect for others. Respect is what this country seems to be lacking in now. I was a smart mouth 18 year old in 1968--but very soon learned how to respect and count on others. Also when I completed the military the GI Bill paid for 4 years of flight training.
these parachutes are no joke. they are much harder to control and the drop rate is pretty fast. if you land wrong, injuries can be fatal. static line injuries also happen.
So I'm sure there are a hand full of actual airborne here. I was curious to know if any of you guys who went through ever had a classmate who was a Sailor, more specifically a Corpsman. I'm an HM who really wants to do this, knowing people who have already done so. I don't want to go SpecWar to do this. I want to continue being a Corpsman, if you guys have any insight on that please let me know. I would prefer only helpful replies but seeing as this is the internet I expect the worst. Thanks.
I remember my dad came to jump week and he was there to pin my wings on my chest. I told him he better blood them.....the Black Hats were not allowed to do that anymore. My dad was not sure he wanted too either but in the end he blood winged me.
Night Jump Training doesn’t come close to the field and especially not a combat drop, but it gives you the basic mental tools and the rest comes from Good/Bad experiences!
I was prior service. Daym i should've signed up for airborne school! Ive skydive with an instructor on a 15k feet. Airborne school should be no problem. I should re enlist again. I missed serving and the camaraderie!
Marines and SEALs are amphibious by design. Only specialized Navy units are airborne qualified, like Force Recon. Most of the time they focus on waterborne operations. It sounds like fun until you actually do it. Nature's way of making you appreciate it more.
to zRqDz -----Thank you. It is nice to be thanked for our service but the younger generation needs to remember back in the late 60's and 70's service men and women were looked down on because of Vietnam. Young men back then did not have much of a choice. When you finished high school you had 3 choices. Go to college, join the military or get drafted. I joined the Army in 1967. I am still in contact with old army buddies after 42 years----great guys!!!!!!!
(part 2) He hated the army with a passion but he said better than 5 years in jail. He had more gun and knife scares on him than one could count. He bucked the system from day 1 but he made in through. After basic he with to infantry training and then to Vietnam. I found out later this same guy was killed in Vietnam but also won the Silver Star for heroism--he saved 3 of the men in his platoon in a fire fight. One of the guys he saved happen to be another guy from basic--continued part 3.
When I was in the Army in 1967, we had a lot of draftees. I agree with what your saying in part about all the losers --but the Army will bring most of those in line. The service can show them that they are not as bad as they think they are. Providing the Military Service would stop baby-sitting them and let the D I's do their job.
What is it like landing for the first time? I know they practice alot on landing right but iv seen vids of guys breaking their legs, is that easy to do or is that just not following the proper techniques? Also i heard when they land they are going up to 20 miles an hour is that true?
when you land its about like jumping off an 8ft platform they teach you to hit both feet togather knees bent roll on your hips and shoulder you train doing this so much its automatic engerys hiting the ground are rare
GrantVam 18 ft/sec is the fall speed when you hit the ground. As long as your feet and knees are together and you land the way they taught you during the weeks before you won’t hurt yourself. I’m in airborne school now
@TheSkinnyTwig ok cool. i was trippin out cuz they werent sayin anything about the airborne tab. and i just recently found out you dont have to have a ranger tab to be in the ranger regiment so i thought it migh be somethin similar
@jose91892 What you say is true about the "gangsters" joining the military but back in the 60's a lot of courts would give a person a chance to join the military or go to jail. Guess which one most would chose. In fact I was in basic with some of those people in 1967 and all but one did very well. Of course some people will change and some will not. Lets focus on the ones that will and would do better in the military. Agreed some will use any training for the worse but most will not.
jajaja. I remember jump week. 10 guys out each door and I ended up being the 11th..the airplane had to turn to drop the last group of guys out, so I got a nice view of the whole field as the plane turned. Then, I hear "GO!!!" and out you go! jajaja.
Happened to me too we were past the drop zone, red light back on, 3 of od left, diff doors, jump masters, I guess figured we don't gotta a jump so off we went. Hit each other on the count of 3000, I landed in a tree and broke my eridt
For the previous two weeks, the Blackhats and the officers are constantly telling you that jumping out of a perfectly good airplane is more fun than playing with golden retrievers, drinking beer, and sleeping with beautiful women combined. If you are Airborne, you are the shit, the rest of the world are dirty-rotten-legs. By jump week we were so motivated that we were desperate to make our first jump. Our class was quite large, we had 18 sticks, and, as luck would have it, I was in stick 18. I was especially motivated because it was my second cycle in jump school, I had gotten hurt during ground week, and was put on profile long enough to go through a second time in the same company. Two weeks of details, 3 weeks of the previous jump school, then two more weeks of details, and then I was sitting on the bench in the third week. I spent more time in jump school than in basic. A voice called out "stick 18," to our amazement. They decided to count backward, so instead of being the last to jump, we were the first. We jumped on to the floor with shit-eating grins while those who were still waiting looked at us jealously. We walked out of the shed, and in front of us was a C130 with the engines turning. We climbed up the ramp, sat on the netting, gave each other high-fives, and smiled so happily that our faces hurt. The plane taxied down the runway, and was airborne. All of the sudden things changed, smiles quickly disappeared. We weren't jumping into sawdust pits from concrete platforms, we weren't jumping from 34 foot towers, we were jumping out of real airplanes with real parachutes. The jump master was the Blackhat in charge of my squad, he saw my roster number on my helmet, with the big G on it (meaning it was my second trip through jump school) and smiled brightly. "Private Airborne!" (I don't know how I got this nickname) he called, "Do you want to stand in the door"? I would rather have eaten two-week-old road kill. "Not clear Sergeant Airborne!" I screamed back. "Get yo ass up here boy!" he yelled. I found myself standing in the door down looking at farmland, trees, highways, and the Chattahoochee river. The light next to me turned from red to green, the Sergeant slapped me on the backside with a loud "Go-Go-Go!" I jumped out as trained, keeping my eyes open, the wind grabbed my feet and turned me around, I saw two more troopers jump out, then my parachute ripped open, the risers nearly taking off my helmet, which I caught, and pulled back onto my head. The ride down was easy enough, except for the positive encouragement from the Blackhats on the ground: "Feet and knees together, asshole!" which I could have heard clearly even if they weren't using loudspeakers. I hit the ground more or less as I had been taught, and managed not to break any bones. Bad weather had kept us grounded for the previous 3 days, so I had two more jumps to do after this one, and then two more the next day before graduating in the field. The following Monday we were to start RIP.
That is a big Negative. I went through with some squared away Marines and they didn't have to do anything that we didn't have to do. By "squarded away Marines" I mean Recon and Force Recon. Yeah Force Recon had to go thru Freefall, but that is a whole different ball game.
o and don't be bummed when your older if you don't get the option 4 they're limited, if you don't get it all that means is you have to work your ass off like me to get in schools like airborne and ranger school. :D
Roger that. My 1st jump was nothing. 2d jump , I was i n the door for what seemed forever , watching Benning roll by, th I nuking all this for 55 bucks amonth
Brendan K firstly it’s hooah not hoarah lol and no you don’t pack your own chute unless your job is “parachute rigger,” where you DO have to jump with your own packed chute
Riggers pack your chutes for you. The only thing you do is rig yourself and your battle buddy up prior to the jump. The final test for Riggers in their AIT is to pack their own chute and jump with it which is pretty cool (riggers must attend airborne prior to Ait)
I went through jump school in July 1968. I remember most the heat and the saw dust and of course we had to run everywhere we went. I also remember the "black hats" instructors. I can honestly state those were the worst 3 weeks of my life, but at the end it had been fun. After finishing we were either stationed at Fort Bragg "82nd" or went to Vietnam. I was lucky as I went to Bragg but a little over a year later went to Vietnam. Also we were paid $55.00 more each month being on jump status.
No, its an airborne tour patch, meaning she deployed with an airborne unit. Of anything, she is probably just recertifiing by the calm look on her face.
(part 3) This man died fighting a war verses dying in a gang fight. I personally know of some men that were given the same choice--jail or military. They all choice military. Some did real well as others just barely made their time and of course some got kicked out or went to stockade. A lot of the time when someone joins a gang it is for a sense of belonging. Well the military does give a sense of belonging, so some of these men excel better than others but again some don't, continued part4
(part 1) There are bad people that are not in gangs. The percentages of gang members would be small and could easily be dealt with and some could be turned around. Example when I was in basic in 1967, there was a guy of about 20 years old that was convicted of crimes from NYC. These crimes were all gang related. During that time the judges would sometimes give a choice, either join military or go to jail. This guy choice 3 years in military verses 5 years in jail --(continued part 2)
all i can say is in 1970 2 marines in my jump school company fell out on the last 5 mile run. no special chances for any of the other branches or allies if you fall out or quit youre on the next bus out without the wings and dhipped back to your branch of service.
Israel, the Swiss, etc. Mandatory service is not a crazy idea and works well for many nations. I would have to agree with pilot9051. Generally mandatory service is done via reserve or, for America, National Guard capacity. It isn't like they're storming the frontlines. For the most part it's designed as a cheap and effective way to help maintain a national combat-ready status via everyday citizens. It's actually a very genius plan but not one I'd support as an American. I want willing fighters.
The Airborne tab above the unit patch simply states that you are apart of an Airborne unit. Some soldiers never go through the school but still where the tab because simply, it is apart of their unit patch. Same goes w/ the red beret. An airborne unit wears it regardless of wether you have earned your wings or not, it’s just apart of the uniform
When I went to Airborne Training in the late 60's, we did not get to make night jumps until we arrived at our units. I loved the night jumps. It was much cooler and when one is humping all the gear, the cool air is quite refreshing.
James Nesmith those were my favorite jumps. It's so peaceful at night in the sky.
Night jumps were the best to me because couldn’t see the ground haha. Brained washed myself to just think of it as a ten foot step off into the darkness
All my jumps were night jumps!!
@@stanleydavis7904 Mine as well 😑😑😑
Did you ever get sent to supply for the canopy lights?
I remember in 91 my class was going to do the first night jump in 20+ years. It was such an event that all sorts of brass showed up wanting to make the jump. They were in the first stick, it was very windy and quite sketchy. They decided to let the first stick go and every one of them got blown off the drop zone. Some of them got seriously injured. They canceled the rest of the jump and we went back to the airfield.
..."you're looking fear in the eye and you're dealing with it" You'd better, or it will greatly hinder you or even destroy you.
I'll be at jump week starting monday! Really excited to complete the 5 jumps required to join the ranks of Airborne qualified!
they look really fresh and energetic. i was in delta company, and there was almost nothing left of us by the time we got to jump week. our instructors pounded us all day for two weeks from 0500-1800. we didnt do any smiling till graduation
I spent 22 years in the Army, I started when I was 17, I new it all till I walked in the boot camp, then I found out I did not know a thing! that was when I know I would stay in! I have a great life and 2 great kids, It may not be for every one but I feel the same way if you like all the freedom in the USA you should give 2 years in the military! it is just 2 years, but the one's that would not make it in the military are the ones that 70% of the time end up on out of jobs! but not all the time.
To this day I do not remember my first jump at jump school, but I survived 22 jumps.. Airborne!!
The most memorable moment for anybody just to make those 5 jumps to earn their Jump Wings.You will never forget those jumps to include the other ones you make with your unit.JUST FUCKING AWESOME!!!Scaring the shit out of you is a story of a lifetime once you get old as i am or older than me.I never forgot Jump School 30 years ago....Always and forever....
Become a Ranger like he did then you can wear that beret like that.
Its how all the cool majors are wearing it.
They don't mention that ur stuck sitting in that shed for hours, not talking, sleeping, getting up to use the head, or have electronics. It was extremely boring and marines get blood wings by the instructors on graduation day :)
I couldn't AGREE more!!, I will be serving with my best friend in a few months. 68W, Airborne, Ranger in the contract. Thank you for serving!
Awesome stuff. Remember it like it was yesterday. Pinned my grandson two years ago.
I remember having this tiny little female jumper in my stick. She couldn't have weighed 90 pounds soaking wet. We would all be on the ground packing up our chutes and she will still have a third of the way down to go. The Black Hats used to yell at her through the megaphones and tell her to quit sightseeing and get down here. It was pretty hilarious.
Ok so i have a few questions:
1) from what i gathered so far, i understand that you complete basic training and then you can ask your nco about going to airborne school. Is that correct?
2) also, if you finish airborne school, do you HAVE to become a paratrooper?
3) what are the chances of being deployed as a paratrooper
On my first jump, when the first stick exited, the rest of us had that c-130 rocking!! First time in my life goose bumps covered my entire body!! What a rush...
When I went through in 1968 there was Navy, Air Force & Marines all going through at the same time. Also officers went through the same training with enlisted. Everyone was treated the same. It has been 44 years since I was at Fort Benning but from what I have seen the training is still basically the same.
I went through in July 71. We had Navy, Marines and Air Force, too. We also had foreign nationals, Thai, Korean, Panamanian. We had the old wooden barracks. The newer cinder block barracks shown in the film across the street from the towers were some of the Infantry NCOCS barracks then. The one right on the corner was where 70th Company was quartered. My first night jump was at Ft. Bragg a few months later.
Was there in fall '68 as Captain in Dental Cops and volunteered hazard duty! AIRBORNE ALL THE WAY is the ONLY WAY TO GO!
When I was in they offered airborne training only to active enlisted. I really wished I'd done it, but 3 weeks of black hats or graduate and go home? I had enough of drill sergeants and heard stories of how much worse the black hats were. I remember at AIT graduation the guys going to jump school didn't have but 15 minutes to celebrate and were rounded up and shipped off to Benning. Should have done it since I was already in shape from basic but as I was drinking a beer and smoking a cigarette bummed off of Dad on the way home I didn't mind at the time.
just graduated airborne school, best decision of my career so far now off to my MOS then E5 then Drill Sergeant school
There is no 'airborne' tab. It is a unit identifier that is part of the shoulder sleeve insignia, or unit patch. Graduates of jump school receive wings. AB/ATW
a greeting from a German Paratrooper
in German Allzeit ''Glück Ab''
That is the USASOC patch. Many units wear it that are under USASOC.
1969..my first two jumps were from a C-119 followed by three from a C-141. Jeebus, what an experience for a 19 year old. This was Uber Boy Scouts! No longer a Leg!
go for it bro! I just joined. my MOS (job) is 11 x-ray (infantry). there are two types of infantry. 11 bravo which is the normal type of infantry and 11 charlie which is indirect fire infantry which does like mortars and stuff. both are really cool and I can't wait to get to basic and find out which one i'm going to be. by the way a little advise.. if you want to have airborne school guaranteed try to get an option 4 contract. remember that. that's the airborne contract. ship date: june 2, 2013
Going to MEPS next week to complete my enlistment ! wont sign without AIRBORNE! My grandfather was 82nd Airborne during Korea and I will be reliving his legacy ! Jump week is were you get to be part of RED DAWN! or GREEN DAWN for army that is !!
Damn I just LOVED THAT DAY IN 76'AATW 🤗😊😉.
I will say something here that I sure will cause a lot of disagreements. I believe every man and woman should spend 2 years in the military in some fashion. It will make a better person out of you and if nothing else maybe teach some respect for others. Respect is what this country seems to be lacking in now. I was a smart mouth 18 year old in 1968--but very soon learned how to respect and count on others. Also when I completed the military the GI Bill paid for 4 years of flight training.
Would it benefit the individual? Absolutely. Would it benefit the military? Absolutely not.
Could not agree more. And God bless you
these parachutes are no joke. they are much harder to control and the drop rate is pretty fast. if you land wrong, injuries can be fatal. static line injuries also happen.
OW! I cant wait for my AIT to be done with then I can go to jump school and get my wings! Airborne!
So I'm sure there are a hand full of actual airborne here. I was curious to know if any of you guys who went through ever had a classmate who was a Sailor, more specifically a Corpsman. I'm an HM who really wants to do this, knowing people who have already done so. I don't want to go SpecWar to do this. I want to continue being a Corpsman, if you guys have any insight on that please let me know. I would prefer only helpful replies but seeing as this is the internet I expect the worst. Thanks.
I remember my dad came to jump week and he was there to pin my wings on my chest. I told him he better blood them.....the Black Hats were not allowed to do that anymore. My dad was not sure he wanted too either but in the end he blood winged me.
Night Jump Training doesn’t come close to the field and especially not a combat drop, but it gives you the basic mental tools and the rest comes from Good/Bad experiences!
Night jumps!!! We didn't do any night jumps at school back in 76.
we did night jumps in 79
Queasy just thinking about it. I've got exactly one month before BCT, then AIT, and finally jump school. Oh boy. Lol
I was prior service. Daym i should've signed up for airborne school! Ive skydive with an instructor on a 15k feet. Airborne school should be no problem. I should re enlist again. I missed serving and the camaraderie!
Haha when I do my first real jump at Airborne Training, I'm probably gonna yell HOO-AH!! at the top of my lungs just for the hell of it.
@pilot9051 wow...its pretty cool to here experiences from the past. And thank you for your service kind sir.
I agree....and BTW....It's only cool when when the color is green !
Marines and SEALs are amphibious by design. Only specialized Navy units are airborne qualified, like Force Recon. Most of the time they focus on waterborne operations. It sounds like fun until you actually do it. Nature's way of making you appreciate it more.
to zRqDz -----Thank you. It is nice to be thanked for our service but the younger generation needs to remember back in the late 60's and 70's service men and women were looked down on because of Vietnam. Young men back then did not have much of a choice. When you finished high school you had 3 choices. Go to college, join the military or get drafted. I joined the Army in 1967. I am still in contact with old army buddies after 42 years----great guys!!!!!!!
In Airborne school 2021. Everything is almost exactly the same as it was 10 years ago.
Papa 32, '69, 1st jump - a blurry of blue, green, and brown 🤪 but not necessarily in that order 🙄
Been there....done that....sign me a retired Canadian Army Parachute Rigger Officer.......!
(part 2) He hated the army with a passion but he said better than 5 years in jail. He had more gun and knife scares on him than one could count. He bucked the system from day 1 but he made in through. After basic he with to infantry training and then to Vietnam. I found out later this same guy was killed in Vietnam but also won the Silver Star for heroism--he saved 3 of the men in his platoon in a fire fight. One of the guys he saved happen to be another guy from basic--continued part 3.
To my knowledge, there is no known patch for 1st SOD-D; however, that patch is the US Army Special Operations Command patch
jamin94
yeah the "new" RASP requires RASP1 graduates to go straight to Ranger School.
so now you must pass both to be in the reg.
Still the same as my class in 1997. Eyes as big as pies they’d say on that first jump.
I'm going to be screaming out of joy when I jump out the tower and out the plane. "WOOOHoooHooohooo"
probably not during your basic training portion but when you get to your OUST portion he will come around and ask you
so when u graduate from here, do u HAVE to go to the army or do u decide?
When I was in the Army in 1967, we had a lot of draftees. I agree with what your saying in part about all the losers --but the Army will bring most of those in line. The service can show them that they are not as bad as they think they are. Providing the Military Service would stop baby-sitting them and let the D I's do their job.
What is it like landing for the first time? I know they practice alot on landing right but iv seen vids of guys breaking their legs, is that easy to do or is that just not following the proper techniques? Also i heard when they land they are going up to 20 miles an hour is that true?
Grant Baker hurts like hell
Yes, you’re going at least 20 mph. Not many broken legs. The training is amazing, in that they teach you all you need to know in 2 weeks.
when you land its about like jumping off an 8ft platform they teach you to hit both feet togather knees bent roll on your hips and shoulder you train doing this so much its automatic engerys hiting the ground are rare
GrantVam 18 ft/sec is the fall speed when you hit the ground. As long as your feet and knees are together and you land the way they taught you during the weeks before you won’t hurt yourself. I’m in airborne school now
@TheSkinnyTwig ok cool. i was trippin out cuz they werent sayin anything about the airborne tab. and i just recently found out you dont have to have a ranger tab to be in the ranger regiment so i thought it migh be somethin similar
@jose91892 What you say is true about the "gangsters" joining the military but back in the 60's a lot of courts would give a person a chance to join the military or go to jail. Guess which one most would chose. In fact I was in basic with some of those people in 1967 and all but one did very well. Of course some people will change and some will not. Lets focus on the ones that will and would do better in the military. Agreed some will use any training for the worse but most will not.
My first jump was a night jump. Had my eyes tightly shut and cheeks clenched.
jajaja. I remember jump week. 10 guys out each door and I ended up being the 11th..the airplane had to turn to drop the last group of guys out, so I got a nice view of the whole field as the plane turned. Then, I hear "GO!!!" and out you go! jajaja.
Happened to me too we were past the drop zone, red light back on, 3 of od left, diff doors, jump masters, I guess figured we don't gotta a jump so off we went. Hit each other on the count of 3000, I landed in a tree and broke my eridt
For the previous two weeks, the Blackhats and the officers are constantly telling you that jumping out of a perfectly good airplane is more fun than playing with golden retrievers, drinking beer, and sleeping with beautiful women combined. If you are Airborne, you are the shit, the rest of the world are dirty-rotten-legs. By jump week we were so motivated that we were desperate to make our first jump.
Our class was quite large, we had 18 sticks, and, as luck would have it, I was in stick 18. I was especially motivated because it was my second cycle in jump school, I had gotten hurt during ground week, and was put on profile long enough to go through a second time in the same company. Two weeks of details, 3 weeks of the previous jump school, then two more weeks of details, and then I was sitting on the bench in the third week. I spent more time in jump school than in basic.
A voice called out "stick 18," to our amazement. They decided to count backward, so instead of being the last to jump, we were the first. We jumped on to the floor with shit-eating grins while those who were still waiting looked at us jealously. We walked out of the shed, and in front of us was a C130 with the engines turning. We climbed up the ramp, sat on the netting, gave each other high-fives, and smiled so happily that our faces hurt.
The plane taxied down the runway, and was airborne. All of the sudden things changed, smiles quickly disappeared. We weren't jumping into sawdust pits from concrete platforms, we weren't jumping from 34 foot towers, we were jumping out of real airplanes with real parachutes.
The jump master was the Blackhat in charge of my squad, he saw my roster number on my helmet, with the big G on it (meaning it was my second trip through jump school) and smiled brightly. "Private Airborne!" (I don't know how I got this nickname) he called, "Do you want to stand in the door"? I would rather have eaten two-week-old road kill. "Not clear Sergeant Airborne!" I screamed back. "Get yo ass up here boy!" he yelled.
I found myself standing in the door down looking at farmland, trees, highways, and the Chattahoochee river. The light next to me turned from red to green, the Sergeant slapped me on the backside with a loud "Go-Go-Go!" I jumped out as trained, keeping my eyes open, the wind grabbed my feet and turned me around, I saw two more troopers jump out, then my parachute ripped open, the risers nearly taking off my helmet, which I caught, and pulled back onto my head.
The ride down was easy enough, except for the positive encouragement from the Blackhats on the ground: "Feet and knees together, asshole!" which I could have heard clearly even if they weren't using loudspeakers. I hit the ground more or less as I had been taught, and managed not to break any bones. Bad weather had kept us grounded for the previous 3 days, so I had two more jumps to do after this one, and then two more the next day before graduating in the field.
The following Monday we were to start RIP.
i wanna become a Ranger so do I Have to go through this first before RASP?
No. But many do, so why not?
RASP first.
yes, you do airborne school and then rasp
you can't be a ranger if you aren't Airborne
Yes
@justin002700 are you a Canadian paratrooper? Cool man, I jumped with you guys in CFB Trenton back in 2001 to get our Canadian wings.
That is a big Negative. I went through with some squared away Marines and they didn't have to do anything that we didn't have to do. By "squarded away Marines" I mean Recon and Force Recon. Yeah Force Recon had to go thru Freefall, but that is a whole different ball game.
ARE THE BLACK HATS STILL TEACHING NAVY SEALS IN HALO TRAINING TWO WEEK CLASS
o and don't be bummed when your older if you don't get the option 4 they're limited, if you don't get it all that means is you have to work your ass off like me to get in schools like airborne and ranger school. :D
Can you apply/choose to go to Airborne School or you get recommended/sent?
1st jump is the easiest 2nd jumps the hardest,welcome to the brotherhood CHERRIES!!ALL THE WAY!!!!!
Roger that. My 1st jump was nothing. 2d jump , I was i n the door for what seemed forever , watching Benning roll by, th I nuking all this for 55 bucks amonth
im not there yet but am so scared right now
If I’m not mistaken, this is my class.
I heard that they pack there own chutes for there first jump... I would freak out
Hoarah airborne!
They don't pack their own chutes. Riggers pack them, that's the only way to make sure there will be almost no errors.
Brendan K firstly it’s hooah not hoarah lol and no you don’t pack your own chute unless your job is “parachute rigger,” where you DO have to jump with your own packed chute
Hooah
Riggers pack your chutes for you. The only thing you do is rig yourself and your battle buddy up prior to the jump. The final test for Riggers in their AIT is to pack their own chute and jump with it which is pretty cool (riggers must attend airborne prior to Ait)
I went through jump school in July 1968. I remember most the heat and the saw dust and of course we had to run everywhere we went. I also remember the "black hats" instructors. I can honestly state those were the worst 3 weeks of my life, but at the end it had been fun. After finishing we were either stationed at Fort Bragg "82nd" or went to Vietnam. I was lucky as I went to Bragg but a little over a year later went to Vietnam. Also we were paid $55.00 more each month being on jump status.
so theres only 3 weeks and then u get ur wings?
When did they shorten the course from 4 to 3 weeks ?
If you go Airborne as 11C, you woudnt be jumping out with a huge mortar on your back.. would you?
is this the training for the ranger airborne
God I miss this..
0:27 lol is that lady delta force ? is that a deltaforce patch ?
No, its an airborne tour patch, meaning she deployed with an airborne unit. Of anything, she is probably just recertifiing by the calm look on her face.
West Point I'm guessing.... I've seen a lot of 'pointers' over the years who do that.
A Dynamic fluid landing" YEEEEEESSSSSS,lol
Pray it ain't too slow
I was chairborne finance, so basically was the same thing.
(part 3) This man died fighting a war verses dying in a gang fight. I personally know of some men that were given the same choice--jail or military. They all choice military. Some did real well as others just barely made their time and of course some got kicked out or went to stockade. A lot of the time when someone joins a gang it is for a sense of belonging. Well the military does give a sense of belonging, so some of these men excel better than others but again some don't, continued part4
How many lbs of gear do they jump with?
@TheKiLl3rPiG Yes you can, get it written in your contract.
How do you see in the night
How can we get our airborne school photos
Can't wait to jump! Until then I'm stuck here at AIT! Lol Airborne!
11x come January 23 i cannot wait to ship out!!!
Israel does it. Look how respectable they are for the most parts.
Very good I got my wings 4/17/64,anyone Remember Sargent drop drop estelle ??
(part 1) There are bad people that are not in gangs. The percentages of gang members would be small and could easily be dealt with and some could be turned around. Example when I was in basic in 1967, there was a guy of about 20 years old that was convicted of crimes from NYC. These crimes were all gang related. During that time the judges would sometimes give a choice, either join military or go to jail. This guy choice 3 years in military verses 5 years in jail --(continued part 2)
Thanks, and good luck to you also :D
dose '"Blood On the Risers" still played?
@MyRebel44 what was the pt for you?
I dont know about a marine but in the army you get put where the army needs you even if that means doing b.s. jobs
@MrgotPump Yes you can, get it written in your contract.
@jamnin94 ummm... you get your airborne tab throught this school along with your wings
What happens if you don't pass airborne school? Like if you're a Recon Marine and don't pass?
all i can say is in 1970 2 marines in my jump school company fell out on the last 5 mile run. no special chances for any of the other branches or allies if you fall out or quit youre on the next bus out without the wings and dhipped back to your branch of service.
can you go right out of basic to airborne school?
Maybe a bit late but you need to go threw AIT then proceed to airborne school. Did you join? ( I know its 8 years late)
Oh, lawd! Jump week 1990. Shit yo' pants SURREAL *i'd do it all over again*
Cool
Israel, the Swiss, etc. Mandatory service is not a crazy idea and works well for many nations. I would have to agree with pilot9051. Generally mandatory service is done via reserve or, for America, National Guard capacity. It isn't like they're storming the frontlines. For the most part it's designed as a cheap and effective way to help maintain a national combat-ready status via everyday citizens. It's actually a very genius plan but not one I'd support as an American. I want willing fighters.
We don't have enough willing. And civilians are too fat
Your post is 9 years old but this is how things are in the States 2023: 75% of military age Americans are not fit to serve in the military.
so what do u do to get ur airborne tab then?
The Airborne tab above the unit patch simply states that you are apart of an Airborne unit. Some soldiers never go through the school but still where the tab because simply, it is apart of their unit patch. Same goes w/ the red beret. An airborne unit wears it regardless of wether you have earned your wings or not, it’s just apart of the uniform